Concern In The Development Of New Weapons Of Mass Destruction

According to the book called Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, terrorists are determined to obtain and use nuclear, radiological, chemical, and biological weapons of mass destruction (WMD). In particular, there are trends in seven areas of concern that upon converging may elevate the threat of a WMD terrorist attack. These areas are the following 1) the proliferation of CBRN weapons, materials and knowledge; 2) terrorist ideologies, strategies and organizational structure; 3) organized crime; 4) cybersecurity; 5) rogue and irresponsible states; 6) weak and failed states; and lastly 7) the exploitation of democratic processes. However according to a congressional mandated Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, "a potential WMD incident would likely involve a biological rather than a nuclear weapon". This will be true if the United States and the international community do not work together in security regulations of the private and public sector when it comes to research and development of the materials needed to construct a CBRN weapon.

First of all, while a computer network attack has the potential to undermine social stability, the public's sense of security, national prosperity, and confidence in government; they suggest that one form of information technology-artificial intelligence-could become the basis for a new kind of weapon of mass destruction if integrated with other weapon technologies to replace human decision-making. Specifically, a distributed "swarming" attack using robotic weapons with enough intelligence to distinguish between friend and foe, or to navigate precisely with external help, could become a basis for new kinds of WMD.

Second, as described in greater detail earlier in this volume, developments in biotechnology have serious implications for new kinds of WMD. Third, nanotechnology also might produce discrete new kinds of weapons of mass destruction. Ongoing research in nanotechnology weaponry includes ultra-high explosive/ultra-incendiary devices, while others have demonstrated that nano-sized carbon particles can introduce respiratory distress and death, depending on the concentration of particles in the atmosphere and the duration of exposure.

And fourth, research on new energy sources, driven by the desire to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, could lead to new forms of energy-related WMD. A big concern is "loose nukes" there is still a lack of security procedures and protocols in many states, "the dearth of legal controls, the lack of rigor in their enforcement, and the growth in the private sector in duel use activities has sobering implications for global security".