Weapons of Mass Destruction Paper Example

1. Using two references and in your words, defines Weapons of Mass Destruction?

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) are defined as weapons with the potential to cause serious bodily harm and loss of life. Their design is in a way that if they do not cause death, they will injure a large number of people. The WMD may be nuclear, biological or chemical and when dispersed they leave an effect on human life since they contain lethal or noxious chemicals (Seth, 2012). Also according to 18 U.S. Code 2332a (1994) WMD is any destructive devices containing radioactive materials or atomic explosives. The section further defines WMD to be any poison gas or a weapon comprising a spread of disease organism aimed at harming the human life. The biological, nuclear and radiological weapons with the potential to result in high fatalities and mass extinction are all categorized as WMD.

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2. Explain Sanctions against Foreign Persons as presented in Executive Order EO 12938?

The Executive Order EO 12938 section 4 expounds on the sanction against foreign persons in line with Weapons of Mass Destruction. The EO 12938 of November 1994 was used to declare a national emergency with regards to the proliferation of WMD and the acquisition of them by prohibiting the importation of goods, technology or services produced or presented by foreign persons through imposing of an import ban on them (U.S. Department of State, 2018). The EO 12938 states that the United States shall impose sanctions on a foreign person with reference to WMD proliferation should the Secretary of State establish that the alien individual in questions materially and knowingly aided any external project, country, or individual to develop, produce, acquire, use, or stockpile biological or chemical weapons (The White House Office of the Press Secretary, 1994). The EO 12938 also prohibits any agency or department of the U.S government from getting into a contract with a foreign individual on whom there is a sanction imposed on, both directly and indirectly. Through abandonment of all activities concerning the proliferation of biological or chemical weapons, the lead to the lifting of the ban.

3. In your own words, compare and contrast counter-proliferation and Combating WMD (CWMD)?

Counterproliferation is the act of using the military, intelligence departments, and subtle bodies to help halt the proliferation of the Weapons of Mass Destruction. The counterproliferation methods are set up in such a way that they criticize WMD or the materials used in the manufacturing of the WMD. These weapons use by the military are condemned, and any attempts to use are effectively countered by shooting them down. The counterproliferation does not just prevent the use of WMD but also the manufacture and delivery of such weapons. The counterproliferation also ensures that laws to aid the struggle are set up and enforced and improved surveillance kept in place. Combating WMD, on the other hand, is the act of reduction of use of WMD through the use of threats and response to WMD caused crises. Counterproliferation is a way of combating WMD because combating WMD involves three pillars which are counter-proliferation, non-proliferation, and WMD consequence management. Both counter-proliferation and tackling WMD aim at one goal which is the elimination of WMD.

4. Identify three resources the U.S. Government is using towards Weapons of Mass Destruction Counter Proliferation efforts?

The U.S. government has dramatically put efforts in prevention of WMD by the employment of several resources in the counterproliferation struggle. The first resource is the application of new technologies in attempts to be up to date thus effectively countering any new WMD that may arise (WMDC, 2006). The U.S. has also increased the emphasis on the intelligence collection and analysis, leaving no continent out in the investigations since any country may be assumed only to get involved in WMD. The other mechanism is the strengthening of the alliance to aid the counterproliferation efforts through unity; the enhancement may include the establishment of new partnerships. Apart from the non-proliferation efforts strengthening which uses diplomacy and imposition of controls, there is the use of counter-proliferation which uses passive and active defenses to prevent and mitigate WMD crisis. The other resource is responding to the impacts of WMD in the states or other parts of the universe.

5. Do Weapons of Mass Destruction pose a threat to the United States? If so, where does the greatest threat stem from?

Weapons of Mass Destruction have of late posed threats to the United States in a significant way. The chemical, biological, or nuclear forms of WMD have threats to human life and thus threat to the United States. It has been difficult to regulate the manufacturing of the WMD since many countries have already got into the activity (WMDC, 2006). The Biological Weapons Convention was meant to control biological weapons development, but the signatories are less compared to the nations that are not signatories thus aiding the manufacturing or the WMD secretly. The production of nuclear bombs has been a significant threat to the United States as well. The states are on the urge of improving their arsenals and acquisitions of atomic power to enable them to show their superiority (CPWMDPT, 2008); many countries have decided to set up facilities to develop WMD mostly the nuclear weapons. The increased possession of nuclear material able to be formed into nuclear weapons will never cease to be a threat to the United States not until it is effectively and efficiently curbed.

References

Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism. (2008). Proliferation of The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism.New York: Vantage Books.

Seth, C. (2012). Weapons of Mass Destruction

The Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (WMDC).(2006). Weapons of Terror: Freeing the World of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Arms.

The White House Office of the Press Secretary. (November 14, 1994). "EXECUTIVE ORDER 12938,"

U.S. Department of State Website.(2018). Diplomacy in Action- Executive Order 12938, as amended.

18 U.S. Code 2332a. Use of weapons of mass destruction.