Is the world on the brink of a third nuclear age?
The Chief of Staff of the UK Armed Forces has warned that the world is on the brink of a third nuclear age.
According to CNN on December 6th, the head of the UK armed forces warned that the world is on the brink of a third nuclear age.
“The world has changed. Global power is shifting, and the third nuclear age is upon us,” said Admiral Sir Tony Radakin in a lecture on December 5th at the Royal United Services Institute in the UK.
Admiral Radakin warned that this era is "far more complex" than any previous one. He explained that the first era was the Cold War, while the present is defined by disarmament efforts.
According to Radakin, in this third nuclear age, the world is "at dawn," defined "by multiple simultaneous dilemmas, increasing nuclear and destructive technologies, and the near-total absence of security architectures as before."
Admiral Radakin argued that the Russia-Ukraine conflict and numerous other conflicts in the Middle East have disrupted global stability.
He said that the information about North Korea deploying troops to the Russia-Ukraine border was the "most unusual development" of the year.
In November 2024, Russia updated its nuclear doctrine, just two days after US President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to attack targets deep inside Russian territory with US-made long-range weapons.
Nevertheless, Admiral Radakin believes that the scenario of Russia attacking NATO is only a "very small possibility," because they know that "the response would be very strong, whether with conventional or nuclear weapons."
"NATO's deterrence strategy has been working," said the British armed forces commander. "But it must be maintained and strengthened to counter a more dangerous Russia."
According to Admiral Radakin, global insecurity is dividing the world into three groups. One group consists of countries "seeking to challenge global rules," including Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.
The second group is "responsible states," primarily comprising democracies, but also including Gulf monarchies and other nations "committed to cooperating and maintaining stability and security in the world," he continued.
The third group includes countries that "always weigh and maneuver between the two sides to gain maximum advantage."
Mr. Radakin added that NATO countries must maintain an advantage over their adversaries in order to defeat them.
Furthermore, Radakin stated that an Israeli attack on Iran in October 2024 would have destroyed Tehran's ballistic missile production capability for a year and "almost completely destroyed Iran's air defense system."
"In this sense, Russia is showing us how to fight without fighting. And Israel, in its response to Iran, has shown us the asymmetrical advantage of modern combat methods," Admiral Radakin stated.