The united kingdom is one of the five official nuclear weapon states under the treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons and has an independent nuclear deterrent. 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. An encyclopedia of worldwide policy, technology, and history, 2 volumes by jeff larsen, james wirtz, eric croddy abcclio 1851094954 online ebook, see publisher the first accessible reference to cover the history, context, current issues, and key concepts surrounding biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons. Introduction to weapons of mass destruction separates fact from fiction about nbc. And in the ceasefire of 1991 saddam agreed unconditionally to give up his weapons of mass destruction. Chemical weapon chemical weapon weapons of mass destruction. Since the end of world war ii there has been a number of treaties dealing with the limitations, reductions, and elimination of socalled weapons of mass destruction andor their transport systems generally called delivery systems. Nuclear, biological and chemical nbc weapons have been elevated as a major issue of international concern in the postcold war era.
However, not all nations have been willing to cooperate with. The book mostly covers the development of nuclear bombswarheads and their delivery systems. Chemical weapons weapons of mass destruction essay bartleby. In modern warfare, chemical weapons were first used in world war i 191418. And actually, most chemical weapons are not considered wmds.
The topic of weapons of mass destruction wmd and related injuries is vast. Other books on the market only include a sample selection of specific agents. How weapons of mass destruction became red lines for. Ems, weapons of mass destruction and related injury. The continent has long expressed its commitment to a world free of the abhorrent and indiscriminate biological, chemical and nuclear weapons wmd. Beginning in the mid1930s, japan conducted numerous attempts to acquire and develop weapons of mass destruction. It begins with a history of the ancient and medieval use in warfare of biological weapons and goes on to explain how governments and terrorist factions have refined this practice to include biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons as a means of. Weapons of mass destruction this is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as a printed book.
Throughout history, chemical weapons have been used as strategic weaponry to devastate the enemy in times of war. Introduction to chemical and biological weapons carnegie. Following the gulf war, iraq had to admit to all this. United kingdom and weapons of mass destruction wikipedia. After the mass destruction created by wwi and wwii, chemical weapons have been considered to be inhumane by most nations, and governments and organizations have undertaken to locate and destroy existing chemical weapons. Saddam has used chemical weapons, both against iran and against his own people. Why are chemical weapons considered weapons of mass.
Since the 1960s, categorical opposition to weapons of mass destructionbiological, chemical, and nuclearhas been a hallmark of american foreignpolicy thinking. The nononsense guide to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons today by robert hutchinson isbn. Alternative technologies for the destruction of chemical agents and. Chemical and bacteriological biological weapons and the effects of their possible use. 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. Most biological agents are difficult to grow and maintain. A biological agent is any microorganism, infectious substance, or biological product capable of causing death, disease, biological malfunction, deterioration of resources, and alternations to the environment.
List of books and articles about weapons of mass destruction. Chemical weapons weapons of mass destruction chemical weapons and their use is one of the most important issues facing the world today. Chemical weapon, any of several chemical compounds, usually toxic agents, that are intended to kill, injure, or incapacitate. Purpura, in security and loss prevention fifth edition, 2008. Daniel okrent, in public editor column, criticizes new york times for failing to revisit its coverage of iraqi weapons of mass destruction. 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. Terrorists use biologic weapons as a method of creating mass panic.
Weapons of mass destruction and human rights peace palace. Iraqs history with chemical, biological and nuclear weapons commonly referred to as weapons of mass destruction wmd is a story of development, war, deception and surprise. A summary report of characteristics and effects congressional research service 3 synthesis and specialized equipment to contain the nerve agents produced. This had been pointed out previously by the author 1 and discussed in considerable detail in ref. Chemical weapons are a lesser threat, but more likely. Like nuclear and biological weapons, chemical weapons are often classified as weapons of mass destruction. It has been accepted for inclusion in this collection by an authorized administrator. Nuclear, biological and chemical weapons are commonly lumped toget. Weapons of mass destruction suggested bibliography articles. This book describes several weapons of mass destruction and examines the extent and duration of environmental damage to be expected from them. 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. He made many of the same arguments he and his predecessors have articulated before regarding the need for the security council to develop further initiatives to bring about a world free of weapons of mass destruction. The subtitle, the nononsense guide to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons today, is a bit of a misnomer.
For patriots like billy sinclair, the iraq war started o. The 1943 battle of changde saw japanese use of both bioweapons and chemical weapons, and the japanese conducted a serious, though futile, nuclear weapon program. The common african defense and security policy cadsp, adopted by the second extraordinary session of the assembly of the union, held in sirte, libya, on 28 february 2004, identifies wmd as a common threat facing all member states and should be. Chemical, biological, and radiological weapons 2010 sm. Which emerging technologies are weapons of mass destruction. Nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, or weapons of mass destruction wmd, present a serious danger in todays world. In different sources the phrase may be seen as nbc nuclear, biological and chemical weapons or cbr chemical, bacteriological and radiological weapons. Chemical weapons did not become true weapons of mass destruction wmd until they were introduced in their modern form in world war i 191418. Weapon of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect. Handbook of toxicology of chemical warfare agents, second edition covers every aspect of deadly toxic chemicals used in conflicts, warfare and terrorism.
Todays danger comes mainly from the potential use of nuclear, biological, and chemical nbc weapons of mass. 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. In each case, they describe the pathogenic agent, the human consequences, organizational aspects of care for the victims and best practice for treatment. The united kingdom possesses, or has possessed, a variety of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. Apr 15, 2017 since the 1960s, categorical opposition to weapons of mass destructionbiological, chemical, and nuclearhas been a hallmark of american foreignpolicy thinking. They can be nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. 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. Mitigating the effects of chemical and biological attack, strategic forum. Explosive effects include incendiary effects which occur in the immediate. Weapons of mass destruction include biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons. Weapons of mass destruction wmd is a term commonly used to refer to nuclear. For instance, you still occasionally find someone digging up a ww1 mustard gas shell in france or belgium.
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. The fifth president of iraq, saddam hussein, was internationally condemned for his use of chemical weapons during the 1980s campaign against. 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 and biological weapons alone rarely have decisive effects on the. Biological, chemical and nuclear absence of mycoplasma contamination in the anthrax vaccine. The case of weapons of mass destruction at the outset of the iraq war david c. 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. The virology bookshop biological weapons and warfare books. Ems, weapons of mass destruction and related injury statpearls. 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. Nuclear weapons are the archetypal weapons of mass destruction wmds. Weapons of mass destruction weapon of mass destruction wmd is a term used to describe a munition with the capacity to indiscriminately kill large numbers of living beings. Chapters are devoted to the ecological impacts of nuclear weapons, chemical and biological weapons, and geophysical and environmental weapons.
In the past an estimated 4,186,000 4,385,000 people have died due to a weapon of mass destruction wmd. The fbis weapons of mass destruction wmd directorate uses a cohesive and coordinated approach to incidents involving nuclear, radiological, biological, or chemical weaponswith an overriding. Chemical weapons work mainly through toxicity, which is a chemical action on life processes that can cause death, temporary. Only one chapter each is devoted to chemical and biological weapons, respectively. This pertinent and topical volume takes a hardheaded look at the threat that india could face from these weapons.
Weapons of mass destruction include nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons plus radiological weapons and some others with potential for mass destruction fas 2001. Biological agents are organisms or toxins that can kill or incapacitate people, livestock, and crops. The uk is one of 188 countries that have ratified the chemical weapons convention cwc, the first armscontrol treaty to introduce a verifiable ban on an entire class of weapons of mass destruction. Banning the manufacture, stockpiling chemical and use of chemical weapons but not nuclear bombs might seem hypocritical but there is a valid claim that the latter has served well to deter major. In contrast to other transnational security challenges, the united nations has a long history of involvement with efforts to combat the danger posed by weapons of mass destruction. The term weapons of mass destruction wmd refers to weapons that can cause multiple deaths and severe damage to over a short period of time. Freeing the world of nuclear, biological and chemical arms 2006, by weapons of mass destruction commission, contrib. The term weapons of mass destruction wmd has been part of. The three basic groups of biological agents that would likely be used as weapons are bacteria, viruses, and toxins. Chemical weapon weapons of mass destruction britannica. Yet the chances of some use of weapons of mass destruction have risen.
Oct 31, 2014 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. Handbook of toxicology of chemical warfare agents sciencedirect. As early as 9 february 1989, president george bush claimed that the spread and even use of sophisticated weaponry threatens global security as never before. Cbrne, which stands for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive. Weapons of mass destruction why the subject is important nuclear, chemical, and biological weaponsthe three commonly recognized weapons of mass destruction wmdare distinguished from conventional weapons by their capacity to destroy huge amounts of life and property. Adapted from chemical weapons technology militarily critical technologies list mctl part ii. International terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Why are chemical weapons worse than other weapons of mass. Chemical, biological, and radiological weapons 2010 sm 10202010 11.
Made infamous during world war ii and by movies such as the sum of all fears paramount pictures, 2002, these weapons explode above or on the ground, causing damage arising from contact with displaced objects, followed by a fireball, concussion, and fallout. Weapons of mass destruction are a huge risk to the society due to the mass amount of lives that can be taken with the detonation or use of a weapon of mass destruction. A weapon of mass destruction wmd is something capable of inflicting mass casualties andor destroying or rendering highvalue assets as useless. A major nuclear exchange would have longterm effects, primarily from the fallout.
The exact mechanism for the toxic effects of organic arsenicals is unknown. Weapons of mass destruction and the environment sipri. Weapons of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect topics. Weapons of mass destruction threaten devastating and indiscriminate. Agents that can be used as weapons of mass destruction. The risk of a catastrophic exchange of nuclear missiles has receded. The case of weapons of mass destruction at the outset of the. Crucial information on nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons from the.