In this report BASIC's senior fellow, Ward Wilson, argues that the perceived status of nuclear weapons as powerful political icons hinders nonproliferation efforts and encourages other states to retain or pursue nuclear weapons programs. Wilson also discusses specific steps states could take to tackle the increased symbolism of nuclear weapons and strengthen nonproliferation.
Rethinking Nuclear Weapons
Minimum Deterrence: Examining the Examination
The mid-August publication of the National Institute for Public Policy’s Minimum Deterrence: Examining the Evidence has re-invigorated the debate on America’s nuclear policy and on the concept of nuclear deterrence in general: Does it make sense in the 21st century? Can a ‘Deterrence Lite’ policy, hereafter called ‘Minimum Deterrence’ (MD), really work?
Ward Wilson: The Bomb Didn’t Beat Japan…Stalin Did
Ward Wilson was featured on the the front page of Foreign Policy with a popular article de-bunking the myth that the Second World War was won by nuclear weapons.
Nuclear Modernization: What Does It Mean And What Is Required for U.S. Security?
BASIC held its third Strategic Dialogue on Capitol Hill, this time with expert speakers Ambassador Linton Brooks and Hans Kristensen.
Trinity nuclear test anniversary – U.S. first to test, but will it be the last to fully support a ban?
Today is the 67th anniversary of the world’s first nuclear explosion test, known as “Trinity”, which used a plutonium core. It was unnecessary for the first use of a nuclear warhead, on Hiroshima three weeks later, as designers were so confident about that form of HEU ‘gun-type’ warhead.
“NATO’s Deterrence Posture & Turkish Security” Seminar Held at USAK
This roundtable meeting, jointly organized by the Arms Control Association, the British American Security Information Council, the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy Hamburg, International Strategic Research Organization, aimed to evaluate the role that deterrence and nuclear weapons play in Turkey's security policy and NATO's defense posture.
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Analysis of the French white paper on defense and national security
France has reaffirmed the role of independent nuclear deterrence in French security policy and outlines its plan for nuclear disarmament.
You see, Richard, we all have to make compromises…
And now let us return to the days of yore, February 11, 2004, when President Bush, made remarks on Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation. President Bush actually said (no, really, I’m not kidding) some good things about how to prevent proliferation.