Blog Post
America''s Achilles'' Heel: Nuclear, Biological
and Chemical Terrorism and Covert Attack
Richard A. Falkenrath, Robert D. Newman, and Bradley Thayer
(The MIT Press, July, 1998)
A new, groundbreaking book about the looming threat of nuclear, biological
and chemical (NBC) weapons in the United States goes beyond the
already-in-progress terrorism discussion by giving concrete solutions to
prepare for, and even prevent, a terrorist attack. In America''s Achilles''
Heel: Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Terrorism and Covert Attack,
Richard Falkenrath, BCSIA''s Executive Director, provides a close look at
the world of NBC terrorism and explains how the U.S. government should
proceed.
Together with co-authors Robert Newman, an arms control specialist
in Washington, D.C., and Bradley Thayer, a visiting assistant professor at
Dartmouth College, Falkenrath argues that even though the threat of NBC
attack is widely recognized as a central national security issue, most
analysts have assumed that the primary danger is military use by states in
war, employing traditional military means of delivery. The threat of covert
and terrorist attack has been imprudently neglected. This book analyzes the
nature and limits of the covert NBC threat and proposes a measured set of
policy responses to improve intelligence and reduce U.S. vulnerability.
Falkenrath and his co-authors conclude that while the NBC threat is
not "apocalyptic," it must be taken "very seriously." NBC weapons delivered
covertly by terrorists or hostile governments pose a growing threat to the
United States and other countries, the authors warn.
"I know of no more incisive, detailed assessment of the growing threat of
mass destruction terrorism than America''s Achilles'' Heel. This outstanding
book is essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in American
national security."
- Senator Richard Lugar
International Security, Vol. 22, No. 4
Steven E. Miller, Michael E. Brown, Owen R. Coté, Jr., Sean M. Lynn-Jones,
and Diane McCree, editors
(The MIT Press, Spring 1998)
Ranked no. 1 among international relations journals in the most recent
Journal Citation Reports, the Center''s International Security continues to
publish probing articles about security issues.
In this issue, Stephen Van Evera of MIT, and Charles Glaser of the
University of Pennsylvania and Chaim Kaufmann of Lehigh University, examine
offense-defense theory. Alexei Arbatov, deputy chairman of the Committee on
Defense in the Russian State Duma, assesses the impact of the end of the
Cold War on the Russian military. Arbatov tells what the leadership must do
to address problems confronting Russia''s military-industrial complex.
Michael O''Hanlon of the Brookings Institution assesses the likelihood of a
North Korean invasion of South Korea and the ability of U.S. and South
Korean forces to defeat such an attack. MIT''s Eric Heginbotham and Richard
Samuels examine how mercantilism and realpolitik are combined in Japanese
foreign policy.
The Consequences of Nuclear Proliferation: Lessons from South Asia
Devin T. Hagerty (The MIT Press, June 1998)
The author examines the relationship between India and Pakistan to assess
how nuclear weapons have changed their foreign and military policies. Devin
Hagerty, who is Lecturer in International Politics at the University of Sydney,
Australia, finds that the possible possession of nuclear weapons has induced
both countries to act more cautiously in recent crises. He concludes that the
experience of India and Pakistan supports the argument that nuclear proliferation is
not necessarily destabilizing and may even reduce the risk of war.
"A path breaking book ... a brilliant synthesis of Western theory and South
Asian practice that is full of important lessons for academics and
practitioners alike."
- James G. Blight, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University
Terrorism and America: A Common Sense Strategy for a Democratic Society
Philip B. Heymann
(The MIT Press, July 1998)
The United States and other democracies can fight terrorism while
preserving liberty and maintaining a healthy, unified society, argues
Philip Heymann, former U.S. deputy attorney general. Drawing on his
experience in the U.S. Departments of State and Justice, Heymann, who is
now a professor at Harvard Law School, shows how domestic and foreign
intelligence gathering can thwart terrorism, how the United States must
cooperate and share information with its allies, and how terrorism can be
prevented in many cases.
"In an area burdened with clichés, this book is a breeze of sanity
and wisdom.... It is must reading for every person concerned with coping
with terrorism in a democratic society."
- Professor Ariel Merai, Head of the Political Violence Unit, Tel Aviv
University
The Induced Innovation Hypothesis and Energy-Saving Technological Change
Robert Stavins, Richard Newell, and
Adam Jaffe (ENRP Discussion Paper Series, May 1998)
Concerns about global climate and the combustion of fossil fuels have led
to interest in the potential for policies to reduce energy consumption.
This focus on energy efficiency draws new attention to an old question: To
what extent does the process respond to economic incentives?
National Park Bonds: A Patch or a Panacea
Henry Lee, Herman Leonard, Jay Walder, Peter Zimmerman, and Wendy Vanasselt
(ENRP Discussion Paper Series, April 1998)
This report on meeting the financial needs of national parks is a BCSIA
Environment and Natural Resources Program and Center for Business and
Government effort. It spells out concrete ways national parks should
improve their financial systems.