Of Dependence and Conservatism
Year: 2024

On nuclear weapons, Germany is both dependent and conservative. In essence, Germany remains bound by three principles: U.S. extended nuclear deterrence, membership and participation in the nuclear-armed NATO alliance, and the pursuit of reducing nuclear arms globally through multilateral arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation institutions. Resolving conflicts of interest between these three principles, German leaders’ follow a nuclear order of preference which privileges the alliance wi