Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: A Policy in Search of Direction.

Abstract

The list of countries possessing or building weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs is growing, indicating that the traditional non-proliferation regimes of the Cold War era may have slowed but could not prevent the proliferation of WMD. The worldwide diffusion of information, globalization, advances in science and technology, and changes in the distribution of world power are creating powerful inducements and opportunities for states to proliferate, and devaluing traditional non-proliferation measures. Nuclear testing by India and Pakistan in May 1998 was not simply a non-proliferation policy failure. Rather, it was the predictable outcome of complex world change and porous non-proliferation regimes. Future non-proliferation efforts must target "demand", the inducements and political will to proliferate, more so than "supply", and must focus at the regional level. In a world of continuing proliferation, greater resources should be applied toward counter- proliferation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 19, 1999
Accession Number
ADA363584

Entities

People

  • Neil C. Lanzendorf

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Arms Control
  • Arms Control Treaties
  • Biological Weapons
  • Chemical Weapons
  • Employment
  • Fissile Materials
  • Governments
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Personnel Management
  • South Asia
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security
  • Strategic Security Studies