Nuclear Strategy in the Twenty-First Century

Although the Cold War has ended and the Soviet Union is gone, nuclear weapons remain as dangerous artifacts of times past. High-technology non-nuclear weapons, possibly including anti-missile defenses based on new principles, will dominate the battle space in the 21st century. But nuclear weapons will be deemed "useful" by those who oppose the status quo and peace and who cannot afford to race the United States and other "third wave" economies based on information and electronics. Nuclear deterrence and information will have an uneasy and dangerous coexistence. Nuclear weapons may be used by regional rogues to deter power projection and intervention by the United States and its allies. Information will be used to help confuse or defeat United States adversaries armed with weapons of mass destruction.

Stephen J. Cimbala is Professor of Political Science at Pennsylvania State University (Delaware County).