The policing analogy is that forcing people to break an unworkable law can weaken respect for other laws and make enforcement harder. The same risk applies to naval treaties that override technical advice and impose capabilities that do not meet operational needs. A navy must then field badly compromised designs or find a way around the rules. Once potential opponents exploit the margins, other signatories find strict compliance harder to defend. A treaty needs workable design limits if its signatories are to uphold it and defend its restrictions.
Notable Point · 13:03-14:36
Why treaty limits must produce viable ships
Treaty limits that force impractical cruiser designs can encourage evasion and undermine confidence in the agreement itself.