Publication

This paper examines deterrence as applied to terrorism, focusing on the primary terrorist threats and the application of nuclear weapons in countering those threats. The authors work from the premise that deterrence has limited applicability in the case of terrorism, particularly in the field of nuclear deterrence, and argue that the most effective counterterrorist strategies involve engagement with local parties that can directly challenge both the ideology and operational base of terrorist groups. Nuclear posturing, the authors conclude, might in fact undermine the legitimacy of local efforts and play directly into the hands of the terrorists.