Assessing the relevance of nuclear CBMs to a WMD arms control process in the Middle East today

A discussion of the possible relevance of nuclear confidence-building measures (CBMs) to a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) arms control process in the Middle East today cannot proceed without first clarifying the notion of CBMs and confidence- and security- building measures (CSBMs), their role in international relations, and especially in an arms control dynamic. Understanding the relevance of CSBMs to the proposal that is currently on the table critically depends on this clarification, and as such it will be the first order of business in the current analysis.