Nuclear Issues

What can the United States do to thwart the nuclear ambitions of its allies? Dr. Kogan analyzes past cases where the United States was able to leverage its alliance commitments to stop friendly states from going nuclear. He then asks what lessons these past nuclear negotiations hold for today.  In the coming decade, key U.S. allies in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia) and East Asia (South Korea, Japan) may consider reducing their reliance on U.S. security guarantees by acquiring independent nuclear deterrents.  In conversation with Project Director Kevin Ryan, Dr. Kogan discusses Washington's options in confronting these contemporary allies with nascent nuclear appetites.

"...the general public does not consider the nuclear issue to be of vital importance. Nuclear technology will do little for the average Iranian — it cannot create more jobs for a country that needs 1m jobs annually, it cannot change the chronic low efficiency, productivity and effectiveness of the economy and management, and it will do nothing to improve Iran's commercial ties with the rest of the world...."

With Saddam and the Talibans out of the scene and US troops entangled in Iraq, Teheran's aspiration for a new regional centrality skyrockets, together with its nuclear ambitions. Is Ahmadinejad to lead the game in the Middle East? America's options and Iran's constraints.