Counterproliferation: The Emperor Has No Clothes

摘要

The proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and their means of delivery is aNational Emergency. The National Security Strategy and National Military Strategy admirably highlight counterproliferation as urgent national priorities. Despite these well intentioned efforts, counterproliferation initiatives, begun in 1993, have to date only yielded grand policies and little progress. Lack of national leadership, multiplicitous and overlapping programs, interagency friction, and misplaced priorities could doom the laudable efforts to failure. As the National Command Authority seeks to dress themselves in a cloak of protection against the threats of weapons of mass destruction, who is brave enough to tell them the Emperor has no clothes. This assessment covers counterproliferation strategies via an ends, ways, and means methodology, analyzes the complexity of current initiatives, and provides benefits and challenges to the eight areas of the Counterproliferation Support Program. After conclusions about the illusionary success of these efforts, the assessment offers recommendations to enhance meaningful progress.