Terrorist access to biological and chemical weapons such as anthrax, ricin, or sarin is easier than access to nuclear materials. Recent years have seen the rise of a new type of terrorist less interested in promoting a political cause and more focused on the eradication of what they define as evil. Their motives are often a distorted form of religion, and they consider weapons of mass destruction to be a suitable means to their ends. Such devices are becoming more available. Chemical and biological agents can be produced by graduate students or lab technicians.
General recipes are available on the Internet.
In l995, a Japanese sect used sarin in the Tokyo subway, killing l2 people. They also experimented with biological agents. In conclusion, the world after the Cold War has good and bad news for American security policy. At the military and economic levels, the United States is likely to remain the preponderant power for the foreseeable future. No other state can match American strength.