The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
For many years, the United States has maintained a formal extended deterrence commitment to protect Japan that has included the possible use of nuclear weapons. This MTA Seminar will examine the history of the U.S. nuclear umbrella for Japan, the role of the umbrella plays in Japanese and U.S. security planning, and questions regarding the credibility of the commitment.
Coffee and tea provided. Please join us - Everyone is welcome, but admittance will be on a first come–first served basis.