Preventing catastrophe
Subtitle: the use and misuse of intelligence in efforts to halt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
By: Thomas Graham Jr., Keith A. Hansen.
Contributors: Hansen, Keith A.
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Stanford, Calif
Language: eng
Number of pages: 300
ISBN-13: 9780804763608
Subjects: Intelligence service -- United States; Weapons of mass destruction -- Government policy -- United States; Nuclear nonproliferation -- Government policy -- United States
Description: "Preventing Catastrophe is written by two authors who are experienced "Washington hands" and understand the interplay between intelligence and policymaking. Both have been personally involved, in the United States and overseas, in pursuing national and international measures to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Their extensive experience is evident in this book, which puts the Iraqi WMD issue in proper perspective, explains the challenge of monitoring small clandestine programs, and explains how the effort to prevent terrorist acquisition and use of weapons of mass destruction differs from preventing their acquisition and use by nation states.

At the same time, they are able to make a complex subject understandable to non-technical experts, making this book a useful teaching tool, especially for those who have little or no knowledge or experience in US national security decision making."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Motivations of countries and terrorists to acquire WMD; title: Detecting and monitoring clandestine WMD programs; title: The track record against clandestine proliferation; title: Intelligence community; title: policymaker relations : playing as a team?; title: Intelligence on Iraqi WMD programs & policy reactions; title: National and international efforts to thwart proliferation; title: Conclusion : is it possible to prevent future proliferation?; title: Postscript : what if we fail to prevent further proliferation?