Special Report: North Korea and the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI)

On its seventh anniversary, Dr. Mark J. Valencia evaluates the effectiveness of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). This initiative, started under the Bush adminstration in 2003 and inherited by the Obama administration, was designed to prevent weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems and related materials from entering or leaving states of proliferation concern. The focus of PSI was to have been on interdiction as a means to fill gaps in the existing international regime to stop the spread of WMD. It was assumed, at the very least, that it would deter suppliers and customers by making proliferation more costly and difficult. But after seven years, what impact has PSI had?

Download: “North Korea and the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI)“ (July 30, 2010, 12 pages).