Summary Notes of the Center for Contemporary Conflict Conference on WMD Proliferation in the Middle East: Directions and Policy Options in the New Century; Strategic Insights, v. 3, issue 8 August 2004)

Abstract

Sixty academic, policy, and intelligence community professionals from around the world met at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California from June 28-30 to take an in-depth and systematic look at the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the Middle East region and policy conundrums facing the United States and the international community in combating this problem. The conference specifically addressed the status of WMD programs in Iran, Syria, Libya and the potential for WMD proliferation in Saudi Arabia. Coupled with this country-specific and regional focus, topics of discussion included a review of the contemporary threat environment; current proliferation policy parameters, including supply and demand policy issues; an analysis of different ideas for threat reduction on a country-specific and region-wide basis; and an examination of strategies available to the United States and the international community to address these programs. The resulting interaction between the participants and assembled experts proved invaluable in helping the conference to further the collective understanding WMD proliferation in the Middle East and the policy options available to address the issue.