Defence Against Weapons Of Mass Destruction Terrorism

Examines the class of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) for terrorist use. The authors have found that their (terrorist) effects range from serious nuisance value up to catastrophic destruction of a large urban area.

There is a wide spectrum of potential threats to the U.S. homeland that do not involve overt attacks by states using long-range missiles or conventional military forces. Such threats include covert attacks by state actors, state use of proxies, independent terrorist and extremist attacks by foreign groups or individuals, and independent terrorist and extremist attacks by residents of the United States. These threats are currently limited in scope and frequency, but are emerging as potentially significant issues for future U.S. security. In this comprehensive work, Cordesman argues that new threats require new thinking, and offers a range of recommendations, from expanding the understanding of what constitutes a threat and bolstering Homeland defense measures, to bettering resource allocation and improving intelligence gathering and analysis. No pattern of actual attacks on U.S. territory has yet emerged that provides a clear basis for predicting how serious any given form of attack might be in the future, what means of attack might be used, or how lethal new forms of attack might be. As a result, there is a major ongoing debate over the seriousness of the threat and how the U.S. government should react. This work is an invaluable contribution to that debate.

Nuclear, biological and chemical weapons are designed to cause destruction on a vastly greater scale than any conventional weapons, with the potential to kill thousands in a single attack and with effects that may persist in the environment and in our bodies indefinitely. This report by the independent Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, chaired by Dr Hans Blix, sets out 60 recommendations on how the world community, national governments and civil society should address this global challenge under the following headings: preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons; preventing nuclear terrorism; reducing the threat and numbers of existing nuclear weapons; moving from regulating nuclear weapons to outlawing them; biological and toxin weapons; chemical weapons; weapons of mass destruction (WMD) delivery means, missile defences and weapons in space; export controls, international assistance and non-governmental actors; compliance, verification, enforcement and the role of the United Nations.

“The greatest danger of another catastrophic attack in the United States will materialize if the world's most dangerous terrorists acquire the world's most dangerous weapons.” —The 9/11 Commission Report The bipartisan Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism was established by the U.S. Congress to build on the work of the 9/11 Commission by assessing our nation's progress in preventing weapons of mass destruction proliferation and terrorism, and providing a roadmap to greater security with concrete recommendations for improvement. The Commission has interviewed over 200 experts inside and outside of government. They have met with counterterrorism and intelligence officials here at home and abroad who are working to stop proliferation and terrorism The Commission's report examines the government's current policies and programs, identifies gaps in our government's prevention strategy and recommends ways to close them. The threat of terrorist attacks in the United States and elsewhere is still very real. The world remians at risk There is more that can and must be done. Our security depends on it.

This book contains articles arising from the presentations by eleven experts from fivecountries, delivered at the NATO Centre of Excellence Defence against Terrorism COEDATadvanced training course ATC entitled Enhancing Cooperation in Defence againstTerrorism, held in Astana, Kazakhstan, in September 2010. The aim of this ATC was to stimulate discussionand facilitate interoperability between these five countries and NATO in the fight against terrorism.pIOS Press is an international science, technical and medical publisher of high-quality books for academics, scientists, and professionals in all fields. pSome of the

One Of The Debated Aspects Of The Study Of Terrorism Over Last Few Years Has Been The Likelihood Of Using Weapons Of Mass Destruction (Wmd) By Terrorists. A Rash Of Terrorist Spectaculars, Pushing As Never Before The Possibility Of Wmd Use By Non-State Actors Into The Spotlight, Has Brought The Immediacy Of The Question Home. Aum Shinrikyo'S Sarin Gas Attack On The Tokyo Subway In March 1995 Represented The First Large-Scale Use Of Mass-Casualty Weapons By A Non-State Actor For The Express Purpose Of Causing Large Numbers Of Deaths And Injuries. These Attacks Make The Question Of Potential Use Of Wmd By Terrorists An Important And Timely One, Especially When Considered In The Light Of The Explosion In Information Technology Availability And Growing Concerns Over Proliferation And Material Control Issues. The Level Of Physical Destruction, Injury And Loss Of Life From These Weapons Is So Great That The Potential For Acquisition And Use By Terrorists Warrants Serious Consideration.(Published In Collaboration With Usi, New Delhi)

There is a widely held belief in the imminent probability of nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons of mass destruction being used by terrorists against civilian targets. This edited volume critically assesses the suggestion that one safeguard against this possibility would be to strengthen existing international prohibitions against state- level acquisition of such weapons. A glimpse of the possible potential of terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction has been seen through the actions of the Tokyo Aum group, and through the use of chlorine by insurgents in Iraq. However, the extent of the real threat posed is as yet unclear, and safeguarding against it in developing countries will not be easy. This book assembles specialists in each category of WMD in order to examine the potential of expanding the three ‘classical’ arms control treaties in order to combat the threat posed by smaller terrorist groups, and draws conclusions as to the strengths and weaknesses of this suggestion.