Nov 28, Carter - How To Counter Wmd

Carter: How to Counter WMD Sunday, November 25, 2007 11:55 AM

245,Dissuasion and disarmament have not been successful in dealing with some countries but diplomacy has then been the next tool that has prevented some countries from going nuclear. When many of the D's fail, often the measure taken is "preemption": going in and destroying the weapons. 247, WMD terrorism in nuclear form is a major threat. Only way to take care of it is to have govt's lock up nuclear weapons and have the US lead the way in eradicating remaining material for building more weapons. In particular through Nunn-Lugar programs aimed at this goal.

Foreign Affairs 2004 248, The next step is to make sure no more govts make plutonium or enrich uranium. Then to reduce the amounts of nuclear weapons.

242, Since 9/11 the US has gone into Iraq looking for WMDs and found none; meanwhile N. Korea has quadrupled its plutonium. What is a greater threat. 243, Chemical weapons are not so much a threat as Bio and nuclear weapons. What needs to be overhauled is the US counter proliferation policy that there must be a multi-layered policy against nuclear terrorism, including denying materials as well as gathering intelligence. The two largest threats are N. Korea and Iran. 244, The 8 D's have been used to fight proliferation: dissuasion, disarmament, diplomacy, denial, defusing, deterrence, defenses, and destruction. The US can us Stable alliances to prevent rogues. This is what the Us has been doing right for the past years. US gives security in exchange for nonproliferation. Long-term partnerships serve the US better than short term coalitions.

Bioterrorism is another story, but making sure that the Dept of Health knows how to make us immune to the deadliest pathogens and stock piling vaccines is key. 249, The NPT: Nuclear Prolif. Treaty has to be strengthened, cutting out the option for the peaceful atom. Meaning no more enriching uranium, even for "peaceful ends". 251, the only real counter prolif. Efforts are the fact at the US has said it will strike back with Nuclear weapons if necessary; it also has long range interballistic missiles as the first line of defense. The US should develop better nonnuclear counters to Nuclear weapons. 254, There is a need to use the technology to track foreign countries operations to make sure they are not developing chemical weapons. Also we have to boost the quality of personnel and keeping the top scientists on call. And finally with all this information, the US must take action on it and have it lead to change in practice.

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