Defense and Arms Control Studies Program, Annual Report, 1988-1989
Abstract
Two conferences DACS sponsored this year illustrate well the current state of international security. One was a commemoration of the Twenty-Fifth anniversary of the Test Ban Treaty signed by the United States and the Soviet Union. The other was on the proliferation of nuclear powered submarines. As the Test Ban Conference recounted there is reassurance that tensions between nuclear weapon states can be bounded and reduced. But as the submarine conference revealed, weapons of significant destructive power are being ever more widely dispersed, reflecting the existing fears and the potential for miscalculation among nations. The Test Ban Treaty conference, held in November with the assistance of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, brought together U.S. participants in the treaty making process, experts in nuclear weapons, and disarmament specialists to review the origins of the treaty, its experience, and prospects for its expansion. Concerns about the treaty's effect on the ability to maintain deterrence have proved unfounded. In fact, the treaty probably avoided constraints in weapon development that seemed certain due to environmental fears. But the treaty did contribute to confidence-building after a period of severe tension. Prospects for its expansion were discussed with the opposition of the new nuclear weapon states cited as likely being the most substantial. The submarine conference, organized by Dr. Marvin Miller, drew naval officers, technical experts, and arms control specialists from around the world. The conference focused on the plans of Canada, Brazil, and India to acquire nuclear powered submarines and the capability to employ them.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA456077
Entities
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology