U.S. Extended Deterrence in East Asia

How has the U.S. "nuclear umbrella" in East Asia changed since the end of the Cold War and the advent of a nuclear-armed North Korea?  Richard C. Bush, the Director of the Brookings Institution's Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies and a Ploughshares grantee, recently released a report on this very subject.  

For decades the extension of the U.S. “nuclear umbrella” to allies in East Asia, including Japan, South Korea and Australia, has served to both deter aggressors from threatening allies AND to deter allies from developing nuclear weapon programs of their own. However, as the report describes, "the end of the Cold War, the region's rise on the global economic and security agenda's, and recent shifts in U.S. nuclear policy have modified the extended deterrence dilemma."  

Bush's report is comprehensive, discussing the history of the the East Asian "nuclear umbrella," the security enviroment in the region today and lastly, offers up both short-term and long-term policy recommendations.

The release of this report has been very timely.  Tensions in the region have risen steadily over the last year following several acts of North Korean aggression, including, the sinking of the South Korean warship the Cheonan in March and the artillery assualt of a South Korean island, Yeonpyeong, in November.  In addition to these events North Korea also revealed a new and highly advanced uranium enrichment facility which has led some to believe they are planning to expand their nuclear arsenal.  

To mark the release of the report Brookings hosted a discussion on the challenges of East Asian nuclear deterrence between Bush and Georgetown University Professor Victor Cha.  Coincidently, this discussion took place as South Korea's top nuclear negotiator, Wi Sung-Lac, was meeting with U.S. government officials in Washington, D.C. to discuss his country's perceptions and concerns.