The proliferation of missiles is posing new problems to policy makers in the United States and elsewhere in the industrialized world. Over the next several years the number of Third World countries possessing these weapons will continue to grow, and, significantly, the sophistication of existing missile development programs in the Third World, with a view toward their prospects and the potential military utility of ballistic and cruise missiles as threats to international stability. Steps to stop or slow the diffusion of ballistic and cruise missile technologies through the implementation of supply-side controls have been only partially successful, and will probably not prevent Third World states from obtaining missiles in the near term. To counter the dangers posed, other measures will be required. These include security arrangements, deployment of missile defenses, and possibly even offensive actions.
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