Pentagon Cuts Threaten Programs That Secure Loose Nukes and Weapons of Mass Destruction

US agencies responsible for preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and building security capacity around the world are facing deep cuts, perhaps total abolition.

The Department of Defense is asking agencies and services that conduct “security cooperation” programs to consider the impact if the Pentagon were to “realign” its funding.

The cuts could hobble the fight against organized crime in South America , impair the battle against the Islamic State, increase the likelihood of a rogue state producing and using chemical weapons.

The State Partnership Program , which sends National Guard members to liaise and train with friendly militaries abroad, faces steep cuts or outright abolition.

Sources inside the Pentagon who work in the security cooperation space say they are fearful that the cuts will be severe.

DTRA , for example, currently works with 35 nations, helping to upgrade their biosafety and biosecurity practices.

The U.S. believes that Russia , North Korea , and other rogue states have active biological weapons programs.

Despite that, no state has actually deployed a biological weapon since the adoption of the Biological Weapons Convention .

Gronvall is worried that dismantling the DTRA could weaken that prohibition.