The US Ballistic Missile Defence: International Chaos or Deterrence?

Neha Kumar

This book is the result of one year of intensive study on nuclear and ballistic missile defence issue. The development and deployment of the BMD system is a debatable issue since the Cold War. As the title of this book suggest, it explores whether the development of BMD would result into strengthening deterrence or international chaos, resulting into further degradation of deterrence. This study focusses not just on the BMD, but also on nuclear deterrence and political relationship of the US with Russia and China. It is important to understand that the debate on BMD is due to political reasons rather than technological ones. This book tries to relate theoretical concepts with technological and political problems and tries to find out whether the development of the US BMD systems will result into strengthening of deterrence or not.. This book highlights the recent debates coming up as a result of North Korea's second nuclear test, Iran's launch of satellites and fragile situation in Pakistan along with the coming of new administration of Obama in the US.

Neha Kumar Neha Kumar has done her M.Phil from Centre for International Politics, Orgnaisation and Disarmament (CIPOD), Jawaharlal Nehru University. She is currently a Ph.D. scholar in the same department at JNU. She has worked with Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) in 2007-2008. She is presently working as Research Associate in United Services Institution of India (USI). Her area of interests includes Nuclear and Ballistic Missile Issues and the US policies in South Asia. Her articles have been published in various journals, internet websites and newspapers.