Introduction

Abstract

This chapter describes the international development of nuclear weapons technology, the early history of the US-USSR arms race, and the proliferation of nuclear weapon technology into other countries. Some of the motivation for other countries to obtain nuclear weapons is also described. The early efforts at controlling this nuclear weapons buildup through international diplomacy efforts is then discussed. Efforts at nuclear weapon and stockpile reduction by the US and Russian Federation, through treaties such as START are described. Next, the possibility of non-state groups such as terrorist organizations procuring nuclear weapon technology is outlined. Incidents involving interdiction of nuclear material, in a database maintained by the International Atomic Energy Agency, are outlined. The commonality of nuclear smuggling with other criminal activities, such as human trafficking and drug smuggling, is discussed. Regions particularly vulnerable to nuclear smuggling are noted.