Nuclear Terrorism: The Risks and Consequences of the Ultimate Disaster

Americans in the 21st century are aware of the many forms of terrorism. The deadliest scenario would be a terrorist group exploding a nuclear device in an American city. Graham Allison, one of America's leading experts on nuclear weapons and national security, presents the evidence for two provocative, compelling conclusions. First, if policy makers in Washington keep doing what they are currently doing about the threat, a nuclear terrorist attack on America is inevitable. Second, the surprising and largely unrecognized good news is that nuclear terrorism is, in fact, preventable. Allison offers an ambitious but feasible blueprint for eliminating the possibility of nuclear terrorist attacks, if we are willing to face the issue squarely.

Graham Allison, founding dean of Harvard's modern John F Kennedy School of Government is the director of the Belfer Centre for Science and International Affairs and the Douglas Dillon Professor of Government. The author of Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis, he served as special advisor. The author of Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis, he served as special advisor to the secretary of defence under President Reagan and as assistant secretary of defence under President Clinton.