The Impact on Strategic Stability of Ballistic Missile Defense in Eastern Europe
Abstract
While the United States and Russia have many disagreements, very few of these affect nuclear weapon policy. One that has recently done so, however, is the argument over ballistic missile defense systems in Europe. The United States has signed bilateral missile defense agreements with both Poland and the Czech Republic, but neither country has yet ratified the agreements. The uncertainty of the future of these systems, Russia's opposition to them, and -- most importantly -- the complex interaction of how these agreements affect strategic stability will be examined in this thesis. A second topic of this thesis is an examination of the evolution and current definition of strategic stability itself. By providing historical context it can be shown that the concept of strategic stability is still relevant today. Ultimately, the research reveals that although the limited capabilities of the proposed Eastern European missile defense system do not pose a threat to Russia's intercontinental ballistic missile force, the decisions made by Moscow in response to the system may negatively affect strategic stability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 12, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA502053
Entities
People
- Derek F. Schin
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College