Jump to content

WMD definition


Walsingham

Recommended Posts

Mustard gas was certainly found. Mustard gas is a WMD prohibited under the chemical weapons convention.

 

 

 

Gah, I looked it up and its correct. A WMD used to be something with the capacity to kill 10,000+ people in one go(a nuke) and now they're applying it to mean any unconventional weapon. A box of rat poison is passable as a WMD nowadays.

Kaft, I think the more refined definition is something which has a pronounced capability to kill thusands of civilians, but not organised prepared military. This means gasses and bugs.

"It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"."

             -Elwood Blues

 

tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gasses and bugs can be used effectively against the military, though; and obviously, no one would ever claim that a nuclear weapon would not constitute a WMD - yet nukes are built not just to level enemy cities but also to level enemy military installations, bases, and production facilities.

 

I think the popular definition is that WMDs consist of any weapon system designed to effect indiscriminate destruction on a massive scale. The term indiscriminate is key, because without it many military weapons could be classified as WMDs - ie artillery shelling and aerial bombing, both of which the US, at least, argues are discriminating because they can be used surgically. Compare that to a biological agent, which, even if you target the military, could easily be transmitted to civilians and thereby cause suffering en masse. It's not so much that the weapon only targets civilians, but that it is indiscriminate when used and massive in scale. Therefore, while a box of rat poison is relatively indiscriminate, I wouldn't say that it's a WMD because it's probably not massive.

There are doors

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They found a few duds on a site that had already been visited by the inspectors. If you want to elevate that to a find of WMD you are really pushing the boundaries of interpretation.

 

I don't think most people's ideas of gas grenades are that they are weapons of mass destruction, they are area denial weapons, albeit prohibited by international treaties.

Edited by Gorgon

Na na  na na  na na  ...

greg358 from Darksouls 3 PVP is a CHEATER.

That is all.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The indiscriminate and massive elements of the description are important. However, I always felt it was the threat to civilians that was the real issue. Post ww2 strategic targetting of civilians has been seen as taboo.

 

Gas and bugs can harm troops who are unready, but if you VX'ed the US/UK army on alert, they'd be absolutely fine, while eveyone near them not lucky enough to have a suit or sealed vehicle would croak. Ditto for most common bugs, since the Army get inoculations, and have stocks of medicines. Civilians are going to get hurt far worse.

"It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"."

             -Elwood Blues

 

tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...