Cooperative Threat Reduction

In response to the dangers presented by the possible diversion of WMD or the technology to rogue nations, the U.S. Congress initiated the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program in 1991. This program is designed to provide Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Russia with assistance in the destruction, transportation, storage, and safeguarding of WMD. CTR is projected to be a multi-billion dollar effort. Critics have charged that the program has provided little results and that the money should be redirected. Is the proliferation threat real, can it be stopped and is CTR the appropriate method of reducing the threat? The threat of proliferation from the new republics is enormous when considering the sheer size of the former Soviet arsenal. Proliferation can occur from many different sources; smuggling, technology transfer, scientist hired by outside countries, theft of whole weapons, etc. CTR addresses a whole range of possibilities and assists in the destruction of active systems which are designed to destroy the U.S. CTR has been successful in helping reduce the nuclear weapons delivery systems, through providing destruction equipment and dismantlement help. Clearly, the program should be continued and possibly expanded.