Deterrence is “achieved not through the ability to defend but through the ability to punish” (Waltz, 5). Deterrence is effective because states use the approach to punish others if they are ever attacked. Threatening is an effective approach because it sends a strong and clear message regarding a state’s intentions if its security is ever jeopardized. Nuclear weapons help preserve security through deterrence, but credibility is required to establish second-strike capability. Deterrence is effective if it meets three requirements “[f]irst, at least a part of a state’s nuclear forces must appear to survive an attack and launch one of its own. Second, survival of forces must not require early firing in response to what may be false alarms. Third, command and control must be reliably maintained; weapons must not be susceptible to accidental or unauthorized use” (20). To help control and stabilize nuclear weapons they must be kept close to reliable people and guarded with extreme caution. The movie shows how deterrence breaks down because an authorized general makes the decision to launch a nuclear attack. In doing so the general’s actions have caused a lot of confusion, chaos and
Deterrence is “achieved not through the ability to defend but through the ability to punish” (Waltz, 5). Deterrence is effective because states use the approach to punish others if they are ever attacked. Threatening is an effective approach because it sends a strong and clear message regarding a state’s intentions if its security is ever jeopardized. Nuclear weapons help preserve security through deterrence, but credibility is required to establish second-strike capability. Deterrence is effective if it meets three requirements “[f]irst, at least a part of a state’s nuclear forces must appear to survive an attack and launch one of its own. Second, survival of forces must not require early firing in response to what may be false alarms. Third, command and control must be reliably maintained; weapons must not be susceptible to accidental or unauthorized use” (20). To help control and stabilize nuclear weapons they must be kept close to reliable people and guarded with extreme caution. The movie shows how deterrence breaks down because an authorized general makes the decision to launch a nuclear attack. In doing so the general’s actions have caused a lot of confusion, chaos and