POLI 205 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, Mutual Assured Destruction, Treaty On The Non-Proliferation Of Nuclear Weapons

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POLI205
Class October 18th
Security I
Compellence means forcing an actor to take an action that they did not intend to, or stopping an actor
from taking an action they intended to.
Deterrence means preventing an attack by raising the costs of aggression to a prohibitive level.
Conventional Military Forces
- Most countries possess national armed forces (i.e. army, navy, air force)
- Notable exceptions are the Holy See (protected by the Swiss Guard) and Costa Rica (protected
by a National Guard)
- Canada has approximately 68,000 active military personnel. There are around 27,000 reserve
personnel.
- China has extremely large military numbering around 2,285,000 personnel.
- Other huge militaries include the United States (1,569,000), India (1,325,000) and Russia
(956,000)
- The US spends the most on its military annually (over $700 billion)
- In comparison, China spends nearly $90b, the United Kingdom over $60 billion, Russia over $50
billion and India over $30 billion
- Canada spends over $30 billion annually
- The U.S has the most technologically sophisticated military in the world, and the most powerful
air force and navy
- Nuclear warheads need to have a delivery vehicle
- The preeminent delivery vehicle is the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) , with a
minimum range of 5,500km
- ICBMs are either land-based or submarine-launched (SLBMs)
- Land-based ICBMs : U.S, Russia, China, India, Israel
- SLBMs: U.S., Russia, UK, France, India, China
- Other states use medium and short-range missiles
- Nuclear weapons are defensive in nature and serve the objective of deterrence
- Nuclear deterrence is based on the strategic logic of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)
- MAD: it would be irrational to initiate a nuclear war that would result in the destruction of both
states.
- In order for nuclear deterrence to work, nuclear states need to maintain a second-strike
capability, enabling them to deliver a nuclear counterattack if an opponent strikes.
- Nuclear states safeguard their nuclear weapons through Hardened and hidden missiles silos.
- The U.S. maintains a three-pronged nuclear strategy consisting of ICBMs, SLBMs, and nuclear
weapons deliverable by aircraft.
- The U.S also possesses tactical nuclear weapons for potential use on the battlefield
- The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT,1068) prohibits the spread of nuclear weapons to
non-nuclear states, promotes peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and furthers the goals of nuclear
and general disarmament.
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Document Summary

Compellence means forcing an actor to take an action that they did not intend to, or stopping an actor from taking an action they intended to. Deterrence means preventing an attack by raising the costs of aggression to a prohibitive level. Most countries possess national armed forces (i. e. army, navy, air force) Notable exceptions are the holy see (protected by the swiss guard) and costa rica (protected by a national guard) Canada has approximately 68,000 active military personnel. China has extremely large military numbering around 2,285,000 personnel. Other huge militaries include the united states (1,569,000), india (1,325,000) and russia (956,000) The us spends the most on its military annually (over billion) In comparison, china spends nearly b, the united kingdom over billion, russia over billion and india over billion. The u. s has the most technologically sophisticated military in the world, and the most powerful air force and navy. Nuclear warheads need to have a delivery vehicle.

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