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Intelligence and Nuclear Proliferation: Lessons Learned

Studies
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Proliferation Papers
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Proliferation Papers, No. 38, Summer 2011
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Intelligence and Nuclear Proliferation: Lessons Learned
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Intelligence agencies play a fundamental role in the prevention of nuclear proliferation, as they help to understand other countries' intentions and assess their technical capabilities and the nature of their nuclear activities.

Corps analyses

The challenges in this area remain, however, formidable. Past experiences and the discoveries of Iraq's WMD programs, of North Korean nuclear weapon program, and of Iranian activities, have put into question the ability of intelligence to monitor small, clandestine proliferation activities from either states or non-state entities. This Proliferation Paper analyzes the complex challenges intelligence faces and the various roles it plays in supporting national and international nuclear non-proliferation efforts, and reviews its track record.

 

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978-2-86592-924-5

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Intelligence and Nuclear Proliferation: Lessons Learned

Decoration
Author(s)
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Security Studies Center
Accroche centre

Heir to a tradition dating back to the founding of Ifri, the Security Studies Center provides public and private decision-makers as well as the general public with the keys to understanding power relations and contemporary modes of conflict as well as those to come. Through its positioning at the juncture of politics and operations, the credibility of its civil-military team and the wide distribution of its publications in French and English, the Center for Security Studies constitutes in the French landscape of think tanks a unique center of research and influence on the national and international defense debate.

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The Nuanced Relationship Between Public Opinion and Foreign Policy

Date de publication
23 July 2026
Accroche

Public sentiment is something decision-makers must contend with, especially in democratic states. However, the extent to which public opinion shapes foreign policy varies. Three Council of Councils experts in France, India, and Nigeria reflect on how public opinion does—and sometimes does not—affect foreign policy decisions.

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Taking the Pulse: Enough with the Annual NATO Summits, Already?

Date de publication
16 July 2026
Accroche

Over the past ten years, NATO has held almost as many summits as it did during the entirety of the Cold War. Are they still useful, or is it time to stop holding annual meetings?

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How does France’s nuclear deterrent contribute to the defense of Europe?

Date de publication
10 July 2026
Accroche

France’s nuclear deterrent, serving first and foremost to defend France’s vital interests, also contributes to the defense of Europe. This contribution has been recognized within the North Atlantic Alliance since 1974, but remains little known. In a speech closely followed by France’s European partners and its adversaries alike, President Emmanuel Macron announced a new concept for French nuclear deterrence: “forward deterrence” (dissuasion avancée). This article aims to explain the origins of this concept, outline its main pillars, and describe the partnerships that are sought. It then discusses the relationship with the U.S. doctrine of “extended deterrence”, and finally offers some ethical considerations.

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Fury from the Skies. A Strategic Analysis of Air Campaign against Iran

Date de publication
07 May 2026
Accroche

What is the outcome of Operations Roaring Lion (RL) and Epic Fury (EF), launched by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28, 2026?

How can this study be cited?

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Intelligence and Nuclear Proliferation: Lessons Learned
Keith A. HANSEN, « Intelligence and Nuclear Proliferation: Lessons Learned », Studies, Proliferation Papers, Ifri, 20 September 2011.
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Intelligence and Nuclear Proliferation: Lessons Learned

Intelligence and Nuclear Proliferation: Lessons Learned