How Have International Treaties Attempted to Limit Ballistic Missile Proliferation?

How Have International Treaties Attempted to Limit Ballistic Missile Proliferation?

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The spread of ballistic missiles—especially those carrying nuclear warheads—threatens global peace. To curb this, nations have turned to treaties. This article explores how these agreements have worked to limit ballistic missile proliferation and where they’ve fallen short.

What’s Missile Proliferation?

Ballistic missile proliferation means more countries or groups gaining the tech to build and use these weapons, raising fears of arms races and devastating wars.

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Major Treaties in Play

Here are the key efforts:

  1. Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty (1972-2002)
    • Goal: Cap U.S. and Soviet missile defenses to avoid an arms buildup.
    • Effect: It kept both sides vulnerable, deterring missile use—until the U.S. exited in 2002 for new defenses.
  2. Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty (1987-2019)
    • Goal: Ban U.S. and Soviet missiles with ranges of 500-5,500 km.
    • Effect: Destroyed nearly 2,700 missiles, easing European tensions. It ended in 2019 over Russian violations.
  3. Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) (1987-Now)
    • Goal: Limit exports of missile tech for WMDs among 35 nations.
    • Effect: Slowed tech spread, though it’s voluntary and doesn’t stop development.
  4. START Treaties (1991-Now)
    • Goal: Cut U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, including ICBMs.
    • Effect: Slashed missile numbers; New START (2010) caps them at 700 deployed systems until 2026.

Why It’s Not Enough

  • Outsiders: Nations like North Korea and China aren’t bound by these deals.
  • New Tech: Hypersonic missiles don’t fit old rules.
  • Cheating: Russia’s INF breaches show enforcement woes.

What’s Next?

Future steps could include:

  • Broader treaties with emerging powers.
  • Rules for hypersonic weapons.
  • Tougher export controls.

Conclusion

Treaties have curbed ballistic missile spread, but gaps remain. New threats and old rivalries mean diplomacy must keep evolving.