Abstract : The policy of mutual destruction limited the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) during the Cold War but has much less significance in today's global environment not only because of multiple regional instability and motivation to acquire, but also increased availability of resources and technologies to build WMD. Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is a preeminent security threat in the 1990's. The US has policies and strategies to stem WMD proliferation and to counter the effects of their use. This paper will identify ways to deter threats of WMD against the United States through counterproliferation strategies of counterforce, active defense, and passive defense. Discussion includes aspects which challenge US interests and place greater burden on policymakers. These include politics, economics, technology and the global mindset.