SINGAPORE -- The recent bomb blast at the J.W. Marriott hotel in downtown Jakarta is only the most recent reminder of the ruthless cruelty of international terrorism. The topic dominates every discussion of Asian security. Those talks have become increasingly sharp in the face of a rising death toll worldwide and growing fears that these groups will get their hands on weapons of mass destruction or the materials to make them.
Most attention has focused on efforts to go after the terrorists themselves -- the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, counterterrorism programs in Southeast and Central Asia, and the new doctrine of preemption. But checking the spread of weapons of mass destruction requires a strategy that targets both users of WMD and their suppliers.
While Hollywood's favorite plot usually has a ready-made weapon falling into the hands of a terrorist organization, in real life a terrorist or a would-be proliferater focuses on buying technology and components, almost all of which is available on the international market. It's a lot more boring. Unfortunately, it's also a lot more likely to be successful.
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