The Proliferation Security Initiative as a New Paradigm for Peace and Security
Abstract
Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) have menaced mankind for six decades. Since the end of the Cold War, the threat has changed dramatically with the development of new weapons, with the rise of transnational criminal and terrorist organizations, and with a diminishing capacity of some states to control the weapons they have. In the hands of an Al Qaeda, such a weapon threatens to kill tens of thousands and destroy tens of billions of dollars worth of property. It could bring global trade to a standstill and trigger panic, economic depression, and widespread suffering the likes of which have not been seen for many years. Containing the threat of WMD requires action on several fronts. States that legitimately possess nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons must work to ensure that they will not be used and that they eventually will be decommissioned. States that illegitimately possess them must abandon them. States that do not possess them must refrain from obtaining them. Nonstate actors must never possess them. One key to achieving these objectives is to halt the flow of WMD across borders. The U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative is a bold and timely multilateral initiative to prevent the proliferation of WMD and the materials used to construct them. To accomplish this objective, the Initiative facilitates information-sharing to better identify and locate shipments of WMD. It also contemplates the interdiction of shipments of weapons and materials -- by force if necessary. Since it was announced in 2003, the Initiative's efforts have focused on halting the flow of WMD across the world's oceans. In the future, its activities may extend to land-based interdictions. While a product of a presidential administration infamous for its unilateralism, the Initiative has received widespread support. This monograph describes the Initiative, its legal status, and its prospects for becoming a significant tool in the quest to prevent mass destruction.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA446710
Entities
People
- Mark R. Shulman
Organizations
- United States Army War College