Tempting Fate: Why Nonnuclear States Confront Nuclear Opponents

Unpacking of the dynamics of conflict under conditions of nuclear monopoly, Paul C. Avey argues in Tempting Fate that the costs and benefits of using nuclear weapons create openings that weak nonnuclear actors can exploit. He uses four case studies to show the key strategies available to nonnuclear states, including limiting the scope of the conflict, holding chemical and biological weapons in reserve, seeking outside support, and leveraging international non-use norms.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 252 pages
Publication date: 15 July 2021
Publisher: Cornell University Press

Unpacking the Dynamics of Conflict under Conditions of Nuclear Monopoly: Paul C. Avey's Perspective in "Tempting Fate"
Paul C. Avey's book "Tempting Fate" delves into the dynamics of conflict under conditions of nuclear monopoly, highlighting the costs and benefits of using nuclear weapons and the opportunities they create for non-nuclear actors. Avey employs four case studies to illustrate the key strategies available to non-nuclear states in confronting nuclear-armed adversaries. These strategies include limiting the scope of the conflict, holding chemical and biological weapons in reserve, seeking outside support, and leveraging international non-use norms. Avey's analysis demonstrates that nuclear weapons cast a definite but limited shadow, and while the world continues to face various nuclear challenges, understanding conflict in nuclear monopoly will remain a pressing concern for analysts and policymakers.

Thanks to generous funding from Virginia Tech and its participation in TOME, the ebook editions of this book are available as Open Access volumes, accessible from Cornell Open (cornellpress.cornell.edu/cornell-open) and other repositories.

Weight: 396g
Dimension: 151 x 226 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501755200