A Counter-WMD Strategy for the Future

Abstract

past year has witnessed a renewed emphasis by US government agencies addressing threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). In December 2009, Obama Administration released its second presidential policy directive, a National Strategy to Counter Biological Threats, which addressed challenge of combating infectious diseases, regardless of whether they were natural or manmade. In February 2010, Quadrennial Defense Review stressed how proliferation of WMD continues to undermine global In April, Nuclear Posture Review was released for first time as an unclassified document, along with a newly signed Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, reducing deployable number of Russian and US nuclear weapons. In May, representatives from across globe met to renew Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which attempts to reduce (and eventually eliminate) total number of nuclear-owning weapon in world. It has been a busy spring. During talks related to these initiatives, President Barack Obama directly connected threat of nuclear terrorism to success of nuclear proliferation efforts. He declared, The greatest threat to US and global security is no longer a nuclear exchange between nations, but nuclear terrorism by violent extremists and nuclear proliferation to an increasing number of states. (1) current focus on nonproliferation activities, however, does not stop terrorists from seeking and potentially obtaining nuclear and biological materials, technology, and devices. For that matter, emphasis on combating terrorism has not resulted in a reduction of terrorist ambitions to obtain these materials, either. US government, and Department of Defense (DOD) in particular, needs to review its strategy to combat weapons of mass destruction. combating WMD framework is based on a counterproliferation strategy developed in response to threat of nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons to military forces in 1990s, however, its scope was broadened after September 2001 to address concerns relating to homeland security. For talk about the most dangerous weapons in hands of most dangerous people, there has been little discussion on whether combating WMD strategy is adequate against current and future threats. This article will review development of combating WMD strategy from its initiation in 1990s, as a result of post-conflict analysis of Persian Gulf War in 1991. It will outline creation of combating WMD strategy during George W. Bush Administration. article focuses on challenges in interpretation, largely due to thesis that terrorists were actively seeking WMD materials and technology from rogue states that had developed this capability (or were in process of doing so). Last, it will offer suggestions on how to improve framework, largely by defining strategy to counter nation-state WMD programs as distinct from strategy to counter terrorist pursuit of WMD. If US government clearly articulates these two strategies as separate but related, as opposed to being one single strategy to counter WMD, agencies responsible for executing these strategies will be much more effective. Genesis of DOD's Combating WMD Strategy In 1993, Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) initiated a Defense Counterproliferation Initiative with image of ill-prepared US forces facing Iraq's chemical and biological (CB) weapons still fresh in its mind. There was some initial concern by nonproliferation community that DOD was attempting to usurp its role that a focus on developing offensive and defensive capabilities to counter adversarial use of CB weapons would come at cost of reducing nonproliferation efforts. (2) After a few years of discussion, OSD tasked Joint Staff in 1996 to develop a counterproliferation strategy, stating in Defense Planning Guidance that all US forces must be prepared to conduct wartime operations against adversaries armed with chemical or biological weapons. …