Surviving Amid Chaos: Israel's Nuclear Strategy (Weapons of Mass Destruction and Emerging Technologies) - Softcover

Beres, Louis René

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1786606550 ISBN 13: 9781786606556

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2018

Synopsis

Now facing an unprecedented configuration of threats, Israel's leaders must decide whether to continue their nuclear ambiguity policy and work to develop a strategic posture with a refined nuclear strategy. This book examines Israel's evolving strategy and explains how it underscores the complexity of strategic interactions in the Middle East.

About this title

About the Author:

Louis René Beres is emeritus professor of Political Science and International Law at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He was educated at Princeton University (Ph.D., 1971).

Review:

This timely and original scholarly book critically examines Israel's rapidly evolving nuclear strategy, a subject with which the author has been authoritatively acquainted for many years.... Surviving Amid Chaos, therefore, is a book that presents an altogether original synthesis of strategic and jurisprudential factors regarding Israel's nuclear strategy. In the final analysis, as this new book argues convincingly, Israel's nuclear strategy must spring from antecedent nuclear doctrine.... Among other things, his book will explain why the best argument for ending deliberate nuclear ambiguity has nothing to do with simply re-stating the obvious, but rather with the deterrence-enhancing advantages of undertaking certain limited and incremental disclosures. Iran and other centers of future nuclear threat could be more durably deterred by Israel's nuclear strategy if that strategy suitably expressed the usability, survivability, and penetration-capability of Israel's indispensable nuclear forces. (Israel Defense)

This timely and original scholarly book critically examines Israel’s rapidly evolving nuclear strategy, a subject with which the author has been authoritatively acquainted for many years.... Throughout, the author’s examination of these issues expressly references pertinent considerations of international law, especially humanitarian international law (the law of armed conflict); terrorist extradition and prosecution; and anticipatory self-defense. Surviving Amid Chaos, therefore, is a book that presents an altogether original synthesis of strategic and jurisprudential factors regarding Israel’s nuclear strategy. (ISRAELI FRONTLINE)

Israel is surrounded by enemies. Collectively these adversaries have more arms and ammunition than Israel. Fluid positions have existed since 1948. Now prospective enemy nuclear weapons add to the problem and the breakdown of the surrounding Arab countries becomes a force multiplier. Louis René Beres' book shines an illuminating analytic light on this dark issue. (John T. Chain, General (ret.) USAF, former commander-in-chief, U.S. Strategic Air Command)

Professor Beres has been a prolific, influential, and important commentator on this issue for years. While I do not always agree with Professor Beres, there is no doubt this book is a ‘must read’ regarding the Israel-Iran—nuclear weapon discussion. He compellingly makes a cogent, cohesive, and thought-provoking argument regarding this most complicated ’triangle.’ For that, Professor Beres is to be warmly congratulated. (Amos N. Guiora)

Professor Louis René Beres, one of the world’s most knowledgeable experts on Israeli military policy, has written the definitive work on that country’s current strategy in meeting and deterring existential nuclear and military threats. An advisor to Israeli governments past and present, Dr. Beres explores in depth the most urgent security issues facing Israel today. (Richard R. Valcourt, Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence)

A timely, perspicacious, erudite analysis of a signal problem which not only brings clarity to but also significantly informs a critical issue of international concern. (Edward E. Elson, former United States Ambassador to Denmark)

Is there any connection between the current chaos in the Middle East and Israel's Nuclear Strategy? Are we reaching the point where Israel will have to desert its nuclear ambiguity policy? This book is a must-read for anyone who is seriously interested in understanding these complex questions. (Isaac Ben-Israel, General (ret.) IDF, professor, Chairman of Israel Space Agency)

Louis René Beres in this important book has made a brilliantly cogent analysis of the various related issues, with particular emphasis on what he calls Israel's 'deliberate nuclear ambiguity policy'. If Professor Beres' examination of the facts in this matter had been important before, his up-to-date observations in his new book have greater significance and urgency in view of the Nuclear Arms Agreement with an unfettered Iran, threatening Israel with annihilation, and exacerbated by a potential nuclear arm race in the region in response to the above, on the one hand - and the general chaos in the Middle East, on the other hand. And all the above on the background of what some consider the backhandedness and confusion of the West towards the geopolitical changes in the region. Professor Beres in his book provides not only an instructive overview, but also proffers ideas which may lead to significant decisions on Israel's part in the matter. (Zalman Shoval, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States)

Purdue Professor Louis René Beres is an internationally recognized author and expert on nuclear weapons proliferation and strategic realities for Israel and the Middle East. The existential threat to Israel has increased in complexity since he was Chairman of the 2003 Project Daniel under Prime Minister Sharon. The objectives of the 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty have failed and today brings into question the deterrence effectiveness of Israel’s policy of "Nuclear Ambiguity." (Admiral Leon Edney, U.S. Navy (ret.), former NATO Supreme Allied Commander)

About this edition

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1786606550
• ISBN 13: 9781786606556
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 200