Community Versus Deterrence: Managing Security and Nuclear Proliferation in Latin America and South Asia

Abstract

This article contrasts the quality of security afforded by evolving community values in Latin America with the alleged virtues of security founded on nuclear deterrent postures between India and Pakistan in South Asia. A case is made for ‘security through community’ as a preferred basis for long-term regional security planning and some thoughts are offered on the means by which common security practices may be fostered in regions where the risks of nuclear conflict remain high. Important similarities between the conflictual history of Argentine–Brazilian relations and the current Indo-Pakistani nuclear stand-off suggest that it may be possible to learn substantively from the Latin American experience. In particular, analysis of the evolving Argentine–Brazilian relationship suggests that the cooperative security practices associated with regional security regimes such as Nuclear Free Zones can play a significant part in positively transforming security relations between otherwise mistrustful states.