HLSS522Wk1

Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous types of WMDs. In fact, they are the most dangerous weapons on Earth, and the devastation they can cause was evidenced by the U.S. attacks on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. In the only two uses of nuclear weapons in warfare to date, these two cities were completely and wholly destroyed and 200,000 people were killed instantly, with hundreds of thousands more perishing from the after-results of the attacks. In the past 70 years, weapons far more powerful have been built, developed, and tested—but never used.

 

A nuclear weapon’s explosive power is measured by the blast it is capable of producing and its equivalent in tons of TNT, with a kiloton (KT) measuring one thousand tons and a megaton (MT) one million tons. The measure of a fission bomb’s power can be as small as one KT or as large as several hundred KT. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima, nicknamed Little Boy, had a yield of 15 KT, while the Nagasaki bomb, Fat Man, had a yield of 20 KT.

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Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous types of WMDs. In fact, they are the most dangerous weapons on Earth, and the devastation they can cause was evidenced by the U.S. attacks on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. In the only two uses of nuclear weapons in warfare to date, these two cities were completely and wholly destroyed and 200,000 people were killed instantly, with hundreds of thousands more perishing from the after-results of the attacks. In the past 70 years, weapons far more powerful have been built, developed, and tested—but never used.

 

But both fission and fusion bombs can produce blasts that can destroy structures within a radius of several miles as well as extreme heat that can create firestorms and intense white light that can cause blindness. These types of weapons can also release highly unstable radioactive elements into the environment such as cesium-137 and strontium-90, which can poison the air, water and soil for hundreds of years into the future.

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Nuclear Weapons

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Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous types of WMDs. In fact, they are the most dangerous weapons on Earth, and the devastation they can cause was evidenced by the U.S. attacks on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. In the only two uses of nuclear weapons in warfare to date, these two cities were completely and wholly destroyed and 200,000 people were killed instantly, with hundreds of thousands more perishing from the after-results of the attacks. In the past 70 years, weapons far more powerful have been built, developed, and tested—but never used.

 

Far more destructive weapons utilize a different process, nuclear fusion. Rather than splitting an atom’s nucleus, this process fuses the nuclei of two atoms to produce an even larger and heavier nucleus. Nuclear fusion requires incredibly high temperatures that are typically achieved through the initial detonation of a fission bomb. Fusion weapons, also called thermonuclear weapons, can be thousands of times more powerful, with their power typically measured in MT rather than KT.

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Still others prefer another term, CBRNE weapon (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and enhanced explosive weapons).This category includes other types of non-nuclear, non-radioactive explosive devices, which to some qualify as weapons of mass destruction. Some U.S. government agencies include certain explosive devices in their definitions of WMDs, including all types of bombs, grenades, mines, and even guns with barrels larger than one-half inch in diameter. In other words, this designation categorizes many conventional armaments that are legal for U.S. citizens to own as WMDs.

 

But this definition is imperfect in that high explosives, the fifth category of weapons that it includes, usually do not cause mass destruction. This definition also places most of a modern military force’s arsenal under the classification of WMDs. If the production and use of WMDs was successfully abolished by every nation on Earth, countries would have no measures left to defend themselves from rogue attacks, such as those by non- state actors.

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Explosive Weapons

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Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous types of WMDs. In fact, they are the most dangerous weapons on Earth, and the devastation they can cause was evidenced by the U.S. attacks on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. In the only two uses of nuclear weapons in warfare to date, these two cities were completely and wholly destroyed and 200,000 people were killed instantly, with hundreds of thousands more perishing from the after-results of the attacks. In the past 70 years, weapons far more powerful have been built, developed, and tested—but never used.

 

In spite of their great power, fusion bombs can be made small enough to fit in a portable artillery shell. A neutron bomb, also called an enhanced radiation warhead, is a small thermonuclear bomb designed to produce minimal blast and heat but high amounts of radiation. These weapons can be used on a traditional battlefield against soldiers and tanks without harming nearby towns or cities.

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Nuclear Weapons

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LESSON ONE: THE PROSPECTS FOR USE OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

Welcome to HLSS 522, Weapons of Mass Destruction and the New Terrorism. This course will explore the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) as a unique phenomenon within the homeland security landscape. Specifically, this course provides students with a historical perspective on the development and use of WMDs from both an international and a domestic perspective. The course also explores the efforts to prevent, prepare, and respond to the use of WMDs.

Even though we will use the term WMD in this class to refer to these weapons, in some ways it may be viewed as inaccurate or insufficient. Many prefer other terms to classify these types of weapons, such as CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) weapon. However, it is to be noted that these two terms are not synonymous. Terrorist use of CBRN weapons may represent what the military calls a force multiplier in that the psychological impact of these weapons is so great.

Topics to be covered include:

What are WMDs? Nuclear weapons Chemical weapons Biological weapons Radiological weapons Explosive weapons Disruptive weapons WMDs in the world today

Introduction

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Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous types of WMDs. In fact, they are the most dangerous weapons on Earth, and the devastation they can cause was evidenced by the U.S. attacks on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. In the only two uses of nuclear weapons in warfare to date, these two cities were completely and wholly destroyed and 200,000 people were killed instantly, with hundreds of thousands more perishing from the after-results of the attacks. In the past 70 years, weapons far more powerful have been built, developed, and tested—but never used.

 

Weapons such as these work using a process called nuclear fission, in which a neutron inside an atom collides with its nucleus. This action splits the atom and releases an enormous amount of heat and electricity as well as more neutrons, which initiates a chain reaction and releases even more energy. Nuclear fission can be useful in generating energy for human use, or it can be exploited to create very dangerous and destructive weapons that use the same energy to create enormous amounts of heat that can burn cities to the ground in an instant and

i h d th li i thi

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Nuclear Weapons

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As of January 2017, approximately 15,000 nuclear weapons are known to exist on Earth. The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), first signed in 1968, recognized five nuclear powers: the United Kingdom, the United States, China, France, and the Soviet Union (today Russia). Four other states are also known to possess nuclear weapons: North Korea, India, Pakistan, and Israel. In 1998, the then-nuclear state of South Africa became the first (and so far only) country to dismantle its stockpile. The former Soviet republics of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine all transferred their own nuclear stockpiles to Russia following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

It is important to note that while a few countries have been confirmed to operate chemical and/or biological weapons programs, no country has openly declared current possession of these types of WMDs without also committing to their destruction. Under the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) of 1972 and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) of 1993, all member nations made the commitment to stop producing biological and chemical weapons and to destroy the ones they already possessed. As of 2017, the BWC has 175 members and the CWC has 192 members.

PAST & CURRENT THREAT FUTURE THREAT

WMDs in the World Today

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Choking agents, also called pulmonary agents, mainly affect the respiratory tract, including the nose, throat, and particularly the lungs. In extreme cases, membranes become swollen, the lungs are filled with liquid, and death results from lack of oxygen. In other words, choking agents “choke” the victims. Examples include chlorine, diphosgene, and chloropicrin.

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Choking agents

Chemical Weapons

In World War I, both the Allied and Central powers used mustard gas to choke and debilitate the enemy, marking the first use of chemical weapons in modern warfare. While their use in warfare since then has been rare, these agents are still produced by many nations. These weapons can take the forms of liquids, vapors, gases, aerosols, or powder. They fit into four main categories:

There are also a few other types of chemical weapons that do not fit into the above categories. Psychotomimetic chemical weapons, which include the popular drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), create conditions that are similar to psychotic disorders. Riot control agents, such as tear gas, are often discussed outside of the context of chemical weapons used in warfare due to their practical uses in quelling violence.

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Still others prefer another term, CBRNE weapon (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and enhanced explosive weapons).This category includes other types of non-nuclear, non-radioactive explosive devices, which to some qualify as weapons of mass destruction. Some U.S. government agencies include certain explosive devices in their definitions of WMDs, including all types of bombs, grenades, mines, and even guns with barrels larger than one-half inch in diameter. In other words, this designation categorizes many conventional armaments that are legal for U.S. citizens to own as WMDs.

 

For a non-state actor, a conventional explosive is the easiest to obtain and use of all weapons. Its components are readily available and it often requires little technical expertise to construct. Bombs and firebombs are cheap and easily constructed and involve low technology, while large, powerful devices can be outfitted with remotely triggered detonators or designed to be activated by light, pressure, or movement. Explosive devices such as these can also be used in conjunction with nuclear, biological, or chemical agents to make them even more destructive, or can be used to disperse these agents more efficiently.

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Explosive Weapons

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Still others prefer another term, CBRNE weapon (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and enhanced explosive weapons).This category includes other types of non-nuclear, non-radioactive explosive devices, which to some qualify as weapons of mass destruction. Some U.S. government agencies include certain explosive devices in their definitions of WMDs, including all types of bombs, grenades, mines, and even guns with barrels larger than one-half inch in diameter. In other words, this designation categorizes many conventional armaments that are legal for U.S. citizens to own as WMDs.

 

The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 proposed this definition of WMD. This law allowed federal courts to impose the death penalty for WMD use. Many of the supporters of this definition contend that many of the most destructive and deadly weapons have been conventional or even homemade weapons, and that this definition addresses that fact.

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Explosive Weapons

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Biological weapons are different from other WMDs such as nuclear and chemical weapons in several ways. Biological agents are not immediately detectable when they are released. The effects of an attack are not detected right away either. People may become exposed to an agent soon after its release, but only feel the results of the exposure after an incubation period. It may not even be known that a biological attack has occurred until an outbreak of disease is seen. The spread of disease can continue after the biological agents are released. If an agent is transmittable, the infected person can travel and spread the agent to others, bringing it far beyond the initial point of attack.

Compared with the expense of nuclear and even chemical weapons, biological weapons are very cheap, easy to create and disperse, and potentially highly deadly, as you can see from their effective use by armies whose technology was very primitive compared to that of today. It is estimated that a single gram of a strong biological agent such as purified botulinum toxin could kill as many as ten million people, making it three million times as potent as the chemical nerve agent Sarin. A missile filled with this agent could affect an area of nearly 1,500 square miles. 

BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS COMPARISON TO WMDS

 

Biological Weapons

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However, the possibility that other states may develop WMDs lingers, even those who have pledged not to do so. In the past, Iraq and Libya have had to be reprimanded for this, and North Korea and Iran may have to be dissuaded in the near future. There also exists the chance that non-state actors such as terrorist groups may obtain them. This has led to the realization that states and citizens cannot rely upon international treaties and agreements to protect from a potential WMD attack.

It is up to national and local governments to step up and protect their people from such attacks. The best guards against domestic terrorism are cooperation between law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and financial institutions and foreign and domestic policies that not only detect terrorist activity but also discourage groups of people from taking that route to meet their goals.

PAST & CURRENT THREAT FUTURE THREAT

WMDs in the World Today

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Nerve agents are the main lethal agents produced for warfare. These agents affect the transmission of nerve impulses in the nervous system. They can take the form of a gas, aerosol, or liquid and enter the body through inhalation or through the skin. When exposed to a high dose of a nerve agent, a victim may suffer convulsions, lose consciousness, and develop muscular paralysis that extends to the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Examples include Tabun, Sarin, Soman, cyclosarin, and VX agent.

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Nerve agents

Chemical Weapons

In World War I, both the Allied and Central powers used mustard gas to choke and debilitate the enemy, marking the first use of chemical weapons in modern warfare. While their use in warfare since then has been rare, these agents are still produced by many nations. These weapons can take the forms of liquids, vapors, gases, aerosols, or powder. They fit into four main categories:

There are also a few other types of chemical weapons that do not fit into the above categories. Psychotomimetic chemical weapons, which include the popular drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), create conditions that are similar to psychotic disorders. Riot control agents, such as tear gas, are often discussed outside of the context of chemical weapons used in warfare due to their practical uses in quelling violence.

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With some weapons that meet the CBRN, CBRNE, and CBRN/E definitions of WMDs describing weapons that do not even cause mass destruction, it might make sense to classify weapons as WMDs on the basis of the amount of destruction they are capable of causing. Others feel that lumping all weapons in this category together would create an inconsistency, as it would often conflict with the international definition of WMD (which categorizes these weapons by the materials used to create them). The definition of the term is only one of many challenges that will be faced as the world moves forward in the destruction and abolition of these weapons.

Conclusion

KEY TERMS

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WMDs in the World Today Continued...

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Blood agents, also called cyanogenic agents, are inhaled by the victim, and then distributed through the body through the bloodstream, thus inhibiting the body’s ability to transfer and use oxygen and ultimately causing suffocation. Examples include hydrogen cyanide, cyanogen chloride, and arsine.

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Blood agents

Chemical Weapons

In World War I, both the Allied and Central powers used mustard gas to choke and debilitate the enemy, marking the first use of chemical weapons in modern warfare. While their use in warfare since then has been rare, these agents are still produced by many nations. These weapons can take the forms of liquids, vapors, gases, aerosols, or powder. They fit into four main categories:

There are also a few other types of chemical weapons that do not fit into the above categories. Psychotomimetic chemical weapons, which include the popular drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), create conditions that are similar to psychotic disorders. Riot control agents, such as tear gas, are often discussed outside of the context of chemical weapons used in warfare due to their practical uses in quelling violence.

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Still others prefer another term, CBRNE weapon (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and enhanced explosive weapons).This category includes other types of non-nuclear, non-radioactive explosive devices, which to some qualify as weapons of mass destruction. Some U.S. government agencies include certain explosive devices in their definitions of WMDs, including all types of bombs, grenades, mines, and even guns with barrels larger than one-half inch in diameter. In other words, this designation categorizes many conventional armaments that are legal for U.S. citizens to own as WMDs.

 

Several terrorists have been federally prosecuted under this law. Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, the perpetrators of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, used a rental truck packed with explosives made from ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertilizer, and high-grade explosives stolen from a quarry. Zacarias Moussaoui was a co-conspirator in the 9/11 attacks, which used hijacked airplanes to destroy the World Trade Center and damage the Pentagon. Richard Reid, who unsuccessfully attempted to bomb an airplane in flight, built a “shoe bomb” using plastic explosives stored in the shoes he was wearing. All of these individuals committed crimes using explosive or projectile devices that did not fit the traditional descriptions of WMDs but nonetheless caused or had the potential to cause mass destruction.

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