CNS Occasional Papers, No 3, Center for Nonproliferation Studies. This article addresses the threats to the nonproliferation regime. The most imminent threats stem from the failure of countries to comply with their agreements and the unpredictable bilateral relationships between the US and China and the US and Russia. Other problems include the primacy of domestic priorities in most states, difficult regional relationships, and the role of non-state actors.
Sands singles out Iraq, North Korea, and Russia as particularly dire cases of non-compliance.
Russia is singled out for concerns about biological weapons and other proliferation. Curiously, China is left off the list of non-compliant states. Critics could easily argue that China's participation in nonproliferation efforts has been marked by subterfuge, deception, and outright violation. Sands points to domestic politics in limiting the effectiveness of nonproliferation regimes. Domestic concerns in the US, which she condemns for weak leadership and internal divisiveness, and other important international players frequently curtail nonproliferation efforts.