From the diseased animal carcass hurled over the wall of a besieged castle to the nuclear suitcase bomb carried by a clandestine operative, the threat of unconventional weapons has always been a feature of warfare. Its full name is the convention on the prohibition of the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and on their destruction. For regional delivery times, please check when will i receive my book. Chemical weapons are part of the weapons of mass destruction concept because they can cause a large number of casualties. Although chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological weapons often serve as examples of wmd, many things can be used as a wmd.
Historians now refer to the great war as the chemists war because of the scientific and engineering mobilization efforts by the major belligerents. Weapons of math destruction makes some good points about the use and abuse of math models and big data. Chemical weapon chemical weapon weapons of mass destruction. The book concludes that it is an urgent necessity to reach a universal accord on a comprehensive ban on the. What you need to know about chemical weapons use in syria. Chemical weapons are inexpensive and are relatively easy to produce, even by small terrorist groups, to create mass casualties with small quantities. However, if one wants to maintain the term weapons of mass destruction wmd, it is a defendable view to exclude chemical and biological weapons, but put together with nuclear weapons all those that actually has killed millions of people in civil wars since world war ii. Medical, legal and strategic aspects patrick barriot, chantal bismuth, alan h. Cw agents are extremely toxic synthetic chemicals that can be dispersed as a gas, liquid or aerosol or as agents adsorbed to particles to become a powder.
The fifth president of iraq, saddam hussein, was internationally condemned for his use of chemical weapons during the 1980s campaign against. It is because of their inhumane effects, as well as the fact. A summary report of characteristics and effects congressional research service 3 synthesis and specialized equipment to contain the nerve agents produced. The end ofthe cold war opened unprecedented opportunities for reductions in weapons of mass destruction. Weapon of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect. Chemical warfare and medical response during world war i. This proliferation of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction is today considered the single most serious threat to global security. Agents that can be used as weapons of mass destruction. Chemical weapon weapons of mass destruction britannica. Weapons of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect topics. Geophysical and environmental weapons are covered more briefly. List of books and articles about weapons of mass destruction. That agreement outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons.
Chemical weapons are uniquely terrifying weapons of mass destruction. As long as there are weapons of mass destruction, ronald raab. This book provides a basic but comprehensive information on the subject of weapons of mass destruction. Chemical weapon, any of several chemical compounds, usually toxic agents, that are intended to kill, injure, or incapacitate. Mitigating the effects of chemical and biological attack. Chemical weapons weapons of mass destruction chemical weapons and their use is one of the most important issues facing the world today. Approximately 19 million gallons of agent orange were used by the us military in southern vietnam between 1962 and 1971. Isat class looks at weapons of mass destruction news. With the united states poised to attack iraq to disarm it of its weapons of mass destruction wmd, the nuclear program at nrdc natural resources defense council thought it was time for a clear. Chemical weapons are considered weapons of mass destruction and their use in armed conflict is a violation of international law. For patriots like billy sinclair, the iraq war started o. A weapon of mass destruction wmd is something capable of inflicting mass casualties andor destroying or rendering highvalue assets as useless. Including findings from experimental as well as clinical studies, this essential reference offers indepth coverage of individual toxicants, target organ toxicity, major incidents, toxic effects in humans, animals and wildlife, biosensors and.
Chemical weapons are devices that use chemicals to inflict death or injury. While the immediate effects of exposure to many chemical weapons are severe, few chemical weapons have been used that cause a lasting environmental impact. With these opportunities came new challenges, both scientific and political. E biological, nuclear, incendiary, chemical, energetic. Among the weapons of mass destruction wmd, chemical warfare cw is probably one of the most brutal created by mankind. Chemical weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. See especially the section science and subsection effects of nuclear weapons, the nuclear weapon archive current host is the membrane.
Crucial information on nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons from the. Weapons of mass destruction should be illegal because many american lives can be lost, they also are very expensive, and america is already in a lot of debt and if other countries are more advanced they have the ability to bully the u. The scope and usage of the term has evolved and been disputed, often signifying more politically than technically. Chemical weapons weapons of mass destruction essay. Recognizes the proponent change for global countering weapons of mass destruction operations responsibility from united states strategic command. Dismantlement and destruction of chemical, nuclear and conventional weapons. The most persuasive arguments focus on the use of predictive modeling and its use in criminal sentencing, monitoring driving habits to determine auto insurance rates, and monitoring physical fitness as part of health insurance coverage. Assessing the risks table 22factors affecting lethality of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. The professor came around to each desk with a black light to reveal that each book was covered in powder. It was just fluorescent powder, but as he explained, it couldve been anthrax. The book lists and discusses various biological, chemical and radiological agents and weapons, including anthrax, botulism, sarin, dirty bombs and mustard gas.
Part v focuses on the dynamics of chemical weapons, right from basics to delivery systems and from the various chemical warfare agents to their potential as weapons of mass destruction. Handbook of toxicology of chemical warfare agents 2nd edition. Chemical and biological weapons alone rarely have decisive effects on the battlefield. The nononsense guide to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons today hutchinson, robert on. France is one of the five nuclear weapons states under the treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, but is not known to possess or develop any chemical or biological weapons. Modern weapons of mass destruction are either nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons frequently referred to. The effects of weapons of mass destruction cannot be contained, either spatially or temporally. Chemical weapons did not become true weapons of mass destruction wmd until they were introduced in their modern form in world war i 191418.
The german army initiated modern chemical warfare by launching a chlorine attack at ypres, belgium, on april 22, 1915, killing 5,000 french and algerian troops and momentarily. He is the author of many books, including weapons of mass destruction. The french military is currently thought to retain a weapons stockpile of. In different sources the phrase may be seen as nbc nuclear, biological and chemical weapons or cbr. The nononsense guide to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons today. Weapons of mass destruction wmds constitute a class of weaponry with the potential to, in a single moment, kill millions of civilians, jeopardize the natural environment, and fundamentally alter the world and the lives of future generations through their catastrophic effects. They can be nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. Not only is the use of such weapons highly controversial, but also the very idea of such weapons of mass destruction being in the hands of dangerous leaders. A planning guide for state and local governments is the result of collaboration and input from experts in the field of emergency operations planning and response to terrorist events involving weapons of mass destruction. Nuclear weapons science tracer bulletlibrary of congress.
The book is not a reference guide, but a truly intriguing look at mans. The series will be published as a book in the autumn. This had been pointed out previously by the author 1 and discussed in considerable detail in ref. Weapons of mass destruction wmd include chemical, biological, and. The 1993 chemical weapons convention cwc is the most recent arms control agreement with the force of international law. Like nuclear and biological weapons, chemical weapons are. All may be used in warfare and are known by the military acronym nbc for nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare. Instructors book authors professionals researchers institutions. A chemical weapon is any toxic chemical that can cause death, injury, incapacitation, and sensory irritation, deployed via a delivery system, such as an artillery shell, rocket, or ballistic missile. Effects of nuclear earthpenetrator and other weapons. In 2005, north korea s total range with its nodong missiles was estimated as 900 km with a 1,000 kg payload. Handbook of toxicology of chemical warfare agents sciencedirect. Weapons of mass destruction international relations. An unconventional class at jmu looks at biochemical warfare and weapons of mass destruction.
Such additions to war has caused a shift in the perceptions of war as citizens band together to convince their governments to avoid war at all costs. Managing the emergency consequences of terrorist incidents. Chemical biological radiological nuclear explosives. Use of chemical weapons in chemical warfare 708 words. Handbook of toxicology of chemical warfare agents, second edition covers every aspect of deadly toxic chemicals used in conflicts, warfare and terrorism. A chemical weapon is any chemical which, through its chemical effect on living processes, may cause death, temporary loss of. These cw agents have either lethal or incapacitating effects on humans.
North korea s ability to deliver weapons of mass destruction to a hypothetical target is somewhat limited by its missile technology. The international ban on chemical weapons was disregarded in world war 1, with various chloride containing compounds being attached to grenades and artillery shells. The first largescale use of a traditional weapon of mass destruction chemical, biological, or nuclear involved the successful deployment of chemical weapons during world war i 19141918. They differ from explosive chemicals in which the destructive effects are caused by shear force and are localized. The term weapons of mass destruction wmd was first expressly defined by the united nations in 1948 as atomic explosive weapons, radioactive material weapons, lethal chemical and biological weapons, and any weapons developed in the future which have characteristics comparable in destructive effect to those of the atomic bomb or other weapons mentioned above defining. North korea and weapons of mass destruction wikipedia. Weapons of mass destructioneffects how is weapons of. After the september 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the united states, there is a high risk perception of possible terrorist attacks with chemical weapons. A weapon of mass destruction wmd is a nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, or any other weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to numerous humans or cause great damage to humanmade structures e. An overview of weapons of mass destruction covers the types and effects of their use.
Effects of war and mass destruction 1252 words cram. Global impact of chemical warfare agents used before and after 1945. Iraq actively researched and later employed weapons of mass destruction wmd from 1962 to 1991, when it destroyed its chemical weapons stockpile and halted its biological and nuclear weapon programs as required by the united nations security council. Weapon of mass destruction wmd, weapon with the capacity to inflict death and destruction on such a massive scale and so indiscriminately that its very presence in the hands of a hostile power can be considered a grievous threat. In part, my desire to write books on the policy aspects of chemical and. The effects discussed here are only those from the nuclear weapon and its direct effects and do not include chemical and biological agents, which are discussed in the section of this chapter entitled effects of attacks on chemical and biological weapons facilities. Among cw, one can begin with industrial chemicals such as chlorine, used in. Weapons of mass destructioneffects how is weapons of mass destructioneffects abbreviated.
The term weapons of mass destruction wmd, used to encompass nuclear nw, biological bw, and chemical weapons cw, is misleading, politically dangerous, and cannot be justified on grounds of military efficiency. United nations weapons of mass destruction nuclear, biological and chemical have plagued the human race since their invention and they still pose a threat today. Chemical weapons are classified as weapons of mass destruction wmds, though they are distinct from nuclear weapons, biological weapons, and radiological weapons. The tasking for the committee on the effects of nuclear earthpenetrator and other weapons, stated in section 1033 of the bob stump national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2003 public law 107314, is included in chapter 1 of this report.
Although chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological weapons often serve as. Crucial information on nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons from the diseased animal carcass hurled over the wall of a besieged castle to the nuclear suitcase bomb carried by a clandestine operative, the threat of unconventional weapons has always been a feature of warfare. Colorless as vapor garlic odor effects may take several hours. Chemicalbiological warfare is the term used to describe the use of chemical or biological agents as weapons to injure or kill humans, livestock, or plants. In modern warfare, chemical weapons were first used in world war i 191418. Roland e langford crucial information on nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons from the diseased animal carcass hurled over the wall of a besieged castle to the nuclear suitcase bomb carried by a clandestine. Exposure to sarin gas, a colorless, odorless nerve agent used repeatedly in syria, leads to muscle twitches, unconsciousness, paralysis of respiratory organs and eventually a horrifying, death through asphyxiation.
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