Publication

The paper analyzes the threat perceptions of the United States regarding ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction in the hands of Asian states. The author reviews the security situation in Southwest and Northeast Asia and finds these regions to be more stable than commonly assumed, with little evidence to support the assumption that the states in these regions are undeterrable. The paper explains that deployment of a US ballistic missile defense system would be both superfluous and possibly destabilizing. However, the author also states that a mobile boost-phase defense system could be suitable and would be less potentially destabilizing than other missile defense applications.