Contemporary Nuclear Debates: Missile Defenses, Arms Control, and Arms Races in the Twenty-First Century (Washington Quarterly Readers) (The Washington Quarterly Readers Series) - Softcover

Alexander T. J. Lennon is the editor-in-chief of The Washington Quarterly, the flagship journal of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He is also a fellow in the international security program at CSIS, and an adjunct professor in Georgetown University's Security Studies program. He is the editor of The Epicenter of Crisis: The New Middle East; Reshaping Rogue States (MIT Press, 2008): Preemption, Regime Change, and U.S. Policy Toward Iran, Iraq, and North Korea (MIT Press, 2004); The Battle for Hearts and Minds: Using Soft Power to Undermine Terrorist Networks (MIT Press, 2003), What Does the World Want from America? and Contemporary Nuclear Debates (MIT Press, both 2002), and the coeditor (with Michael T. Mazarr) of Toward a Nuclear Peace (St. Martin's Press, 1994).

The problem of how to cope with catastrophic threats to our security will not be solved when al-Qaeda has been dispersed and the 'axis of evil' exists no more. The indefinite character of the nuclear age requires a cool and steady consideration of all policy options, from missile defenses to new weapons systems to arms control, and for the long as well as the short term. This is exactly what is provided by this excellent collection of essays by some of the leading figures in the policy debates.

(Lawrence Freedman, Professor of War Studies, King's College)

This is an interesting and provocative collection of essays that address a once-forgotten, now all-too-relevant set of issues. This volume will be required reading for those with a serious interest in arms races, arms control, and missile defense.

(Steven Miller, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University)

The distinguishing feature of this volume is it's bringing together of an expert group, both American and foreign, to present a broad array of informed, critical analyses of some of the most pressing issues in international security today.

(Mitchell B. Reiss, Dean of International Affairs, College of William and Mary)

Contemporary Nuclear Debates updates the strategic framework within which decisions about the role of nuclear weapons should be made. These three questions -- what missile defense system should the U.S. deploy? Do arms races matter anymore? Is arms control dead? -- are the central ones that need to be addressed. Today's and tomorrow's strategic thinkers will be informed by this comprehensive set of answers, representing American and global views on all sides of these critical debates.

(John Hamre, President, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense)

For those tired of the old arguments -- welcome to the new arguments. No matter what your position, Contemporary Nuclear Debates is a treasure trove of informed analysis and new thinking on some of today's most critical issues.

(Joseph Cirincione, Director, Carnegie Endowment Non-Proliferation Project)

One of the tremendous ironies of the post-Cold War world -- and an important focus of this book -- is that the United States and the Russian Federation may face a greater threat today than we did at the height of the Cold War.

(Senator Richard Lugar)

Could missile defense and arms control advance the US and international security in the new century? Contemporary Nuclear Debates is a remarkable contribution to the current deliberation

(Dingli Shen, Professor and Deputy Director, Center for American Studies, Fudan University, China)

Contemporary Nuclear Debates succeeds admirably in presenting a wide range of views on traditional nuclear questions recast in the current international environment. Especially noteworthy is its treatment of the potential impact of a limited US national missile defense.

(Dean A. Wilkening, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University)