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'''Mutually Assured Destruction''' was one of the primary [[Cold War]] strategies of the United States and [[Soviet Union]]. The basic premise was:
'''Mutually Assured Destruction''' (or MAD) was one of the primary [[Cold War]] strategies of the United States and [[Soviet Union]]. The basic premise was:
#Both sides had the capacity to destroy the other completely
#Both sides had the capacity to destroy the other completely
#Both sides ultimately wished to survive
#Both sides ultimately wished to survive
#Neither side could preemptively strike the other without assured and complete retaliation
#Neither side could preemptively strike the other without assured and complete retaliation
#Therefore, neither side would initiate nuclear war
#Therefore, neither side would initiate nuclear war
MAD was both reviled and praised during the Cold War. [[Game Theory|Game theorists]] spent much time debating various changes in policy and their effect on MAD.
==Stability vs. Instability==
MAD