Syracuse University SURFACE Dissertations - ALL SURFACE August 2019 Beyond the Rubicon: Command and Control in Regional Nuclear Powers Giles David Arceneaux Syracuse University Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/etd Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Arceneaux, Giles David, "Beyond the Rubicon: Command and Control in Regional Nuclear Powers" (2019). Dissertations - ALL. 1080. https://surface.syr.edu/etd/1080 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the SURFACE at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations - ALL by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Abstract What factors explain the origins of command and control systems in emerging nuclear powers? Why do some states implement robust administrative, physical, and technical controls over their nuclear arsenals, while others limit safeguards against nuclear use? The nature of a state’s nuclear command and control systems underpin the deterrent capacity of a state’s nuclear arsenal, determine the likelihood of accidental or unauthorized nuclear use, and affect the likelihood of conventional conflict escalating across the nuclear threshold. Despite the importance of command and control systems for nuclear stability and security, however, detailed analysis on the sources of nuclear command and control remain scarce outside the context of the Cold War superpowers. Current explanations of command and control in regional nuclear powers are largely built upon lessons from the U.S. nuclear experience, but these explanations prove unpersuasive under empirical scrutiny. In this dissertation, I analyze the origins of command and control systems in regional nuclear powers.