How should the United States respond if another country attempts to station a nuclear weapon in outer space? Although the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 (OST) forbids stationing nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in outer space, prohibition does not guarantee prevention.¹ Certain powerful states, possessing significant space and nuclear capabilities, habitually violate international law and have tested capabilities that probe the OST’s boundaries.

The wisdom in the statement attributed to Sun Tzu that “every battle is won before it is ever fought”¹ aptly applies to the modern conflict continuum. In the article Legal Considerations Before and During LSCOs,² the Office of Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff discussed how military lawyers should prepare to provide legal advice during large-scale combat operations (LSCOs). Specifically, we examined the expectations placed on operational attorneys in LSCOs and how to prepare for the challenges we might face.