| Publication |
2003.
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| Summary/Abstract |
This article examines the fundamental drivers of the South Asian nuclear standoff as it currently exists, assessing the likely stability or instability of nuclear deterrence from a geopolitical perspective. The analysis illuminates the basic political imperatives underlying bilateral deterrence on the Asian subcontinent (India-Pakistan and India-China), and in doing so provides assessments of the risks and dangers accompanying the India-Pakistan and India-China nuclear relationships. The author utilizes the history of US nuclear diplomacy, doctrine, and deployments - in particular, US reliance on coercive diplomacy as a crisis management tool during the Cold War - to shed light on the India-Pakistan deterrent relationship. This examination allows for a more grounded and realistic judgment of the likely success of dedicated confidence-building regimes that could involve Western aid and advice.
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