WMDs... OMG!!!

Greetings fellow world rulers!!!

In case you haven't noticed, we are bombarding the blog with updates on the topic and the conference! Keep reading! (though if you aren't reading the blog then it is unlikely that you will get this...)

Like the title suggests, we are talking about WMDs (weapons of mass destruction). When WMDs and terrorism mix, life becomes uncomfortable for everyone. The problem is that terrorists have access to the materials needed to produce such weapons and deploy them against anyone! When debating in committee, be sure to think about (maybe even address) access to these weapons:

Nuclear: We all have heard of nuclear weapons. If not, then high school social studies has taken a nose dive since my day. I won't go into the specifics of how they work (partially because CSIS and the CIA may come knocking on my door). However, because of the fall of the Soviet Union and the economic problems Russia faced, they have been unable to maintain their nuclear facilities. Given this and multiple aggressor states equipped with nuclear capabilities, terrorists have the ability to purchase and/or manufacture a dirty bomb (nuclear warhead designed to maximize radioactive debris).

Chemical: Yes, WMD does not only include nuclear weapons. Chemical weapons use chemicals (wow, not at all obvious) to kill or incapacitate either a large group in a target area or an individual (context of a political assassination). Why are they scary? Because any impoverished group or society with even a rudimentary manufacturing sector can produce devastating chemical weapons. Heck, someone with a garage and some welding skills can produce them. Plus, they're cheap and can be made from everyday materials. Therefore, they are very practical for use by terrorists.

Biological: Watch out for the guy with the runny nose! Groups with access to medical labs or groups that are friendly to scientifically developed aggressor states have access to modified everyday bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Biological weapons are very effective as they not only kill or harm large groups of people, but they are very difficult to control after they are deployed, spreading both disease and fear (terrorists like spreading fear like I enjoy spreading peanut butter on my toast... a lot!). South Africa and the UK (wow, both on the Security Council) recently had a bit of a scare with the threat of biological terrorism.

Be sure to think about WMDs in discussing preventative measures and threats issued by terrorism. We look forward to seeing you all at the conference! Keep posted to the blogs for more updates!

"Fighting terrorism is like being a goalkeeper. You can make a hundred brilliant saves but the only shot that people remember is the one that gets past you." -Paul Wilkinson

Sincerely,
Your SC DIAS staff