The Stability of Nuclear Deterrence in South Asia: The Clash between State and Antistate Actors
T he September 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. mainland have transformed calculations about the threats posed by nonstate actors, especially those who largely are inspired by a global, antistate ideology such as al-Qaeda's panIslamist vision. Since 11 September 2001 the old threat of nuclear holocaust has acquired a new dimension-the possible possession and use of nuclear weapons by terrorists and extremist movements. Structural designs for nuclear weapons and other such materials were confiscated from underground hideouts of the alQaeda terrorist group in Afghanistan. The stability and instability of nuclear deterrence between India and Pakistan also has been a major issue of concern since the late 1980s. Proponents of nuclear deterrence in South Asia who argue that the introduction of nuclear weapons has prevented the outbreak of a largescale conflict between India and Pakistan, generally belong to the "State-as-arational-actor" school of thought. Others worry about the new threat against the stability of nuclear deterrence in South Asia posed by the intrusion of nonstate actors, or perhaps, more accurately, "antistate actors." Many perceive their agendas as "irrational" in their ideological orientation (Wahabism today as was Maoism in the 1960s).' Because their ultimate stated objective is to destroy the modern international system--a system based on nation-states-they should, therefore, be described as antistate actors in nature and purpose. Why should we pay greater attention to the role and perspective of antistate actors in our discussion of the stability of nuclear deterrence in South Asia?
THE STRATEGIC CONSEQUENCES OF NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION
Abstract : The strategic position that the United States and the Soviet Union currently enjoy is so unassailable that even continuing action by third parties is unlikely to upset the central strategic balance for the next twenty years. Properly exploited, this central strategic balance could continue to provide some stability in regional conflicts--even in the face of nuclear spread.
Improved culture method for the isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis form contaminated specimens.
Studies were performed to evaluate a method for selective isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis from contaminated specimens. Ammonium hydroxide placed on an agar medium surface was found to inhibit the growth of many bacteria, yeasts, and saphrophytic fungi normally found in specimens such as animal tissues and sputum. In one study involving the culture of B. dermatitidis from canine tissues, 24% more isolations were obtained on a medium using NH4OH compared with a similar medium. Increases in the isolation of H. capusulatum from sputum specimens were also obtained, ranging from 20 to 32% compared with four other media without NH4OH.