Assessing the Threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Role of Independent Scientists

Assessing the Threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction is a collection of papers delivered at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop of the same name, which examined the role of independent scientists in assessing WMD threat. Such threat assessment has a profound impact on the policies of governments and international organizations. It raises numerous questions: What exactly is an independent scientist and what threatens their independence? What role do cultural dependencies play within assessments? How do independent scientists produce threat assessments and what are the widely differing models used by different countries to facilitate the input of such assessments into policy? To address these and other issues, an interdisciplinary group of eminent experts and policy makers from twelve countries gathered to discuss ways in which the technical advice of independent scientists could be strengthened to aid governments and international organizations in forming policies in response to perceived threats. With papers covering topics ranging from policy making to chemical and biological weapons, nuclear threats and breaking the threat or counter threat cycle, this book illuminates an area of vital importance to the security and stability of relations between states, and the maintenance of internationally agreed norms.