| Publication |
2009.
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| Summary/Abstract |
This article analyzes the kinds of nuclear duels in which small nuclear powers might engage. It does so by articulating a deductive framework that describes the five ways force can be used. Nuclear weapons are means of force that can be used actively or passively to preserve or change the status quo and so can be used to support the resulting generic strategies of deterrence, defense, offense, and active and passive compellence. These are the politically purposive strategies available to conduct a nuclear duel. It then considers these strategies from the perspective of small nuclear powers by considering a case. Use of a single case makes for a more rigorous analysis of the relationship between strategies by forcing consideration of tradeoffs and complementarities. The awkwardness of the real world inherent in a single case cannot be sidestepped by use of convenient examples from other situations. North Korea is used because it is the focus of negotiations to abandon its nuclear program. In contrast, India, Israel, and Pakistan are not under international pressure at this time, and Iran does not yet possess nuclear weapons. The result is an exploration of the nuclear duel involving small nuclear powers intended to illuminate for non-specialists the opportunities, constraints, and interconnections within the space of possible nuclear strategies.
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