Thinking About the Unthinkable in a Highly Proliferated World: CSIS Reports

The world is more highly proliferated today than at any time since the end of the Cold War. This has led to a number of concerns, including the potential for nuclear war, the spread of nuclear weapons to non-state actors, and the risk of nuclear terrorism. In this report, CSIS experts assess the current state of nuclear proliferation and offer recommendations for how to reduce the risks associated with it.

Thinking about the Unthinkable in a Highly Proliferated World (CSIS Reports)

by Andrew P. Owsiak

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	5531 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	86 pages
X-Ray for textbooks	:	Enabled

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The Current State of Nuclear Proliferation

The number of nuclear-armed states has increased from five in 1970 to nine today. These states are the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea. In addition, there are a number of other countries that are suspected of having nuclear weapons programs, including Iran and Saudi Arabia.

The total number of nuclear weapons in the world has declined since the end of the Cold War, but it is still estimated to be around 13,000. These weapons are deployed on a variety of platforms, including land-based missiles, submarines, and aircraft. The United States and Russia possess the largest nuclear arsenals, with each having around 6,000 nuclear weapons. China is estimated to have around 350 nuclear weapons, while the United Kingdom, France, and India each have around 200 nuclear weapons. Pakistan and Israel are estimated to have around 100 nuclear weapons each, while North Korea is estimated to have around 20 nuclear weapons.

The spread of nuclear weapons to non-state actors is a major concern. Non-state actors, such as terrorist groups, could use nuclear weapons to attack their enemies or to blackmail governments. There have been a number of cases in which non-state actors have attempted to acquire nuclear weapons or materials. In 2004, for example, the Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan was arrested for selling nuclear secrets to North Korea, Libya, and Iran. In 2011, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.

The risk of nuclear terrorism is also a major concern. Nuclear terrorism is the use of nuclear weapons by non-state actors. Nuclear terrorism could have devastating consequences, including the deaths of millions of people and the destruction of entire cities. There have been a number of cases in which terrorist groups have expressed an interest in acquiring nuclear weapons. In 1998, for example, Osama bin Laden issued a fatwa calling for the use of nuclear weapons against the United States. In 2002, al-Qaeda operatives were arrested in Pakistan with plans to attack nuclear facilities in the United States.

Recommendations

The CSIS report makes a number of recommendations for how to reduce the risks associated with nuclear proliferation. These recommendations include:

• Strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The NPT is the cornerstone of the global nuclear nonproliferation regime. The treaty has been signed by 191 countries, but it has not been signed by India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea. The CSIS report recommends that these countries sign the NPT and that the treaty be strengthened to include new measures to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
• Reducing the number of nuclear weapons. The CSIS report recommends that the United States and Russia reduce their nuclear arsenals to no more than 1,000 warheads each. This would reduce the risk of nuclear war and would help to create a more stable international security environment.
• Preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to non-state actors. The CSIS report recommends that the United States and other countries work together to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons to non-state actors. This could be done through a variety of measures, such as加强出口管制, providing security assistance to countries with nuclear programs, and working to resolve regional conflicts.
• Reducing the risk of nuclear terrorism. The CSIS report recommends that the United States and other countries work together to reduce the risk of nuclear terrorism. This could be done through a variety of measures, such as increasing security at nuclear facilities, improving intelligence sharing, and working to counter terrorist propaganda.

The world is more highly proliferated today than at any time since the end of the Cold War. This has led to a number of concerns, including the potential for nuclear war, the spread of nuclear weapons to non-state actors, and the risk of nuclear terrorism. The CSIS report assesses the current state of nuclear proliferation and offers recommendations for how to reduce the risks associated with it. These recommendations include strengthening the NPT, reducing the number of nuclear weapons, preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to non-state actors, and reducing the risk of nuclear terrorism.

The CSIS report is a valuable contribution to the debate on nuclear proliferation. The report provides a comprehensive assessment of the current state of nuclear proliferation and offers a number of concrete recommendations for how to reduce the risks associated with it. The report should be read by anyone who is interested in the issue of nuclear proliferation.

Here are some additional resources on nuclear proliferation:

• Arms Control Association: Nuclear Proliferation
• Nuclear Threat Initiative: Nuclear Proliferation
• International Atomic Energy Agency: Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Thinking about the Unthinkable in a Highly Proliferated World (CSIS Reports)

by Andrew P. Owsiak

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	5531 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	86 pages
X-Ray for textbooks	:	Enabled

FREE