| ID | 093564 |
| Title Proper | When does a state become a nuclear weapon state |
| Other Title Information | an exercise in measurement validation |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Hymans, Jacques E C |
| Publication | 2010. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | When does a state become a "nuclear weapon state"? How we choose to answer this question has significant implications for proliferation assessment, analysis, and policy. Traditionally, the standard demarcation line has been a state's first nuclear test, but in recent years analysts have increasingly focused instead on the accumulation of a significant quantity (SQ) of fissile material. The article argues that although the test/no-test indicator clearly has problems, its replacement by the SQ/no-SQ indicator would be highly counterproductive. The article instead proposes supplementing the traditional test/no-test indicator with a theory-driven approach that focuses on the incentives and disincentives to test. |
| `In' analytical Note | Nonproliferation Review Vol. 17, No. 1; Mar 2010: p161-180 |
| Journal Source | Nonproliferation Review Vol. 17, No. 1; Mar 2010: p161-180 |
| Key Words | Nuclear Weapon States ; Non-Nuclear Weapon States ; Nuclear Testing ; Fissile Material |