National Perspectives on Nuclear Disarmament » This book compiles Unblocking the Road to Zero's previous country monographs into a single, accessible volume. Renowned experts discuss the views of key countries on nuclear disarmament, both those with weapons and those without. Each chapter seeks to explore a country's disposition, and examines the feasibility of a variety of nuclear disarmament scenarios. READ MORE »

Elements of a Nuclear Disarmament Treaty » The Unblocking the Road to Zero research project concludes with a volume outlining the technical measures required to support a world without nuclear weapons and governed by a nuclear disarmament treaty. Topics in this highly innovative volume include developing a comprehensive verification system for such treaty, verifying nuclear warhead dismantlement, potential treaty enforcement, and constructing a treaty governance regime. READ MORE »

Volume I: France and the United Kingdom » The first two papers in the series cover America’s allies: France, by Bruno Tertrais, and the United Kingdom, by Lawrence Freedman. Although the two states have very different views of the utility of nuclear weapons, the papers make clear that if the US and Russia made significant progress toward deep reductions in their own arsenals, the two West European nuclear weapons would find it difficult to resist joining multilateral negotiations to eliminate nuclear weapons from all nations. READ MORE »

Volume II: India and China » The second set of papers looks at the perspectives of two emerging global powers on nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament and seeks to provide insight into the motivations, goals and potential capabilities of both China and India. Retired Major General Pan Zhenqiang explains China’s nuclear policies and its perspectives on arms control and disarmament. The distinguished Indian scholar, Rajesh Basrur, explores the same issues for India. The similarities between the two countries’ approach are notable, and both authors make clear that if the US and Russia first make deep reductions in their nuclear stockpiles, the path would be opened for a broader dialogue on nuclear elimination among all the nuclear great powers. READ MORE »

Volume III: Pakistan and Israel » Israel and Pakistan are addressed in the third volume. The paper on Israel is written by Brigadier General Shlomo Brom (Retired), Pakistan by Brigadier General Feroz Khan (Retired). Of the countries with smaller arsenals than the US and Russia that will have to be persuaded to join the disarmament process, the two toughest are likely to be Pakistan and Israel. These two papers make apparent that dedicated US leadership would be required to lead these countries to nuclear disarmament negotiations but that, in addition, specific steps would have to be taken to reduce the broader threats perceived by Israel and Pakistan, giving them the confidence to join the other nuclear-armed countries in multilateral reductions. Of the two, Israel probably poses the greater challenge. READ MORE »

Volume IV: North Korea and Iran » In the fourth volume, leading experts on Iran, Professor Anoush Ehteshami, and North Korea, Joel Wit and Leon Sigal, explore the motivations for these states’ nuclear behavior and search for solutions that would make a worldwide move to a nuclear-weapons free world attainable. Both nations have pursued nuclear programs outside the boundaries of their Nonproliferation Treaty obligations. Although North Korea has made clear that it intends to remain a nuclear weapon state, Iran’s ambitions are less certain and may, as its leaders maintain, be restricted to the development of nuclear energy technology for civilian purposes. These experts’ analyses make evident that underlying geo-political tensions in the respective regions need to be addressed as necessary, though perhaps not sufficient, conditions to persuade these two countries to dedicate their nuclear programs to peaceful purposes alone in a verifiable manner. READ MORE »

Volume V: U.S. and Russia » As the two largest nuclear powers, it is incumbent that the United States and Russia take the lead in the disarmament process. While talks for a treaty to reduce their nuclear arsenals are underway and appear productive, this is only a first step to achieve the ultimate goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. In the fifth volume of the series, Dr. Dmitri Trenin provides insight into what barriers Russia must overcome before making further cuts in its nuclear arsenal and Blechman, et. al. review the depth of US leadership for nuclear disarmament. READ MORE »

Volume VI: Japan, Brazil, and Turkey » The last volume in the country series examines the policies of Japan, Brazil, and Turkey toward a nuclear disarming world, as discussed by authors Professor Matake Kamiya, Ambassador Marcos de Azambuja, and Dr. Henri J. Barkey. These states do not possess nuclear weapons, yet each has specific interests that affect their willingness to participate in a movement toward global zero. Both Japan and Turkey are covered by the United States’ extended deterrent and some fear that a disarming United States could change the security calculus for either of these states. While Brazil does not have this security guarantee, it has considered nuclear weapons in the past and will have a significant voice on fuel cycle questions, as does Japan.
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