The Importance of Political Leadership in Achieving a World Free of Nuclear Weapons

Abstract

The dramatic injection of energy into the debate over the importance of nuclear disarmament in recent years presents a historic opportunity to make the world safer from the unacceptable risks posed by its most powerful weapons. We cannot allow this moment to pass. The positive steps taken by President Obama have added crucial momentum to the disarmament and non-proliferation agenda, but we cannot rely on him alone. No one leader, regardless of their vision, can carry such a burden. After the years of nuclear atrophy since the end of the Cold War, a sustained effort is needed at the highest levels to reverse the damage done by successive failures of political leadership. This article outlines the key features of political leadership, explains its importance, examines historical instances of leadership and highlights instances of successful political leadership. In this multi-polar world, it is only through multilateral action that we can achieve a world free of nuclear weapons, and this requires proactive multilateral political leadership.