LOO, to live in a worl-d. with nucleaLweapons also neans that certain innate element s of the nucl-eax arns race endanger international peace and security. Period-s nay co&e vhen one or the other, and sometimes both, of the super.-Pdwers becone less confid.ent about their state of national_ security, This cou]-d occur vhen one consid.ers that +ha ^fhFT !''< oanrrira'r " conpet,itive edge in strategici,/ 35 / 392 -E;nar-L I s 11 linnr:x ta;e Lla nuclear capabili.ty. It is almost axiomatic that the ).evel- of international security is adversely affected r,rhen a super-Pornrel becomes uncertain about its own security. In general, the state of international securltll i,tould. thus come to vary rrith th€ u.ps and dovns of the nuclear arms race. And it is a fact that the drrnon-ia ^f tha h,1.1aAr ar]ls race has caused an increase in the 1eve1 of nuclear capabili-t]r at rrhich the deterrenc€ t,al-ance is rrerceived to be established by the tl.ro suler-Powers, l+OL. tUe su,rer'Povers' reliance on nuclear \.teapons for their securitl' confers tegitinacy on these r{eapons as instruments of power. The efforts to encourage States to accept binding multilateral conmitments to forgo nuclear r'reapons vi1l therefore bc hindered untess the nuclear- r.reapon States themselves demonstrate a preparedness to take neaningful measures to\,'ards the elirrinati on of nr-:cl-egr 1{eal-lons. Acquisition of nuclear r.reaTrons by additional States is, however. lihe1J' to underr:rine interna-tional securittr, lro2. Ttrere is therefore a need for the super-Powers to enhance the over-alI 1evel of intern3tional security by introducing order and predictability into their strategic relationship by neaotiating reductions in and qualitative restraints on the developrent of their nuclear--Ireapon sLocl(fi1es and finalftr by effectinf extensive iecluctions in their stockrriles .Ieading to the ultimate elim.ina-tion of all nuclear lreapons. The possibility of this depends upon the Ieve1 of mutual trust
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the relationship between nuclear weapons and international security, highlighting the impact of the nuclear arms race on global peace and security. The author suggests that the reliance on nuclear weapons by superpowers hinders efforts to establish binding multilateral commitments to forgo nuclear weapons and that the acquisition of nuclear weapons by additional states undermines international security. The text also emphasizes the need for superpowers to enhance overall international security by introducing order and predictability into their strategic relationship.

**Category**
International relations, Science and technology