Emerging Themes in Nuclear Arms Control

In retrospect the arms control ideas described in the 1960 Daedalus volume seem obvious, like all deep ideas. According to the Daedalus authors, nations in military competition will normally be able, after some searching discussion, to agree to change their military preparations in ways that advance the security of both. Agreement can result when each side abandons hope that it will gain advantage in some military arena through all-out competition, yet fears the other might. Such instances of reciprocal fear will be quite common, since war is an uncertain business and most nations are conservative in their approach to it.

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