At the Precipice of Collapse: Strengthening the Nonproliferation Regime through Comprehensive Arms Control Initiatives

Abstract

TITLE: At the Precipice of Collapse: Strengthening the Nonproliferation Regime through Comprehensive Arms Control Initiatives AUTHOR: LCDR Michael Concannon, United States Navy THESIS: The U.S. must leverage its responsibility, experience and leadership to restore confidence in the nonproliferation regime through comprehensive arms control initiatives that include actions to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and negotiate a verifiable and binding Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. DISCUSSION: The nuclear nonproliferation regime is near collapse due to a lack of confidence it its ability to stop proliferation. The collapse of the regime is a direct threat to U.S. national security. The proliferation of nuclear materials and technology increases the threat of nuclear terrorism, threatens regional stability and threatens international security. Combating nuclear terrorism and supporting the nonproliferation regime is an international problem that requires U.S. leadership. The key to achieving this cooperation is a set of comprehensive arms control initiatives that seek a tempered reduction in nuclear arsenals and acknowledge the groundswell of international support for the normative disarmament standard. CONCLUSION: The nonproliferation regime can be strengthened through a U.S. policy of graduated disarmament. Negotiating a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that abolishes tactical nuclear weapons, provides for the collective defense of Europe from ballistic missiles and reduces total arsenal levels to a 'parity plus' level of 1000 warheads is the first step toward this effort. Ratifying the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is another significant step that supports efforts to restore confidence in the nonproliferation regime. A renewed U.S. commitment to tackle challenging arms control and nonproliferation issues will validate the efficacy of the nonproliferation regime and spark renewed international commitment to proliferation prevention.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 25, 2009
Accession Number
ADA517778

Entities

People

  • M. E. Concannon

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Arms Control
  • Arms Control Treaties
  • Ballistic Missile Submarines
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Explosions
  • Fissile Materials
  • Fission
  • International Relations
  • International Security
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Materials
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Prompt Global Strike
  • Security
  • Treaties
  • United States

Readers

  • European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
  • Strategic Security Studies