Description
Book SynopsisYost suggests that the challenges for Western policy posed by Soviet ballistic missile defense (BMD) programs stem partly from Soviet military programs, Soviet arms control policies, and Soviet public diplomacy campaigns, and partly from the West's own intra-alliance disagreements and lack of consensus about Western security requirements.
Trade ReviewA well-researched and ably developed account of complex issues relating to the East–West military relationship, well organized, clearly written, and impressively deliberate. It contains the best-documented historical account of Soviet missile defense programs, and the author carefully explains the implications of these developments for European security. -- Benjamin S. Lambeth, The RAND Corporation
Table of ContentsIntroduction Background: Ballistic Missile Defense and Alliance Security Reassessments of Soviet Strategic Defense 1. Soviet BMD Capabilities and Activities Before the ABM Treaty Since the ABM Treaty Overall Soviet BMD Prospects 2. Interpretations of Soviet Behavior "Arms Race" Interactions Bureaucratic Politics A Composite Hypothesis Approval of the ABM Treaty Military Doctrine Force Posture Trends Interpretations and inferences 3. Implications for the Western Alliance Soviet Strategic Priorities Potential Consequences in War Potential Consequences in Peace 4. Soviet Arms Control Diplomacy and the Unlikely Prospect of Breakout Incentives and Inhibitions Regarding Breakout The U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative in Soviet Eyes Soviet Arms Control Policy 5. Alliance Reactions: Arms Control and Deterrence Grounds for Western Consensus Continuing Arms Control Efforts Force Posture Improvements Maintaining Stable Deterrence and Alliance Security Notes Index
