PS-III (BLLB-406) Unit-III (C)
WEAPONS
DETERRENCE, PROLIFERATION AND DISARMAMENT
INTRODUCTION
A weapon, arm or armament is any device that can be used with intent to inflict damage or harm.
Nuclear Weapons: Weapons that use nuclear fission (atom bombs) or nuclear fusion (hydrogen bombs) to destroy their targets, through the effect of blast, heat and radiation.
Nuclear proliferation: Nuclear proliferation refers to a
quantitative and qualitative increase in nuclear weapons and
their spread to various countries.
The spread of nuclear weapons, either by their acquisition by more states or other actors (horizontal proliferation), or their accumulation by established nuclear states (vertical proliferation).
In other words, “Horizontal” proliferation refers to nation‐states or non‐state entities that do not have, but are acquiring, nuclear weapons or developing the capability and materials for producing them. “Vertical” proliferation refers to nation‐states that do possess nuclear weapons and are increasing their stockpiles of these weapons, improving the technical sophistication or reliability of their weapons, or developing new weapons.
A major element of the nuclear proliferation process is the acquisition of the technologies to produce fissile materials to construct either a fission or fusion.
During the Second World War, the United States developed nuclear weapon capability and prepared atom bombs.
The US dropped the atom bombs on the two cities of Japan, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in August 1945.
At Hiroshima, 66,000 people were killed, and 69,000 were injured.
At Nagasaki, 39,000 people were killed, and 25,000 were injured.
The whole world was shocked by the atom bomb explosion and its disastrous capability and consequences.
Nuclear weapons changed the concept of war from simple war to all‐destructive, total war.
The emergence of nuclear weapons caused a big impact on the nature of international relations in the Post‐Second World War period.
Other nations tried to develop nuclear weapons quickly, as it gave a great boost to national power while acting a deterrent.
Thus, over the years, many countries have developed the capability to make nuclear bombs.
On the other hand, non‐nuclear nations became virtually defenceless. This insecurity led to the further growth of nuclear weapons, as other countries also tried to acquire nuclear weapons.
Today, the world remains at a very dangerous level of nuclear weapons stockpile.
Even after all the treaties and agreements for disarmament, in 2016 the nuclear warheads with the USA has been 6,970; Russia7,300;
France 300; the UK 215; China 260; Israel 250‐400; India 110‐120;
Pakistan 120‐130 and North Korea more than 14.
DETERRENCE
Deterrence theory gained increased prominence as a military strategy during the Cold War with regard to the use of nuclear weapons.
Deterrence is a tactic or strategy designed to prevent aggress by emphasizing the scale of the likely military response (the cost of an attack would be greater than any benefit it may bring).
Deterrence is fundamentally based on an expressed threat that exacts a cost greater than the potential benefits of an adversary's unwanted action, leading an adversary to avoid that unwanted action.
Deterrence in the nuclear era is based on the assumption that the threat of nuclear attack is negated by the possibility of nuclear reprisal.
The purpose of deterrence is to avoid war by means of credible deterrence or to deter an opponent from undertaking aggressive actions.
The deterrence theory is largely derived deductively and heuristically for want of historical and empirical evidence.
As per the view of deterrence optimists, deterrence is effective in preventing a nuclear war from occurring in the international system until today.
But deterrence pessimists are not much confidence in deterrence stability; rather, they see the possibility of deterrence instability in the future.
REASON FOR ARMS RACE/PROBLEMS OF DISARMAMENT
The UN was founded on the belief that peace and security for all peoples would mainly be possible through disarmament and arms control.
However, the track record of disarmament and arms control efforts is not praiseworthy. The major obstacles to disarmament and arms controls are following;
The emergence of the modern state system was the starting point for the growth of the arms race.
Intense superpower rivalry resulted in various military alliances, both bilateral and multilateral nature.
Independence of various Asian, African and Latin American countries:
every state acquired arms in order to defend itself.
Scientific advancement in military technology and the invention of sophisticated weapons:
A status of political prestige in the world associated with nuclear weapon possession.
Political rivalry and disputes also fuel arms race, and disarmament commitments break down.
A general logic of nuclear weapons proliferation is based on the so‐called security dilemma among countries because international politics is characterised by fear, uncertainty and complexity.
Weapons acquired for defensive purposes may be perceived by other states as having, potentially or actually, offensive significance.
The Military Industrial Complex (MIC) is a lucrative industry in the US, France, UK, Russia, Israel, etc.
The manufacture and sale of weapons is the most profitable business, and unless the MIC is restrained, disarmament & arms control measures will not reach its fruition.
Vertical nuclear proliferation during the Cold War period witnessed the build‐up of massive nuclear arsenals in the USA and the Soviet Union.
The cyclic effect of nuclear proliferation‐the US atomic attack on Japan in1945 encouraged USSR to intensify its effort to develop nuclear weapons, leading to its nuclear test in 1949, then the P‐5 members carried out by UK (1952), France (1960) and China (1962).
The post‐cold war era heightened anxiety about nuclear proliferation as many states have shown an interest in acquiring nuclear weapons, the easier availability of nuclear materials and technology, and the increased ganger that nuclear weapons get into the hands of actors (non‐state actors) who may use these fatal weapons.
DISARMAMENT
Preservation of international peace and security through disarmament and arms control constitute the most popular movement in the contemporary era of international relations.
Disarmament means the reduction of fighting capacity, either through scaling‐down or eliminating arms or, more likely, categories of weapons.
Disarmament means a plan or a system for the limitation, reduction, or abolition of armed forces, including their arms and equipment and other related items like military bases and budgets.
The concept of disarmament involves the decision to liquidate the existing stockpiles of armaments, and the concept of arms control seeks to regulate the future production of armaments with a view to preventing their expansion and misuse.
Disarmament and arms control are the means for the elimination, reduction and control of armaments.
Disarmament aims at the reduction or elimination of armaments and arms race. Disarmament stands for elimination or reduction of armaments as a means for preventing wars in international relations.
The basic objectives of disarmament and arms control are identical‐
to prevent, limit or reduce the probability of the illegitimate use of force in international society.
Disarmament and arms control movements are due to the greater realization that the whole world will be destroyed if there is a Third World War.
FORMS AND TYPES OF DISARMAMENT
Human disarmament relates to the limitation or reduction of armed forces.
Conventional disarmament refers to the elimination or reduction of conventional weapons.
Nuclear Disarmament stands for the liquidation of nuclear weapons.
Quantitative disarmament means an overall reduction of armaments of most or all types.
Qualitative disarmament refers to the abolition or reduction of only special types of armaments, such as the elimination of WMDS.
General disarmament is a kind of disarmament in which all nations take part.
Local disarmament refers to disarmament by a limited number of countries.
Comprehensive and general disarmament refers to reduction or destruction of weapons and war instruments of all types by all nations.
Total or comprehensive disarmament means abolition of all human and material instrumentalities of warfare.
It refers to a condition of world order in which no country will possess any armed forces or weapons of any kind. But total disarmament is very difficult to achieve.
THE MAJOR DISARMAMENT & ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENTS
Atoms for Peace Plan in 1953.
Ten Nation Disarmament Conference in 1960.
Limited Test Ban Treaty in 1963.
Outer Space Treaty in 1967.
Nuclear Non‐Proliferation Treaty in 1968.
Sea‐Bed Treaty in 1971.
Biological Weapon Treaty in 1972.
SALT‐I (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty‐I) in 1972.
Anti‐Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty in 1972.
SALT‐II (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty‐II) in 1979.
The Intermediate‐Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1987.
START‐I (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) in 1991.
START‐II (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) in 1993.
Chemical Weapons Agreement in 1993.
Extension of Non‐proliferation Treaty in 1995.
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996.
Landmines Ban Treaty of 1997.
CONCLUSION
Weapons protect us, but they also kill people and bring destruction.
War and the arms race are dangerous for peace, security and survival of human beings.
Arm race generally leads to tension, and wars result in genocide and mass destruction.
The arms race creates conditions for war and tension among nations.
It also diverts a large amount of funds for raising the army and collecting weapons, which could have been used to alleviate poverty and promote social development.
Human beings are living in an uncertain and disastrous situation today, where nuclear weapons can completely destroy and eliminate life on earth if they are used in war.
Despite all efforts at disarmament and non‐proliferation, nuclear weapons are still stockpiled in large numbers.
The double role of world powers in dialoguing and negotiating for disarmament and arms control are also confusing.
On the one hand, they are busy in making sophisticated armaments to increase their own powers and are selling arms to the poor and developing countries to earn profits.
On the other hand, poor and developing countries falling in the trap are busy in purchasing a huge number of arms and spending less on economic and social development.
