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The Nuclear Terrorism Readiness and Alert Center: Transforming the Aspirational Nature of International Law into Operational Capabilities

Senior government officials, particularly those in the Intelligence Community, need to find a novel and creative solution for combating the deadly threat of nuclear terrorism. For decades the United States has been heavily involved in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons through traditional international law. It is noteworthy, however, that the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, the crown jewel of all arms control treaties, does not contain a feasible method of countering the threat of nuclear terrorism. Taken as a whole, treaty law does not lend itself to conflicts against non-state actors such as al-Qaeda. Specifically, terrorists do not sign non-proliferation treaties nor do they adhere to the aspirational terms contained therein. Detractors of government efforts to combat nuclear terrorism have had great success pointing out the inherent shortcomings of the current methods of defense. Very few scholars, however, have offered achievable strategies for protecting our country from imminent attack. The proposed fusion center discussed in this article will be referred to as the Nuclear Terrorism Readiness and Alert Center or NTRAC. Its unique mission statement, organizational structure, and funding mechanism will be established by statute and leverage best practices from across the government spectrum. In essence, the NTRAC model provides the means to turn the aspirational nature of international law into operational capabilities. Thus, this article is not simply a critique of the shortcomings of current U.S. efforts aimed at nuclear terrorism. It also serves as a blueprint for the way ahead.