Weapons of Mass Destruction

Abstract

Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is a term commonly used to refer to nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons (BW), as the term was used in the report prepared by the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (2006), but the precise meaning of the term is unclear. There is no treaty or customary international law that contains an authoritative definition. Instead, international law has generally been applied to specific categories of weapons and not to WMD as a whole. Many analysts believe the term is too broad while others see it as too narrow. Too broad, because the inclusion of chemical and biological weapons within the term has been used by the United States and other nuclear-weapons states, some experts believe, to draw attention away from the especially devastating effects of nuclear weapons and to justify use of nuclear weapons against nation-states if they were to use chemical or biological weapons. Too narrow, because other weapons – radiologic weapons, antipersonnel land mines, and explosives or incendiaries used for ‘carpet bombing’ – should, other experts argue, be included among WMD.

Keywords: Biological weapons - Chemical weapons - Explosives - Land mines - Nuclear weapons - Radiologic weapons - War - Weapons