National Security and Arms Control in the Age of Biotechnology

Reviews / Votes

Whether senior statesmen or student, Gerstein's book provides the reader with a cogent analysis of the challenges ahead in the "age of biotechnology." While far from a panacea, he builds a compelling case that the BWC is the best mechanism we have for containing this rapidly emerging threat. This well-written work will be of great value to practitioners and the academic community. -- Randall Larsen, USAF (Ret), Former Executive Director, Congressional Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism Gerstein provides a timely, thoughtful and informative introduction to the Biological Weapons Convention and its role in international security, offering a strategic perspective on why it may be the most important arms control agreement ever negotiated. He makes a compelling case that while the Convention remains relevant in the 21st Century, the international community is mired in debating old issues and is ignoring the rapid changes in biology transforming the threat environment. Gerstein provides few answers but asks all the right questions, challenging all those who care about biological arms control to think anew about the future. -- Seth Carus, Deputy Director of the Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Distinguished Research Fellow at the National Defense University Gerstein has written an essential roadmap to the history of the BWC, the biological dangers it seeks to prevent, and the ways it could be strengthened - and undermined - in the years ahead. Along the way, he sheds valuable light on bioweapons programs, deal-making in international treaty negotiations, and people and forces that shaped the field. Should be required reading for anyone working in arms control and non-proliferation, biosecurity, or biotechnology policy. -- Tom Inglesby, Director of the Center for Health Security, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health