Sheltering the Genie: The LIC Threat to Nuclear Systems
Abstract
The decreasing tension between the United States and the Soviet Union obscures a harsh reality. In a world where the probability of a nuclear exchange between the two superpowers is at its lowest point since the early 1950s, American nuclear weapons are more vulnerable than ever to low intensity threats. Some terrorist organizations have become sophisticated enough to actually steal or destroy a warhead, while the Special Purpose Forces of the Soviet Union retain the capability to curtail the reliability of American strategic systems from within the United States or Europe. These two very real threats are derived from the same factors-the openness of American society, and the enormous difficulty of providing security for these weapons. Because it is difficult to separate terrorism issues, the analysis of possible outcomes goes beyond the weapons themselves to include nuclear materials and power plants. This paper will examine nuclear terrorism within the context of what the US government has come to call Low Intensity Conflict, or LIC. The SPETZNAZ threat is considered even though political developments in Europe indicate that the likelihood of such attacks is decreasing. Indeed, the Soviet Union could be part of the solution rather than the threat. This may result from a renunciation of terrorist support, and from the recognition that US-Soviet joint efforts could be the best insurance against nuclear terrorism which threatens both superpowers-especially as the Soviet Empire unravels.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA239451
Entities
People
- Paul Shemella
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School