ABSTRACT
A nuclear weapon state, having agreed to destroy or give up all of its nuclear warheads, could hold weapons back. This chapter considers how nuclear weapons might be held back. Nuclear weapon states take explicit steps to know not only what warheads they hold, but the fissile material over which they exercise stewardship, and to ensure these do not fall into the wrong hands. Unauthorized withholding, however, implies the existence of a group with purposes in concealing warheads. Much more dangerous would be withholding as a "hedge" against other states' illicit retention of nuclear warheads, for it implies retaining the ability to use the weapons, including authorization codes, means of delivery, and knowledgeable personnel. One would hope that every nuclear weapon state identifies each war-head as it is fabricated. With one, or a handful, of nuclear weapons a cabal, or a government, can commit terrible acts of terror, but cannot sustain a political policy.
