Source: Law & LIberty
by Brian A Smith
“In scholarly discussions of just war thought, nuclear weapons often serve as little more than terrifying symbols of injustice. Since 1945, many have argued that such weapons are incapable of being deployed in a just role, either in attacks or in a deterrent posture. These thinkers tend to view nukes as far too indiscriminate and entirely too prone to unleashing an escalatory spiral that none would survive. Such writers view nuclear weapons as intrinsically immoral, and there the discussion often ends. Realists tend to sidestep the moral challenge, shrug, and note that we live in an imperfect world—before moving on to what seems to them the real issues stemming from nuclear weapons: finding the right balance of ends, ways, and means for them in national security policy. But one need not embrace a more realistic view without rendering a moral account of these matters.” (04/14/26)
https://lawliberty.org/book-review/the-moral-case-for-nuclear-deterrence/