Written by a distinguished policy practitioner in the field of nuclear weapons this book reflects an exceptional depth of experience in shaping both national and NATO policy. It discusses the significance of the revolution brought about by nuclear weapons, and then considers the problems, costs, and risks which they entail.

Michael Quinlan entered the UK Home Civil Service in 1954. He was Private Secretary to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Air 1956-58, and to the Chief of the Air Staff 1962-65. From 1968 to 1970 he was one of the Directors of Defence Policy in the Ministry of Defence and from 1970 to 1973 Defence Counsellor in the UK Delegation to NATO in Brussels. After a spell in the Cabinet Office he returned to the Ministry of Defence as Deputy Under-Secretary of State from 1977 to 1981. After service as a Deputy Secretary in the Treasury and then as Permanent Secretary in the Department of Employment he returned to the Ministry of Defence as Permanent Under-Secretary of State from 1988 to 1992. From 1992 to 1999 he was Director of the Ditchley Foundation, which runs a wide-ranging and high-level programme of international conferences. In 2007 he co-authored with General Lord Guthrie a short book on the Just War tradition for Bloomsbury.

• Foreword


• Preface


• Introduction


• PART I - The significance of nuclear weapons


• 1: The Nuclear Revolution


• 2: The Tools of Thinking


• 3: Deterrence


• 4: Nuclear Deterrence in NATO


• 5: The Ethics of Nuclear Weapons


• PART II - Managing nuclear weapons


• 6: Risks


• 7: Proliferation


• 8: Arms Racing, Costs, and Arms Control


• 9: Easements and Escape Routes


• National nuclear-weapon postures and policies: Britain, India, Pakistan


• 10: United Kingdom Doctrine and Policy


• 11: Nuclear Weapons in South Asia


• PART IV - The path ahead


• 12: The Abolition of Nuclear Armouries?


• 13: The Practical Agenda


• Appendix 1: Nuclear weapons and preventing war


• Appendix 2: The strategic use of nuclear weapons


• Index