... at this particular moment. Iran has been one of Washington's key and consistent adversaries for over forty years. Iran's relations with Israel, a key US ally in the region, are even more acrimonious. The two allies assume that Iran has been pursuing nuclear weapons for many years. The successful example of North Korea, which has become a de facto nuclear power, is an important example for Iran. On the other hand, there are numerous negative examples of non-nuclear countries being attacked, and their ...
... the treaty was effectively reduced to good-faith commitments not to exceed the agreed numerical limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons, at least for the duration of the treaty.
However, the end of the central Russia–U.S. strategic arms reduction ... ... Washington is not planning to deploy additional forces immediately—had that been the case, a massive media campaign with accusations against Russia would already be in motion, much as it was ahead of the collapse of the INF Treaty. The latest National ...
... of the North Korean leader can be considered a peculiar symbol here. Kidnapping or assassinating the leader of the DPRK would prove to be a difficult task for any adversary.
Given emerging experience (including Greenland), the rationale for acquiring nuclear weapons is emerging for both US adversaries and allies. Among these adversaries, Iran is the most obvious candidate. US and Israeli special operations may have set back the nuclear programme. The country's political system is under pressure from ...
...
Burevestnik
nuclear-powered cruise missile and the
Poseidon
nuclear-powered torpedo, as well as the planned deployment of the new
Sarmat
ICBM. Meanwhile, the U.S. was given an ambiguous
directive
from Donald Trump on October 30 “to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.” Yet despite the scale of both the exercises and the announcements, these developments amount to little more than routine measures aimed at maintaining nuclear deterrence.
Since Ukraine launched its first major counteroffensives ...
... have become an internationally recognized taboo and a political and moral threshold that cannot be crossed. Any country using nuclear weapons will be opposed by the entire international community.
After World War II, another significant factor that had ... ... intrigues and power struggles, with never-ending conflicts between monarchies, families, religions, states, and great powers. For thousands of years, wars have been occurring continuously and without interruption. The formation of a unified Europe has changed ...
... Nuclear-armed brigades report directly to the Central Military Commission (CMC), which retains authority over employment of nuclear weapons, whereas conventionally armed rocket brigades operate under the Theatre Commands in both peacetime and wartime ... ... into account its ongoing buildup and the Pentagon’s alarmist projections, which suggest that China could field around one thousand warheads by 2030, this figure still falls well short of the arsenals maintained by the United States and Russia. Claims ...
... material base that could be used in its nuclear programme. Precise information here is also lacking. However, Iran is a large country, and with the political will, its intellectual, scientific, and industrial resources could be sufficient to acquire nuclear weapons in the future.
In pursuing this course, Tehran may well look to the experience of the DPRK. Pyongyang found itself under the harshest UN Security Council sanctions, compounded by unilateral measures introduced by the US and other Western ...
... Nevertheless, Russia would confront a formidable adversary.
Two alternatives exist regarding Russia's potential employment of nuclear weapons in direct conflict with NATO: preemptive tactical strikes against enemy troop concentrations and critical infrastructure; ... ... designation as aggressor and consequent international isolation. The latter, while slightly reducing political costs, still permits accusations that Moscow violated the nuclear taboo first. However, apart from politics, other things are equally important. Both ...
... consequences for the world. First, we have already discussed above that the basis of the modern world order is precisely the existence of nuclear superpowers, with which no one can compare in power. Even if another ten or more countries manage to obtain nuclear weapons, they are unlikely to be able to create such quantities as to threaten the existence of the USA or Russia, not to mention the fate of all mankind. This means that Orwell's “peace that is nopeace” will remain in the foreseeable future.
Second, since volumes comparable to Russia, the USA or, probably, China are not achievable, this does not ...
... have acted purely out of “responsibility” and “sincere commitment to nuclear disarmament” (at least, it would be a positive message to non-nuclear states at the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons).
New START does not necessarily have to end next February: although the treaty does not provide for more than one extension of up to five years, neither does it mention any “suspension.” This is a bilateral accord between sovereign ...
