Why cooperative threat reduction still matters—Especially for biological dangers

Abstract

ABSTRACTEstablished by the United States in the early 1990s, cooperative threat reduction (CTR) played a leading role in, among other feats, dismantling the Soviet Union’s appallingly unparalleled biowarfare program. The lessons learned from that experience underscore an imperative to continue biosecurity efforts elsewhere around the world, from the Middle East and Africa to Southeast Asia. At a time when biological dangers pose a graver threat than even nuclear weapons, CTR deserves credit for its accomplishments, stalwart policy support, and all the funding it can get.