North Korea, Conventional Strength, and Deterrence

Tyler Bowen from the US Naval War College joins us to discuss his recent TNSR article "Threading the Needle: The Logic of Conventional Coercion in Nuclear Crises."

We discuss the renewed interest in nuclear deterrence given recent global security developments such as Russia's war in Ukraine and China's nuclear expansion. The conversation also explores the challenges and frameworks, particularly Bowen's "conventional options theory," key historical case studies involving nuclear crises, and their lessons for modern policymakers.