Freeze and beyond: confining the military to defense as a route to disarmament

Journal Article · · World Policy J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6800659

Forsberg, R

Because of the function of large, ever-improving nuclear arsenals is to deter conventional warfare, the author notes we will never be able to reduce nuclear weapons substantially until the use of conventional military forces is restrained by means other than the threat of nuclear escalation. Furthermore, we will not be able to reduce nuclear weapons to the very low numbers that would no longer threaten the survival of our societies - a few hundred weapons or fewer - until we have brought conventional warfare largely or entirely under control. Before we can hope to abolish nuclear weapons altogether, we must eliminate the prospect of conventional war among the big powers, end their intervention in developing countries, and limit all conventional military forces to small, short-range, purely defensive armaments. The author feels these objectives can be achieved if we try to accomplish them not in one fell swoop but through a series of gradual, clearly demarcated steps each of which creates a plateau of military, political, and technological stability that can be maintained for years or perhaps even decades. He outlines 7 steps to accomplish these objectives, with each successive step eliminating the more aggressive, provocative, or escalatory aspects of armaments, and leaving the more defensive elements for later reductions.

• Research Organization: Institute for Defense and Disarmament Studies, Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6800659
• Journal Information: World Policy J.; (United States), Journal Name: World Policy J.; (United States) Vol. 1:2; ISSN WPOJE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

350101* -- Arms Control-- Policy
Negotiations
& Legislation-- Treaties-- (1987-)
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450202 -- Explosions & Explosives-- Nuclear-- Weaponry-- (-1989)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
AGREEMENTS
ARMS CONTROL
CONVENTIONAL WARFARE
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
NEGOTIATION
NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
NUCLEAR FREEZE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
WARFARE
WEAPONS