ABSTRACT
The revival of constitutionalism and reinvestment in ‘legitimate international ordering’ are not just necessary for the international community to get a firmer grip on the ‘problem of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferation’. These processes are also necessary for the establishment of a more robust foundation to address the ‘problem of great-power relations’ and the future roles that WMD may play in those relations. The community of states may still be prepared to confer a qualified legitimacy on nuclear weapons – consistent with the Non-Proliferation Treaty’s norms, obligations and ambitions – if they are needed to keep the peace between great powers. Biological weapons could become the most potent of all instruments for expressing enmity. Revival of the spirit and practice of arms control among the great powers thus seems every bit as necessary as the prevention of weapon proliferation. The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty’s abrogation opens the way for missile-defence programmes and a concomitant build-up in weaponry.
