Nuclear Weapons into the 21st Century : Current Trends and Future Prospects

With the end of the Cold War, many observers had expressed the hope that the role of nuclear weapons in shaping the international system and global and regional orders might become less relevant. Yet, more than a decade after the end of the Cold War, nuclear weapons still have major relevance in world politics. The consensus on how best to ensure global stability no longer exists. As a result, the global arms control and non-proliferation regimes are widely perceived to be in a state of crisis. It is against this backdrop that this book addresses the future role of nuclear weapons, considering the following four areas: the characterization and transcendence of the impasse in arms control; the role of nuclear weapons in strategic thinking and military doctrines; the impact of nuclear weapons on regional balances; and the present challenges and future prospects of nuclear non-proliferation.