How effective is the strategy of nuclear deterrence Essay

How effective is the strategy of nuclear deterrence - Essay Example The use of weapons of mass destruction may not be a realistic option to solve issues because it goes against the principle of life (Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 2013). Some countries use nuclear deterrence to impose sanctions on their enemies and prevent them from using their nuclear weapons. This is because they inflict fear on their adversaries such that if the adversary used their nuclear weapons in an unacceptable way, the threatening state will react by using it supposedly superior, nuclear weapons against the adversary, and the damage will be devastating for both countries. Therefore, nuclear deterrence is an attempt to create risks that may make the opponent not to engage in a certain policy or action (Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 2013). This essay discusses the merits and demerits of the strategy of nuclear deterrence to evaluate its efficacy. As mentioned earlier, nuclear deterrence is the act that involves the prevention of using nuclear weapons (Nuclear Age Peace Foundat ion, 2013). This means that the threatening nation prevents its adversary from using Nuclear weapons against it or its allies, lest the threatening nation will attack its adversary, using nuclear weapons. Therefore, nuclear deterrence is the threat to strike back with nuclear weapons (Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 2013). ... A threatening nation must be capable and willing to use its nuclear weapon, as well as, effectively communicate this to the nation that is to be deterred to ensure the success of nuclear deterrence (Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 2013). This means that a deterrent force inflicts unacceptable damage on the nation to be deterred. Secondly, the threatening nation must have the ability to exact payments by disallowing the opponent to accomplish its objectives of using nuclear weapons or by charging the opponent a disproportionate price for achieving the objectives to use nuclear weapons (Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 2013). Alternatively, the threatening nation can combine the two aforementioned strategies. Further, the threatening nation must ensure that the safety of its nuclear arsenal is guaranteed. Additionally, the opponent must not access a way or method of eliminating the deterring capability of the threatening nation. Therefore, the threatening nation must ensure that technical a nd policy means do not allow the opponent to access a way or method of eliminating the deterring capability of the threatening nation (Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 2013). Finally, the threatening nation should ensure that it is always ready to demonstrate to its adversary that it can deliver on its message. Therefore, the threatening nation must show that it is willing to engage in a nuclear war that it tries to deter or prevent, if circumstances dictate so (Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 2013). Having known the preconditions that should be met to ensure the success of nuclear deterrence, it is worthy to analyse the benefits that may accrue from nuclear deterrence, when it is carried out successfully. First, it has been argued by Waltz (1994, p,