Nuclear Weapons Targeting: Evolution of Law and U.S. Policy

Theodore T. Richard, Nuclear Weapons Targeting: The Evolution of Law and U.S. Policy, 224 Military L. Rev. 862 (2016)

117 Pages Posted: 1 Mar 2017 Last revised: 6 Apr 2017

Date Written: 2017

Abstract

The paper tracks the evolution of U.S. nuclear targeting policy from its strategic bombing origins through the end of the Obama Administration. It shows how targeting concepts diverged from law of war norms during the Cold War, then how the U.S. returned policy to its understanding of legal obligations afterwards. The paper also addresses ambiguities remaining in the law and identifies trends which may have policy consequences.

Keywords: Nuclear Weapons, law of war, law of armed conflict, World War II, Cold War

JEL Classification: K33

Suggested Citation

Richard, Theodore T., Nuclear Weapons Targeting: Evolution of Law and U.S. Policy (2017). Theodore T. Richard, Nuclear Weapons Targeting: The Evolution of Law and U.S. Policy, 224 Military L. Rev. 862 (2016), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2924907 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2924907

Theodore T. Richard (Contact Author)

United States Air Force ( email )

Washington, DC
United States

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