Deck 11: Nuclear Proliferation

Question 1

Mutual Assured Destruction

A)was never achieved during the Cold War.
B)undermines deterrence.
C)requires survivable nuclear forces.
D)would be even stronger with nuclear defenses.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Virtually every nation with the ability to build nuclear weapons has done so.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Proponents of widespread proliferation

A)make an exception in the case of Iran.
B)think nuclear deterrence will eventually fail.
C)think the leaders of Iran are basically rational.
D)do not think nuclear weapons had anything to do with the peace of the Cold War.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Opponents of nuclear proliferation worry that new nuclear powers will acquire

A)too many nuclear weapons.
B)bigger and more powerful weapons.
C)only a few of the most destabilizing types of nuclear weapons.
D)a survivable retaliatory strike capability.

Question 5

Which of the following signed but later withdrew from the NPT?

A)The United States
B)North Korea
C)Iraq
D)Israel

Question 6

During the Cold War, the United States and Soviet Union based nuclear weapons on land, in the sea, and on planes in the air.

Question 7

Because it wants to retain its nuclear weapons, the United States has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Question 8

There are many more nuclear powers today than most expected.

Question 9

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

A)can impose sanctions on nations that violate the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
B)conducted no inspections in Iraq.
C)is weak because it only deals with issues of nuclear power, not weapons.
D)monitors whether nations are abiding by the NPT.

Question 10

Nuclear abstainers are nations that

A)have signed the NPT.
B)refuse to give up their nuclear weapons.
C)cannot build nuclear weapons.
D)can build nuclear weapons but have chosen not to.

Question 11

The key question in the debate over nuclear weapons in Iran is whether it

A)will be restrained by normal dynamics of nuclear deterrence.
B)already has nuclear weapons hidden in the country.
C)is pursuing the development of nuclear weapons.
D)will sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Question 12

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty required all signatories that had nuclear weapons to get rid of them.

Question 13

Proliferation optimists base their case on the assumption that

A)nuclear powers will eventually agree to eliminate their weapons.
B)nuclear weapons would be no more destructive than modern conventional weapons.
C)very few nations are likely to acquire nuclear weapons.
D)nuclear weapons substantially raise the potential costs of war.

Question 14

Nuclear deterrence requires

A)nuclear weapons that would survive an attack.
B)a disarming first strike capability
C)a launch on warming policy.
D)nuclear abstainers.

Question 15

Both proponents and opponents of nuclear proliferation agree that

A)many world leaders are just too crazy to be trusted with nuclear weapons.
B)deterrence will not work in the case of non-state actors.
C)the United States needs to keep its nuclear weapons.
D)nuclear weapons helped keep the Cold War peace.

Question 16

The existence of the nuclear umbrella might help explain why many United States allies have chosen not to acquire nuclear weapons.

Question 17

Neither the United States nor the Soviet Union was ever able to build a survivable nuclear retaliatory strike capability.

Question 18

Proliferation pessimists generally argue that

A)there is no way to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
B)the NPT has failed.
C)Iran should be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons.
D)nuclear weapons have helped keep India and Pakistan from going to war.

Question 19

Advocates of limited nuclear proliferation believe that

A)even small nations can build an adequate deterrent.
B)nuclear deterrence requires only a few nuclear weapons.
C)nuclear deterrence is difficult to achieve.
D)we should not worry about a nuclear Iran.

Question 20

The NPT provides no allowance for nations to withdraw once they sign and ratify the treaty.

Question 21

Opponents of nuclear proliferation agree than nuclear weapons helped preserve the Cold War peace.

Question 22

Why do some think the world would be a better, safer place with more nuclear weapons and powers?

Question 23

The doctrine of ________________ emerged once both the United States and Soviet Union developed invulnerable retaliatory capabilities.

Question 24

Opponents of nuclear proliferation worry that it increases the danger of a nuclear _________________ to a non-state actor by a sympathetic regime.

Question 25

What are the requirements for successful nuclear deterrence?

Question 26

Why does almost everyone agree that nuclear weapons in the hands of non-state actors are a much more dangerous problem than nuclear weapons in the hands of states?

Question 27

__________________________ might not be deterred because they do not have an identifiable society/territory to target and threaten.

Question 28

Explain the historical origins and logic of Mutual Assured Destruction.

Question 29

____________________, ___________________, ____________________, __________________, and ___________________ were allowed to keep their nuclear weapons even after signing the NPT.

Question 30

Because they have no identifiable assets to threaten, almost everyone worries that ____________________ cannot be deterred if they get nuclear weapons.

Question 31

The fear of having one's nuclear arsenal wiped out in an attack can lead to the adoption of _____________________ policies.

Question 32

A nuclear triad consists of weapons based on _________________, _________________, and _____________________.

Question 33

How are debates about the consequences of nuclear proliferation in the future shaped by disagreements about the impact of nuclear weapons in the past?

Question 34

________________________ generally think that nuclear weapons helped prevent the United States and Soviet Union from going to war.

Question 35

______________________ has been signed by all nations except Israel, India and Pakistan.

Question 36

The _________________________ can imposed sanctions against nations who violate the NPT.

Question 37

Opponents of nuclear proliferation fear that many potential nuclear powers will adopt launch on warning policies.

Question 38

Those who support nuclear proliferation agree that nuclear weapons do not eliminate the chances for war.

Question 39

Proliferation optimists think that non-state actors with nuclear weapons could be deterred.

Question 40

_______________________ are nations with the ability to develop nuclear weapons but no desire/intent to do so.