Lehman's lesson: The arms control agenda
Sweeping political changes have ushered in a radically altered international security environment. These changes give the US and in particular the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) new challenges, but also new opportunities. Arms control is in transition. Priorities have been shifting for some time away from preoccupations with the East-West balance toward greater emphasis on nonproliferation. It is necessary to ensure that weapons of mass destruction do not fall into irresponsible hands. In many ways, the aftermath of the Moscow coup symbolizes that transition. The failed coup by Soviet hard-liners underscored the reduction in the traditional military threat from what its own citizens quickly came to call the former Soviet Union. Now, the uncertain political future of what had been the Soviet Union adds an important new dimension to non-proliferation efforts. There is a need to be concerned not only about preventing the emergence of new nuclear-weapon states among the non-nuclear-weapon states, but also about preventing the emergence of new nuclear-weapon states by the disintegration of an existing nuclear-weapon states. The republics of the new Commonwealth of Independent States possess far more nuclear weapons than existed during the major crises of the Cold War. Yet it is clear that there is a need far more than the application of traditional principles of deterrence to deal with the new circumstances.
- OSTI ID:
- 6907287
- Journal Information:
- Arms Control Today; (United States), Journal Name: Arms Control Today; (United States) Vol. 21:10; ISSN 0196-125X; ISSN ACOTEB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
290600 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
350100* -- Arms Control-- Policy
Negotiations
& Legislation-- (1987-)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ARMS CONTROL
ASIA
CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EUROPE
FOREIGN POLICY
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
NON-PROLIFERATION POLICY
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
TREATIES
USA
USSR
WEAPONS