IT APPEARS LIKELY THAT AS THE SMALLER NATIONS AND WEAKER INTEREST GROUPS OF THE WORLD ACQUIRE THE CONVENTIONAL AND NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY OF MODERN WARFARE, THEY WILL USE TERRORISM WITH POSSIBLY CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES. ALTHOUGH THE LOGIC OF AMERICAN STRATEGIC NUCLEAR POLICY IS CLEAR, THE SAME CLARITY DOES NOT APPLY FOR POLICIES DIRECTED AT THE PREVENTION OF NUCLEAR TERRORISM. IN THE FORMER CASE, THE RISK OF NUCLEAR WAR IS VIEWED AS LOW BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES RESPONDS VIGILANTLY TO NUCLEAR THREATS POSED BY MAJOR NATIONS. AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, THE U.S. HAS NO COUNTERTERRORIST DOCTRINE AND NO INSTITUTIONAL FORCE FOR DETERRING ATOMIC ATTACK. THE CENTRAL OBJECTIVE OF AN AMERICAN SAFEGUARDS POLICY SHOULD BE NOT ONLY TO PREVENT THE ILLICIT MANUFACTURE OF NUCLEAR BOMBS, BUT MUST ALSO TO PREVENT TERRORISTS FROM ACQUIRING REAL OR APPARENT NUCLEAR WEAPON CAPABILITY. CONSIDERATION MUST BE GIVEN TO THE PROTECTION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, SUCH AS THE MINUTEMAN MISSILES AND TACTICAL WEAPONS, AT THEIR STORAGE SITES. THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS NOT ACTED RESPONSIVELY TO CORRECT DEFICIENCIES NOTED IN THE PROTECTION OF ATOMIC WEAPONS. CREW MEMBERS AND CONSPIRATORS AT A MINUTEMAN BASE COULD LAUNCH A NUCLEAR ATTACK WITHOUT APPROVAL OF AUTHORITIES, OR COULD INVALIDATE A PRESIDENTIAL ORDER TO ATTACK. A SINGLE ABERRANT INDIVIDUAL COULD SABOTAGE AN ENTIRE MISSILE SQUADRON. MERE SEIZURE OF A MISSILE SITE COULD ADD CREDIBILITY TO ANY SUBSEQUENT THREAT. TERRORISTS COULD USE OR THREATEN THE USE OF ATOMIC WEAPONS TO DESTROY DETENTE, INITIATE A MAJOR WAR, OR GAIN CONCESSIONS. SECURITY OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS COULD BE ENHANCED BY THE INSTALLATION OF AN ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM, PERMISSIVE ACTION LINKS, TO PREVENT INDIVIDUALS FROM USING THE WEAPONS. MILITARY PERSONNEL WITH ACCESS TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS SHOULD BE MORE CAREFULLY SCREENED, AND INTERNATIONAL PROCEDURES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR COPING WITH NUCLEAR TERRORISM. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)