Joseph Cirincione, Bomb Scare: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons, Columbia University Press, 2007

Joseph Cirincione, Bomb Scare: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons, Columbia University Press, 2007

ISBN-10 0-231-13510-6

Cirincione presents uninspired, pedestrian account of issues. However, it is reasonably short, accurate and comprehensive. So if your purpose is to have quick-n’ dirty grasp of the subject of nuclear weapons, proliferation and disarmament, this is your book. But do not expect deep insights or fresh thoughts from it. The author correctly identifies main proliferation problem with civilian nuclear facilities, rather than with mythical Russian scare. His suggestion to reduce nuclear forces of USA and Russia to 600 warheads is unrealistic.

On p. 79 he writes: “…Kiev has retained between 4,500 and 6,300 nuclear weapons deployed on its territory during the Cold War.” Is this accurate? He quotes himself in that regard. Figures are repetitive, e.g. Figs. 3.2 and 3.3 contain much the same information.