Lessening the International Impacts of the U.S.'s Deployment of its Ballistic Missile Defense System

Abstract

In June 2002 the U.S. chose to pull out of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty to enable its development of a Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). The leadership of many nations from the ranks of both our traditional foes and our customary allies view this development with varying levels of concern. Some leaders believe that nuclear non-proliferation and national missile defense are exclusive concepts. Others feel that individual missile reduction treaties are interdependent and that abrogation of the ABM Treaty could weaken nuclear stability worldwide. Still other leaders fear that the U.S. is developing a fortress mentality to the detriment of its international relationships. This paper examines the international impacts of the deployment of the BMDS and reviews the possible second and third order near-term effects of this action. In addition the paper proposes methods to lessen the international impacts and effects caused by the deployment of the BMDS.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA424098

Entities

People

  • Jane C. Rohr

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Anti-Ballistic Missiles
  • Arms Control
  • Arms Control Treaties
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Defense Systems
  • Deployment
  • Governments
  • International Security
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • War Colleges
  • Weapons
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Readers

  • Economics
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Missile Defense Systems.