Discusses types of chemical agents, protection against chemical agents, how to detect their presence, and chemical agents as weapons of terror rather than weapons of mass destruction.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Examines the chemical and biological weapons that Syria is known to have and assesses the damage that could be done if the weapons were used by the government against the rebels or if they were passed to other groups.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Discusses the security problem relating to China’s role in arms proliferation and whether U.S. policy with China has been effective.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Examines regulatory issues that affect the need, timing, and costs of cleaning up 250 sites in 40 states and the District of Columbia where chemical weapons were stored.  Also calls for an alternative approach to identifying and cleaning such sites.  From the National Research Council

Annual report on terrorism and counterterrorist strategy by country.  Also includes chapters on state sponsors of terrorism, foreign terrorist organizations, the challenge of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorism and a statistical annex.   More than 10,000 terrorist attacks were recorded around the world in 2011 resulting in more than 12,500 deaths, a decline of 12% from 2010.  From the State Department

Describes a fictional exercise in 1986 to test federal agency abilities to cope with a nuclear terrorist incident in an American city.  Consists of more than 60 documents which cover the background, preparations, exercise, and subsequent critiques.  From declassified documents posted by the National Security Archive

U.S. policy toward Central Asian nations has aimed at securing cooperation with U.S. and NATO efforts in Afghanistan and efforts to combat terrorism, arms proliferation, and trafficking in arms, drugs, and persons.  This report reviews these continuing aims and other recent developments including energy investments.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Discusses the importance of strengthened maritime security to respond to various challenges: piracy, illicit drug and human trafficking, terrorism, and seaborne transport of weapons of mass destruction.  From the United States Institute of Peace

Public version of a classified report originally released in October 2011 with sensitive or classified information removed.  Assesses the extent to which more than 20 risk assessments, carried out at the cost of $70 million, have contributed to Homeland Security response plans and capabilities related to weapons of mass destruction.  From the Government Accountability Office

Examines the possibility for progress in arms control and nuclear proliferation with Russia, Iran, and North Korea.  From the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College

The nation is at risk for a catastrophic biological incident.  The national security officials are developing a national biosurveillance strategy.  This report discusses federal support for state and local efforts, state and local challenges, and federal assessments of nonfederal capabilities.  From the Government Accountability Office

Focuses on U.S.-Soviet Union relations from 1969 to 1972 and the Nixon administration’s efforts to grapple with the Soviet achievement of strategic military parity with the U.S.  Also focuses on chemical and biological weapons policy and the transition from military conscription to an all-volunteer force. From the State Department.

Discusses the recent history of arms control and nonproliferation diplomacy, including the surge of interest in the 1970s and 1980s, the reduced interest during the Bush administration and the renewed interest of the Obama administration.  Has appendices with lists of arms control treaties,  a discussion of the U.S. treaty ratification process, and a list of arms control organizations.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the U.S. Department of State Foreign Press Center

Sets out 56 priority actions to lessen the impact of transnational crime on the U.S. and on its foreign partners.  From the White House

This report describes how the federal government has addressed specific 9/11 Commission recommendations over the past 10 years to guard against future terrorist attacks.  From the Department of Homeland Security

This report provides background information for understanding the threat from radiological dispersal devices (RDDs) and presents issues for Congress to consider.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Describes what the Proliferation Security Initiative is, when  and how it began, objectives and methods used, and whether it has been successful in interdicting shipments of weapons of mass destruction.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Assesses progress made during the May 2010 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty  (NPT) Review Conference in New York and the core issues debated at the event: nuclear proliferation, nuclear disarmament, access to peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and the creation of a weapons of mass destruction-free zone in the Middle East.  From the United States Institute of Peace

Discusses the threat that Iran might pose to U.S. interests, including Iran’s nuclear development program, its support for terrorist groups in the Middle East, and U.S. policy options.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Discusses the security problem of China’s role in weapons proliferation and issues related to the U.S. policy response since the mid-1990s.  .  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Annual report on terrorism and counterterrorist strategy by country.  Also includes chapters on state sponsors of terrorism, and one on terrorist organizations.  From the State Department.

Discusses the need to maintain the capability of identifying, analyzing,  and tracing the origin of nuclear material as an element of homeland security.  From the National Research Council

Details the findings of the 2009 Survey of Behavioral Aspects of Sheltering and Evacuation in the National Capital Region.  The survey covered a range of topics related to the knowledge and likely behavior of the public in case of a terrorist attack.  The major focus was on release of a radiological dispersion device or dirty bomb.  From the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the University of Virginia Center for Survey Research.

Covers  the nations which have nuclear arms and those aspiring to such status, the main elements of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, the prospects for moving towards nuclear disarmament, including the position of the new British coalition government, and the achievements of the NPT Review Conference of 2010.  House of Commons Library Research Paper 10/42.

Finds that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is the only agency within the Justice Department that has taken appropriate steps to deal with a potential attack involving weapons of mass destruction.  From the Office of the Inspector General of the Justice Department.

Unclassified portion of latest report to Congress on the activities of various countries in acquiring weapons of mass destruction and advanced conventional arms.  Covers the acquisition ambitions of Iran, North Korea and Syria.  From the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Considers whether federal efforts to protect against bioterrorism are sufficient including planning, risk assessment, biosurveillance, and medical countermeasures.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

Examines the extent to which the federal government has plans and capabilities to assist targeted areas in recovering from a terrorist radiological or nuclear attack.  The report also discusses recovery activities in the United Kingdom.  From the Government Accountability Office.

Press release which announces the conclusion of the largest investigation into a bio-weapons attack in U.S. history.  Concludes that the late Dr. Bruce Ivins acted alone in planning and carrying out the attacks.  Includes links to the Investigative Summary and to some 2,700 pages of documents related to the case at the FBI Freedom of Information website.  From the Justice Department

Subtitled: An Assessment of the U.S. Government’s Progress in Protecting the United States from Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.  Asserts that the threat to the U.S. has grown because of the proliferation of biological and nuclear material that could be used in a weapon of mass destruction.  Assigns a grade of “F” for enhancing the nation’s capabilities for a rapid response to prevent biological attacks from inflicting mass casualties.  From the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.