Combating the Nuclear Terrorist Threat: A Comprehensive Approach to Nuclear Security

In his first speech on nonproliferation as president, Barack Obamaaddressed the threat of nuclear terrorism1 as “the most immediateand extreme threat to global security.” He stated that the need toprovide greater security for nuclear material and facilities is a globalimperative. As terrorists have demonstrated their willingness to inflictmass casualties and announced their intention to acquire nuclearmaterial, states around the world must join together to help ensurethat the threat of nuclear terrorism does not become a reality.The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plays a crucial role inhelping the United States meet this mandate. Together with otherinterested U.S. governmental offices, the DOE and its predecessororganizations have worked, in cooperation with other states and theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to prevent terroristsand other non-state actors from obtaining a nuclear weapon or thenuclear materials needed to develop one. Today, DOE’s NationalNuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) International PhysicalProtection Program, within the Office of International Regimesand Agreements (NA-243), conducts various activities, includingbilateral visits to states that have received U.S.-obligated nuclearmaterial, to support domestic and international obligations. Thispaper will first review the aforementioned legal obligations andthen discuss the actions taken by the program to uphold U.S. lawsand ensure international commitments are met.