Faced with America's military superiority, countries are increasingly turning to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) as a means to deter U.S. intervention. However, the events of September 11 awakened America to a sense of insecurity it had never experienced before, making it increasingly unwilling to tolerate such weapons in the hands of unstable and unpredictable regimes.
         Deterring America explores the vicious cycle created by the twin fears of American encroachment and vulnerability, challenging traditional notions of deterrence. Using Iraq and North Korea as case studies, Smith argues that the United States needs to re-evaluate its foreign policy strategies against WMD proliferation, giving renewed attention to defensive measures, negotiated disarmament, interdiction, and perhaps preemption.