WMD Proliferation : An International Crime ? Viewpoint

WMD proliferation tends to be regarded as falling squarely in the domain of diplomatic/military affairs; rarely is a proliferation problem handled exclusively or even primarily as a law enforcement matter. This essay asserts that international law enforcement need not displace nonlegal responses to proliferation, but criminal law mechanisms should be available at maximum strength; their absence may force adoption of a nonlegal approach in cases where law might have preferable applications. A primary incentive for characterizing proliferation as an international crime, therefore, is to enable decisionmakers to take advantage of law enforcement mechanisms without undue obstacles.