The Global Zero Movement: A Road to Nowhere? Analysis of the Fundamental Assumptions Behind the Goal of Eliminating Nuclear Weapons by 2030, Role of Henry Kissinger in Shaping Movement

This report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction - it is not a print replica, and thus it is suitable for all devices. Contents: The Global Zero Movement: A Road to Nowhere? * 2019 U.S. Intelligence Community Worldwide Threat Assessment.

The Global Zero movement has gathered momentum in the past several years as its proponents have touted that there's a clear and viable path to creating a world without nuclear weapons by 2030. This paper examines the underlying foundations of the Global Zero movement and analyzes whether their fundamental assumptions are valid or flawed. First, this paper explains the origins of the Global Zero movement starting from the 1986 Reykjavik Summit, and how the influence of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former Senator Sam Nunn helped shape this movement to where it is today under President Barack Obama. Second, the Global Zero movement is defined and its action plan will be reviewed. Third, this paper examines and analyzes four of the Global Zero movement's fundamental assumptions: nuclear reductions by the United States motivate other countries to do the same; the world is a safer place without nuclear weapons; nuclear weapons did not deter 9/11; and de-alerting nuclear weapons leads to heightened global security. The question of whether or not the Global Zero movement efforts are a useful and beneficial endeavor is ultimately answered. This analysis sets the stage for the presentation of several recommendations for the United States on how to responsibly deal with nuclear weapons. These recommendations address the following areas: nuclear weapon modernization; R&D efforts on missile defense; compliance with the New START treaty; nuclear weapon safety best practices; Iran nuclear deal follow-up, de-alerting of U.S. nuclear weapons; and compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Introduction * Underlying Foundations of the Global Zero Movement Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) * Summary of the Global Zero movement * Recommendations * Conclusion

Is a world without nuclear weapons really a safer place? This is a question that has been the subject of debate since the last nuclear weapons were detonated by the United States in 1945. On the surface, it would appear that a nuclear weapon-free world would be the desired state of utopia for all civilized nations. When President Obama spoke in Prague on April 5, 2009, he laid out the long and winding road ahead to get to Global Zero. He went as far to say, "This goal will not be reached quickly, perhaps not in my lifetime. It will take patience and persistence." The underlying foundations of the Global Zero movement date back to the 1980s under the Reagan era as noted on the Global Zero website. Can the world continue to peacefully exist with the current nuclear weapons status quo or must the existing Global Zero movement efforts be magnified?