Combating Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

• The United States Army Nuclear and Chemical Agency is responsible forthe publication of the doctrine on employment of nuclear weapons found inthe Joint Chiefs of Staff publication 3-12 series and for the integratedspecific military requirements list for nuclear research activities that isrevalidated and published annually. However, there is no intraagencycoordination of this priority list with the Joint Warfighting CapabilitiesAssessment priority list process.• The Soldier Biological and Chemical Defense Command receives itsresponsibilities for the execution of DoD’s chemical and biological defenseprogram initiatives from Public Law 103-160. Intraagency coordination isaccomplished through the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s NuclearBiological and Chemical Steering Committee/Sub-organization structuredescribed below.Intra- and Interagency Activities for Combating WMD ProliferationAs there are many committees and sub-groups that participate in preparing requirementsfor and executing the DoD programs to combat proliferation, the Commission believes thatthose identified below only constitute a partial list. Nowhere in this process does thereappear to be anyone “in charge” with the charter and necessary resources to develop anoverall architecture to assure that DoD can accomplish its primary mission in the face ofthe proliferation threat. This has implications for the larger architectural issues that confrontthe Federal Government, including its responsibilities to the states and local “firstresponders” (e.g., via the National Guard and Reserves) that would be critically importantin a crisis event involving chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons. Furthermore, thisdefocused process is not well-framed as a means of stimulating change in an oftenresistantbureaucracy responsible for formulating policy, requirements, plans, andprograms.• The Counter-proliferation Council, chaired by the Deputy Secretary ofDefense, provides senior-level oversight of Department of Defense-wideefforts to train, exercise, and equip U.S. forces for the counter-proliferationmission. The Council also oversees Department of Defense counterproliferationactivities in interagency and international forums. The effortswith the international community focus on the North Atlantic TreatyOrganization’s (NATO) Joint Committee on Proliferation; and concentrateon: improved intelligence/information sharing, coordination of threatreduction efforts in the former Soviet Union, improving defense anddeterrence programs, and response to chemical and biological warfareattacks against civilian populations.48