Combating Terrorism: Linking Threats to Strategies and Resources

• NCJ Number: 189540
• Author(s): Norman J. Rabkin
• Date Published: July 2000
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: US Government Accountability Office
• Sale Source: US Government Accountability Office; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Legislative Hearing/Committee Report
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded June 12, 2001

Annotation

This document highlights information on the threat of terrorist attacks involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) materials.

Abstract

The first step in developing sound programs to combat terrorism is to develop a thorough understanding of the terrorist threat. United States intelligence agencies track and analyze terrorist threats, including the threat of terrorists using CBRN weapons or agents. However, some of the public statements intelligence community officials have made about the terrorist CBRN threat do not include important qualifications to the information they present. For example, terrorists would have to overcome significant technical and operational challenges to successfully make and release many chemical or biological agents of sufficient quality and quantity to kill or injure large numbers of people without substantial assistance from a foreign government sponsor. These qualifications are important because, without them, policy makers in both the executive or legislative branch may get an exaggerated view of the terrorist CBRN threat. The second step is to conduct a threat and risk assessment that can be used to develop a strategy and guide resource investments. Much of the Federal efforts to combat terrorism have been based upon vulnerabilities rather than an analysis of credible threats. While there has been a major effort to develop a national strategy, there is a concern about a lack of accountability and the potential proliferation of different strategies. Because of limited resources, foreign countries make funding decisions for programs to combat terrorism on the basis of the likelihood of terrorist activity actually taking place, not the countries’ overall vulnerability to terrorist attacks. These countries maximize their existing capabilities to address a wide array of threats, including emerging threats like CBRN, before they create new capabilities or programs to respond to such attacks. 13 footnotes