Explanation of The Novel's Title
The title refers to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which (at least in the world of the novel) contained four secret protocols. The fourth of the protocols was meant to prohibit the non-conventional delivery of nuclear weapons, i.e. by means other than being dropped from aircraft or carried on ballistic missiles. This included postal delivery services or being assembled in secret, close to the target, before being detonated.
Read more about this topic: The Fourth Protocol
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