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. Modern weapons of mass destruction are either nuclear, biological. 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. 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. Meaning of weapons of massdestruction as a finance term. Weapons of mass destruction article about weapons of mass. 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.
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. Weapon of mass destruction definition of weapon of mass. The weapons of mass destruction wmd program is a u. 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. 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. 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. English dictionary definition of weapon of mass destruction. The department of homeland security works every day to prevent terrorists and other threat actors from using these weapons to harm americans.
Weapon of mass destruction meaning of weapon of mass. 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. 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. There is a great deal of debate on the proper legal, military, and diplomatic definition. 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. Weapons of mass destruction is a term that generally encompasses nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, with radiological weapons occasionally included. 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. Weapons of mass destruction article about weapons of. 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. What does weapons of mass destruction mean in finance. Some people think that this range should be expanded to include electromagnetic pulse weapons emp, radioactive dirty bombs or recent developments like cyberwarfare, or sophisticated information operations. Weapon of mass destruction definition is a weapon that can destroy entire buildings, cities, etc. 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. Weapons of mass destruction international relations.
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 an overview sciencedirect topics. A weapon of mass destruction wmd is something capable of inflicting mass. Weapons of mass destruction definition of weapons of mass. In the mass consciousness, weapons of mass destruction are usually associated first with atomic weapons, although the concept includes certain chemical and biological weapons. The official estimate does not include the civilian population. Weapons of mass destruction definition is weapons that can destroy entire cities, regions, etc weapons that can destroy entire cities, regions, etc. 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. Weapons of mass destruction are biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons. But to be fair to the lawyers, the problem resides within the term itself. Weapons of massdestruction financial definition of. The continued search in 2003 for weapons of mass destruction wmd in iraq heightened curiosity concerning the definition of wmd. 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.
Cswmd occasional paper 8 radiological, and nuclear weapons capable of a high order of. Weapons of massdestruction financial definition of weapons. What does weapons of massdestruction mean in finance. The united states faces a rising danger from terrorists and rogue states seeking to use weapons of mass destruction. Weapons of mass destruction program law and legal definition. Destruction is the act of destroying something, or the state of being destroyed. Weapons of mass destruction synonyms, weapons of mass.
Weapons of mass destruction definition militarydictionary. Definition of weapons of massdestruction in the medical dictionary by the free dictionary. Definition of weapons of massdestruction in the financial dictionary by free online english dictionary and encyclopedia. The most widely used definition of weapons of mass destruction is that of nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons nbc. Meaning of weapons of mass destruction as a finance term. History and types of weapons of mass destruction online degree. The fifth president of iraq, saddam hussein, was internationally condemned for his use of chemical weapons during the. Weapons of mass destruction definition and meaning.
A weapon of mass destruction is a nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, or other device that is intended to harm a large number of people. 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. Congress, that history would forgive the united states and united kingdom, even if they were wrong about weapons of mass destruction. Countering weapons of mass destruction office homeland. 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. Post the definition of weapons of mass destruction to facebook share the definition of weapons of mass destruction on twitter. 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. 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. Contrary to the views of many pundits, there is an authoritative definition for wmd. 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 for.
The scope and usage of the term has evolved and been disputed, often signifying more politically than technically. Destruction definition and meaning collins english. Definition of weapons of mass destruction in the financial dictionary by free online english dictionary and encyclopedia. Weapons of mass destruction definition of weapons of. This new definition limited wmd to chemical, biological. Destruction definition and meaning collins english dictionary. A destructive device, such as an explosive or incendiary bomb, rocket, or grenade. Weapons of mass destruction proliferation countering the proliferation and use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons. Weapons of mass destruction law and legal definition. Weapons of mass destruction proliferation center for.
Definition of weapons of mass destruction in the definitions. Defining weapons of mass destruction revised center. A weapon of mass destruction wmd is something capable of inflicting mass casualties andor destroying or rendering highvalue assets as useless. While there is only one recorded wmd attack by the taliban, there is a long history of such. Weapons of mass destruction definition and meaning collins. 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. The conception of weapons of mass destruction wmds appeared during war world ii after the use of atomic bombs. The department of homeland security works every day to prevent terrorists and other threat actors. On july 17, 2003, the british prime minister tony blair said in an address to the u. 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. Although chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological weapons often serve as examples of wmd, many things can be used as a wmd.
The fbi is the lead federal agency for responding to threats from weapons of mass destruction wmd. Weapons of mass destruction financial definition of weapons. Weapons of mass destruction definition is weapons that can destroy entire cities, regions, etc. Weapons of mass destruction unrcpd united nations regional. 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. Find descriptive alternatives for weapons of mass destruction. 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. Definition of weapon of mass destruction schneier on. Similiar to the unicorn, tooth fairy, loch ness monster or contents of al capones vault. Weapons of mass destruction financial definition of. 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 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. Defining weapons of mass destruction this paper rejects such arguments.
Synonyms for weapons of mass destruction at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Weapons of mass destruction meaning in the cambridge. He still maintained that with every fiber of instinct and conviction iraq did have weapons of mass destruction. The missiles launched from these ships constituted weapons of mass destruction. Weapon of mass destruction an overview sciencedirect. 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 massdestruction definition of weapons of. Information and translations of weapons of mass destruction in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. They include nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. The term is integral to the international communitys longstanding disarmament dialogue. 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. Lets all stop saying weapons of mass destruction forever. Weapons of mass destruction definition at, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. 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.
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