Publication

This paper examines the issue of WMDs in a post-9/11 world. The author argues that for US security, states and state-supported terrorists are of primary concern, for these actors can most readily harness the full range of technical and operational capabilities needed to use nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons in sophisticated, effective ways. The paper concludes that deterring NBC use may be more difficult than it was during the Cold War and that new concepts and capabilities, including more sophisticated active and passive defenses, will be required.