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...would a weapon that could kill hundreds or thousands, or how much a terrorist network would pay for such a weapon. Porous borders, willing suppliers, and ungoverned spaces complicate the threat. Addressing the problem requires the full participation of the U.S. Government and the cooperation of its international partners. Without this joint effort, catastrophic consequences could result. The United States simply does not have the resources, access, or in-depth knowledge of every possible transit route, source, or network to stop WMD proliferation.

The most immediate threat is not that a fully assembled nuclear, biological, or chemical weapon would somehow change hands. Rather, the illicit transfer of components, technologies, specialized industrial equipment, and dual-use items or chemicals is especially difficult to observe or detect. There is still much to be done in helping partners to appreciate the urgency of the problem and developing cooperative approaches to combating WMD proliferation as close to the source as possible.

A coordinated effort to enhance all partners' border security, WMD detection, and interdiction capabilities is needed to address the global nature of the threat. Where nations are less capable, focusing U.S. assistance on building indigenous capacity to combat the proliferation of WMD is critical. The importance of nations working together to stop proliferation is highlighted in the Group of Eight Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction agreement: "Recognizing that this global partnership will enhance international security and safety, we invite other countries that are prepared to adopt its common principles and guidelines to enter into discussions with us on participating in and contributing to this initiative." (1)

Strategic Guidance

Before discussing the who and why of building partner capacity to combat WMD, it is useful to explain strategic guidance and the strategy-to-task management process relative to nonproliferation assistance.

National Level Guidance. The 2002 National Security Strategy of the United States of America emphasizes the urgency of addressing proliferation and, in particular, highlights the nexus of WMD and terrorism as one of the gravest dangers facing the United States. The National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction guides the overall U.S. effort. The focus areas of the document are nonproliferation, counterproliferation, and WMD consequence management.

Department Level Guidance. The recently published National Military Strategy for Combating WMD builds on the three focus areas by defining eight military missions and how they are to be conducted. One mission area is security cooperation and partner activities, which focuses on the day-to-day military role. The strategy highlights theater security cooperation as the primary vehicle for the U.S. military to build partner capacity to combat proliferation. Security cooperation allows not only for the transfer of technology and know-how to partners, but also for direct observation and interaction,...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.



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