Global Security Engagement

The government's first Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) programs were created in 1991 to eliminate the former Soviet Union's nuclear, chemical, and other weapons and prevent their proliferation. The programs have accomplished a great deal: deactivating thousands of nuclear warheads, neutralizing chemical weapons, converting weapons facilities for peaceful use, and redirecting the work of former weapons scientists and engineers, among other efforts. Originally designed to deal with immediate post-Cold War challenges, the programs must be expanded to other regions and fundamentally redesigned as an active tool of foreign policy that can address contemporary threats from groups that are that are agile, networked, and adaptable. As requested by Congress, Global Security Engagement proposes how this goal can best be achieved. To meet the magnitude of new security challenges, particularly at the nexus of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism, Global Security Engagement recommends a new, more flexible, and responsive model that will draw on a broader range of partners than current programs have. The White House, working across the Executive Branch and with Congress, must lead this effort. Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary Overview Introduction 1 The Evolution of Cooperative Threat Reduction 2 Cooperative Threat Reduction in the 21st Century: Objectives, Opportunities, and Lessons 3 The Form and Function of Cooperative Threat Reduction 2.0: Engaging Partners to Enhance Global Security 4 The Role of the Department of Defense in Cooperative Threat Reduction 2.0 5 Cooperative Threat Reduction 2.0: Implementation Checklist List of Acronyms Appendixes Appendix A: H.R. 1585: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Appendix B: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members Appendix C: Department of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction Program History: References Appendix D: List of Committee Meetings and Speakers Appendix E: The Evolution of U.S. Government Threat Reduction Programs Appendix F: Nunn-Lugar Scorecard Appendix G: The G8 Global Partnership: Guidelines for New or Expanded Cooperation Projects Appendix H: A Comparison of the Characteristics of Six Weapons Systems from the Perspective of a State or Terrorist Organization Appendix I: Department of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction Programs Appendix J: Congressional Guidelines and Corresponding Findings and Recommendations