| ID | 160569 |
| Title Proper | Between acquisition and use |
| Other Title Information | assessing the likelihood of nuclear terrorism |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | McIntosh, Christopher ; Christopher McIntosh Ian Storey ; Storey, Ian |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Much of the contemporary literature on nuclear terrorism focuses on the question of whether a terrorist organization could acquire a nuclear weapon. This assumes that once a terrorist group acquires a weapon, they will, at some point, attempt to detonate it in an attack. This article calls that assumption into question by using a strategic perspective to examine the likely behavior of a nuclear-armed terrorist organization. We identify and assess the most likely options available and conclude that a nuclear terrorist attack is the least likely outcome—even for terrorist groups with nuclear capability. This results from three drawbacks of actually detonating a nuclear weapon: the costs associated with an attack, the benefits forfeited in terms of the options foreclosed by using the weapon, and the relative strategic value of alternative courses of action. |
| `In' analytical Note | International Studies Quarterly Vol. 62, No.2; Jun 2018: p.289–300 |
| Journal Source | International Studies Quarterly Vol: 62 No 2 |
| Key Words | Nuclear Terrorism ; Acquisition and Use |