Contemporary Nuclear Debates: Missile Defenses, Arms Control, and Arms Races in the Twenty-First Century

The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in the hands of both states and terrorist networks, is considered by many to be the greatest threat to global security today. Contemporary Nuclear Debates discusses the key issues surrounding that threat.The book is divided into four parts. Part I, "US National Missile Defense: When and How?" presents an overview of the missile defense debate and examines the merits of different deployment systems, such as sea-based, space-based, and boost-phase. Part II, "Global Perceptions of Missile Defense," goes beyond the standard debate about the risks and benefits of missile defenses to examine the specific potential reactions of major countries, including China, India, Iran, Japan, and Russia. Part III, "Do Arms Races Matter Anymore?" asks which countries, if any, have the capability to conduct an arms race with the United States, whether any country would choose to do so, and what weapons a country might build in response to a US missile defense deployment. Part IV, "Is Arms Control Dead?" discusses the circumstances under which arms control is useful today, new principles upon which it can be based, and new visions for its future.