Thinking the Unthinkable -- Facing a Nuclear, Biological, Chemical and the Means to Deliver (NBC&M) Adversary: An Integrated Planning Consideration for the Operational Commander.
Abstract
In today's volatile political, economic, religious and cultural environment Nation-States aggressively pursue robust NBC&M capabilities as economic and force equalizers for asymmetric warfare advantage. Two thoughts follow. First, the odds indicate the United States will face a NBC&M capable and confident adversary in a future regional conflict. Second, although never publicly nor explicitly stated, the United States has indicated it may respond with nuclear weapons when confronted with NBC&M in a conventional war. However accurate, this exchange invites a compelling question: are we prepared to confidently integrate such Presidential tasks into a conventional environment? This paper seeks to provide some considerations to this question. It is not about telling the Operational Commander (CINC) how to execute Presidential tasks; it is about pulling together diverse, unclassified, operational considerations as a reasonable foundation for integrating a nuclear response into conventional operations. p4
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 20, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA311946
Entities
People
- Bruce S. Wong
Organizations
- Naval War College