Worst Weapons in Worst Hands: U.S. Inaction on the Nuclear Terror Threat Since 9/11, and a Path of Action
Report, National Security Advisory Group
July 20, 2005
Authors: Dr. William J. Perry, Former Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, Ashton B. Carter, Former Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, Harvard & Stanford Universities, Secretary Madeleine K. Albright, Graham Allison, Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; Douglas Dillon Professor of Government, Harvard Kennedy School, Samuel R. Berger, General Wesley K. Clark, Former Senior Advisor, 2001-2009, Preventive Defense Project, Thomas E. Donilon, John D. Podesta, Susan E. Rice, General (ret.) John M. Shalikashvili, Former Founding Senior Advisor, Preventive Defense Project, Amb. Wendy R. Sherman, Dr. Elizabeth D. Sherwood-Randall, Former Founding Senior Advisor, Preventive Defense Project, Dr. James B. Steinberg
Belfer Center Programs or Projects: International Security
Report by: Carter, Ashton B., William J. Perry, Madeleine K. Albright, Graham T. Allison, Samuel R. Berger, Wesley K. Clark, Thomas E. Donilon, Michele A. Flournoy, John D. Podesta, Susan E. Rice, John M. Shalikashvili, Wendy R. Sherman, Elizabeth D. Sherwood-Randall and James B. Steinberg.
Summary
The gravest threat facing Americans today is a terrorist detonating a nuclear bomb in one of our cities. The National Security Advisory Group (NSAG) judges that the Bush administration is taking insufficient actions to counter this threat.
- If this catastrophe were to occur, what would we wish we had done to prevent it?
- Why are those actions not being taken today?
President Bush has aptly noted that keeping the worst weapons – WMD – out of the hands of the worst people – terrorists – is an American president’s highest priority. The NSAG agrees. Yet on the record to date, we judge that the U.S. government has not made the connections between these words and the necessary actions. The administration is fighting a global war on terror, but not yet a global war on WMD.
This NSAG report details the actions that would constitute such a global war on WMD. The NSAG’s advice is directed to the American public, to the administration, and to members of Congress of both parties.
For more information about this publication please contact the PDP Associate Director at 617-495-1412.
For Academic Citation:
Document Length: 14 pp.
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