Jr. Thomas Graham - Disarmament sketches : three decades of arms control and international law

Three Decades of Arms Control and International Law

Thomas Graham Jr.

Copyright 2002 by the University of Washington Press
First paperback edition 2015
Printed in the United States of America
Design by Sigrid Albert

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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The paper used in this publication is acid-free and meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.

by Paul H. Nitze

President Kennedy once said, Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind. I believe this to be as true today as it was some forty years ago. Like no other time in history, the nuclear age has witnessed the birth of technologies so dangerous as to bring about the potential annihilation of hundreds of thousands, even millions, of people, none of whom would have been responsible for the decision involved in bringing about such unspeakable disaster, not to mention the incalculable damage to our natural environment. From Hiroshima to the walk in the woods to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, my own relationship with nuclear weapons and my own efforts to mitigate the danger of their potential employment have spanned seven decades and the administrations of eleven presidents. Across the years, I have been humbled and honored by the opportunity to work toward this most important of objectives with so many colleagues who, while divided by their means, were united in their dedication to this common cause.

Few have been as consistently enthusiastic and effective as Tom Graham. For thirty years, he has been an indefatigable warrior for the true and just in the long battle to reduce the risk of nuclear war through equitable and verifiable arms control measures. The issues surrounding that battle have been serious and complex. Some have been among and within the executive agencies; others among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government; and others have involved continuous coordination with and among our allies. Tom has been at the center of those controversies longer than anyone else. He has known the history, the semantics, the ambiguities, and the politics of these issues.

Be it limitations on and reductions in strategic nuclear arsenals, conventional armed forces, antiballistic missile systems, chemical and biological weapons, nuclear testing, space weapons, or small arms, Toms career has traversed the complicated fields of nearly every major arms control battle. Indeed, he was involved in all of the major arms control and non-proliferation negotiations in which the United States participated over the past thirty years. As legal advisor, senior arms control representative, or chief negotiator, Tom was a central figure in inter alia the ABM, SALT II, START I, START II, INF, CFE, CTBT, and NPT treaties, just to set forth some of the acronyms that have written the story of his illustrious career. Through it all he has kept his objectivity and common sense, his commitment and integrity, his drive and focus, qualities that help to explain the high regard in which he is held by his supporters and critics alike. Few are as qualified to write an account of the evolution of attempts to control, limit, and reduce armaments during the second half of the Cold War and in its aftermath as Tom, a task which he has assiduously undertaken with the same thoroughness, evenhandedness, and attention to detail that I long ago came to expect from him.

Having served in the administration of every president from Nixon to Clinton and participated in every major arms control treaty negotiation from 1970 to 1997, Tom has continued to build upon his exemplary record of public service since his retirement from government, bringing the same effectiveness and vigor to the nongovernmental community that he brought to the government. He has also spent much time teaching students over the years, for which I commend him. He understands, as do I, the importance of finding and inspiring the next generation of men and women who will toil in this garden. This book is the most recent example of Toms record.

Ambassador Paul H. Nitze
Washington, D.C.
February 2001

In putting this book together, I benefited from the assistance and support of a number of energetic and helpful people. I must first recognize my colleague Damien LaVera for his outstanding editorial work and his sage advice as this manuscript took its final form. He combined a firm grasp of the subject matter and a very real literary ability with a keen editors eye. Damien has a great future ahead of him both in the national security field and with the written word.

Next I would like to thank Janet Rupp for her help in the early stages of this narrative. This book was written primarily during long plane rides, and Janet effectively converted my verbose scribbling into a readable manuscript.

Everyone at the University of Washington Press and the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington was of great assistance. Chris Jones at the Jackson School and Michael Duckworth of the University of Washington Press were positive and helpful partners. And Toby Dalton of the Jackson School, who edited the manuscript for the University of Washington Press, did an excellent job and was a pleasure to work with.

Rosemarie Forsythe, David Koplow, and Janne Nolan were generous with their time in reading the text at an early date and offered superb advice and real encouragement. Rob Nicholas twice reviewed the entire text toward the end of the process from a technical and editorial perspective, giving me much helpful assistance, and John Rhinelander carefully and thoughtfully reviewed the material on the ABM Treaty. Jim Woolsey my lawyer, during some trying times in the 1980s and during the State Department review, provided wise guidance. I also benefited considerably from suggestions and advice by former collegues during that same review. Stephanie Powell, a current colleague, gave me excellent research assistance as the text neared completion.