Strategies for Curbing WMD Proliferation

Measures for limiting the use of WMD must address (1) existing WMD capabilities; (2) future increases in such capabilities; and (3) the spread (proliferation) of WMD to additional countries and terrorist organizations. The basic approaches for limiting the use of WMD are:

• adopting prohibitions on the possession and use of WMD, including measures to limit or eliminate existing WMD stockpiles through treaties;
• using diplomacy, sanctions, substitutes, and incentives to discourage countries from acquiring or using WMD;
• using export controls on transfers of WMD technology, equipment, and materials, to slow countries from building or acquiring WMD;
• pursuing cooperative threat reduction efforts to eliminate existing WMD and prevent WMD technology transfer to states of concern;
• deterring a potential adversary by demonstrating that the costs of an attack would be too great and would outweigh any potential gains; and
• employing military measures to address WMD threats (counterproliferation).