Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum atomica

Abstract

ABSTRACT Is it coherent to defend nuclear deterrence from an ethical and just-war point of view, given the likely devastating effects of an actual nuclear exchange? This article holds that the salutary effects of successful deterrence are so substantial that, given the state of the world today, such deterrence does abide by the proportionality criterion of the just war tradition when considered against the direct political effects of deterrence, not the military effects of detonations. This article further explores why such salutary political effects are likely to remain viable in the twenty-first century, given both technical and political developments. The article also explores some of the main arguments against nuclear deterrence derived from the Cold War and considers to what extent they are relevant today.