A weapon of mass destruction is a nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, or other device that is intended to harm a large number of people. Weapons of mass destruction is a term that generally encompasses nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, with radiological weapons occasionally included. The department of homeland security works every day to prevent terrorists and other threat actors from using these weapons to harm americans. The united states faces a rising danger from terrorists and rogue states seeking to use weapons of mass destruction. The scope and usage of the term has evolved and been disputed, often signifying more politically than technically. Chemical weapons were used extensively, with more than 100,000 iranian soldiers as victims of saddam husseins chemical weapons during the eightyear war with iraq, 40 iran today is the worlds secondmost afflicted country by weapons of mass destruction, only after japan. The international security program and the project on nuclear issues conduct timely research and analysis on countering the spread of weapons of mass destruction from the continued use of chemical weapons in syria to the threat posed by nonstate actors to the effort to prevent further nuclear proliferation. Weapons of mass destruction proliferation center for. Weapons of mass destruction financial definition of weapons.
Cswmd occasional paper 8 radiological, and nuclear weapons capable of a high order of. Weapons of mass destruction article about weapons of. Weapons of mass destruction definition and meaning. The most widely used definition of weapons of mass destruction is that of nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons nbc. The department of homeland security works every day to prevent terrorists and other threat actors from using these weapons to harm. Weapon of mass destruction wmd chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons that cause damage, destroy, or contaminate an extraordinarily wide area or inflict widescale sickness, death, or injury. Meaning of weapons of massdestruction as a finance term. Mar 05, 2020 weapon of mass destruction plural weapons of mass destruction symbols for radiological, biological and chemical, respectively any humanmade weapon causing indiscriminate largescale death or destruction, especially a biological weapon, chemical weapon, nuclear weapon or radiological weapon. Defining weapons of mass destruction revised center. The bureau investigates and collects intelligence on wmdrelated threats and incidents to prevent attacks and respond to them when they occur. Weapons of mass destruction law and legal definition. Weapon of mass destruction meaning of weapon of mass. Weapons of mass destruction meaning in the cambridge.
The dhs countering weapons of mass destruction office cwmd works to prevent attacks against the united states using a weapon of mass destruction wmd through timely, responsive support to operational partners. Any national of the united states who, without lawful authority, uses, or threatens, attempts, or conspires to use, a weapon of mass destruction outside of the united states shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, and if death results, shall be punished by death, or by imprisonment for any term of years or for life. Definition of weapon of mass destruction schneier on. There is a great deal of debate on the proper legal, military, and diplomatic definition. The fbi is the lead federal agency for responding to threats from weapons of mass destruction wmd. The official estimate does not include the civilian population. Weapons of massdestruction definition of weapons of. They include nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Weapons of mass destruction can be high explosives or nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons, but exclude the means of transporting or propelling the weapon where such means is a separable and divisible part of the weapon.
Weapons of mass destruction definition militarydictionary. Weapons of mass destruction weapons of mass destruction wmd have three major types. Aug 14, 2018 the united states faces a rising danger from terrorists and rogue states seeking to use weapons of mass destruction. The statutory definition of weapon of mass destruction refers to any destructive device as defined in section 921 of this title, which in turn includes. Counterproliferation is the ability to combat weapons of mass destruction use through kinetic and sustained operations to decisively defeat weapons of mass destruction armed adversaries. 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. Jul 29, 2019 seth carus, defining weapons of mass destruction one of the great challenges of our wmd policy is the failure to adequately define exactly what weapons of mass destruction are. If we accept this line of reasoning as valid and i am underqualified to weigh the legal argument, doesnt a widening of the definition of weapon of mass destruction cut both ways. Seth carus, defining weapons of mass destruction one of the great challenges of our wmd policy is the failure to adequately define exactly what weapons of mass destruction are. The fear of these weapons is so profound that, on the one hand, it spawned an entirely new concept of conflict and conflict management in the form of deterrence.
Definition of weapons of mass destruction in the definitions. 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. He still maintained that with every fiber of instinct and conviction iraq did have weapons of mass destruction. Weapons of mass destruction definition of weapons of mass. Weapons of massdestruction definition of weapons of mass. Weapons of mass destruction article about weapons of mass. Weapons of mass destruction refers to any weapon that is designed or intended to cause death or serious physical harm through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals, or their precursors,a weapon involving a disease organism or biological agent,or a weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at.
Weapons of mass destruction definition at, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. 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. Weapons of mass destruction definition is weapons that can destroy entire cities, regions, etc. Countering weapons of mass destruction office homeland. Chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons capable of a high order of destruction or causing mass casualties, and excluding the means of transporting or propelling the weapon where such means is a separable and divisible part from the weapon. 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. A destructive device, such as an explosive or incendiary bomb, rocket, or grenade. 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. Definition of weapons of massdestruction in the medical dictionary by the free dictionary. Lets all stop saying weapons of mass destruction forever. While there is only one recorded wmd attack by the taliban, there is a long history of such. Find descriptive alternatives for weapons of mass destruction. Destruction definition and meaning collins english. Weapons of mass destruction synonyms, weapons of mass.
Defining weapons of mass destruction this paper rejects such arguments. Although chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological weapons often serve as examples of wmd, many things can be used as a wmd. A weapon of mass destruction wmd is something capable of inflicting mass casualties andor destroying or rendering highvalue assets as useless. Jan 01, 2012 this revised occasional paper explores the issue of defining weapons of mass destruction with a focus on summarizing how the term has been used in disarmament negotiations, u. Synonyms for weapons of mass destruction at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Weapons of mass destruction are a bitter punchline, thanks to the war that. The conception of weapons of mass destruction wmds appeared during war world ii after the use of atomic bombs. The missiles launched from these ships constituted weapons of mass destruction. The continued search in 2003 for weapons of mass destruction wmd in iraq heightened curiosity concerning the definition of wmd. The term is integral to the international communitys longstanding disarmament dialogue. Contrary to the views of many pundits, there is an authoritative definition for wmd. 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. Weapons of massdestruction financial definition of weapons. In the mass consciousness, weapons of mass destruction are usually associated first with atomic weapons, although the concept includes certain chemical and biological weapons.
Information and translations of weapons of mass destruction in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Therefore, the government was building these ships illegally. Definition of weapons of mass destruction in the financial dictionary by free online english dictionary and encyclopedia. Weapons of mass destruction are biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons. Destruction definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Weapon of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect. This revised occasional paper explores the issue of defining weapons of mass destruction with a focus on summarizing how the term has been used in disarmament negotiations, u. But to be fair to the lawyers, the problem resides within the term itself. Weapon of mass destruction definition is a weapon that can destroy entire buildings, cities, etc. Weapons of mass destruction financial definition of. Weapons of mass destruction refers to any weapon that is designed or intended to cause death or serious physical harm through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals, or their precursors,a weapon involving a disease organism or biological agent,or a weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life. Post the definition of weapons of mass destruction to facebook share the definition of weapons of mass destruction on twitter.
History and types of weapons of mass destruction online degree. Congress, that history would forgive the united states and united kingdom, even if they were wrong about weapons of mass destruction. Definition of weapons of massdestruction in the financial dictionary by free online english dictionary and encyclopedia. Blix now chairs the weapons of mass destruction commission for elimination of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and was visiting japan to present the independent organizations report on 60 recommendations to reduce weapons of mass destruction from the world. Contemporary international legal analysis generally follows this conventional definition of wmd, even though neither treaty law nor customary international law contains an authoritative definition. Weapons of mass destruction definition and meaning collins. Weapons of mass destruction definition is weapons that can destroy entire cities, regions, etc weapons that can destroy entire cities, regions, etc. What does weapons of mass destruction mean in finance. Weapon of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect topics. Weapons of mass destruction international relations.
Destruction is the act of destroying something, or the state of being destroyed. This new definition limited wmd to chemical, biological. What does weapons of massdestruction mean in finance. 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. The department of homeland security works every day to prevent terrorists and other threat actors. Defining weapons of mass destruction revised center for. The fifth president of iraq, saddam hussein, was internationally condemned for his use of chemical weapons during the. Similiar to the unicorn, tooth fairy, loch ness monster or contents of al capones vault. Weapon of mass destruction definition of weapon of mass. Weapons of mass destruction unrcpd united nations regional. English dictionary definition of weapon of mass destruction.
Weapons of mass destruction proliferation countering the proliferation and use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons. Weapons of massdestruction financial definition of. A weapon of mass destruction wmd is something capable of inflicting mass. Weapons of mass destruction definition of weapons of. The fbis weapons of mass destruction wmd directorate uses a cohesive and coordinated approach to incidents involving nuclear, radiological, biological, or. Department of defense strategy for countering weapons of mass destruction introduction actors of concern pose a threat of developing, acquiring, proliferating, or employing weapons of mass destruction wmd and related capabilitiesexpertise, materials, technologies, and means of. Weapons of mass destruction program law and legal definition. Modern weapons of mass destruction are either nuclear, biological. A manmade or modified artifice designed to kill or maim large numbers of humans andor cause major damage to manmade or natural structures, or to the planet itself. On july 17, 2003, the british prime minister tony blair said in an address to the u. The weapons of mass destruction wmd program is a u. The term has been in use since at least 1937, when newspapers described german bomber aircraft as weapons of mass destruction because they were being used to raze. 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.
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