Chemical and Biological
Weapons Myths and Facts
Source: Jane's US Chemical-Biological Defense Guidebook
WASHINGTON (PRNewswire) -- As nations such as Iraq,
Iran, Libya and North Korea allegedly stockpile chemical and
biological weapons, the threat of the use of such weapons against the
United States is becoming more of a real possibility. The "facts"
about chemical and biological weapons, however, are often misleading;
for example, while many fear missiles fitted with deadly chemical or
biological warheads will be launched against the US, the fact is it is
technically very difficult for threat nations to manufacture and
accurately deliver such weapons.
Here are some other notable myths -- and facts -- about
chemical and biological warfare detailed in the recently released
Jane's US Chemical- Biological Defense Guidebook:
Myth: The use of chemical-biological weapons is a recent
phenomenon.
Fact: Toxic fumes were used in India as far back as 2000
BC, and in 400 BC the Spartans reportedly used wood saturated with
pitch and sulfur during sieges to choke city defenders. In 1346 at
Kaffa (now Fedossia, Ukraine), bodies of Tartar soldiers who succumbed
to plague were catapulted over the walls and into the besieged city.
Myth: Ballistic missiles are the ideal vehicle for
delivering chemical- biological agents.
Fact: The use of ballistic missiles as a delivery system
for chemical- biological agents poses distinct disadvantages. In older
systems deployed in many less technically advanced threat countries,
it is estimated the munitions will probably destroy 99 percent of an
agent payload due to the pressure needed to break open the casings of
these munitions at the point of detonation. Also, a missile warhead's
munition chamber must detonate at a precise point -- 50 feet in
altitude -- to sufficiently spread an agent's particles. Most threat
countries do not possess weapons capable of such precision.
Myth: "Nerve gases" can be detected by sight.
Fact: Nerve agents are clear liquids, not "nerve gases."
Most have no color. All nerve agents will penetrate clothing and skin.
Myth: Threat nations are more likely to use nuclear, not
chemical- biological, weapons.
Fact: Large-scale production of biological agents can be
accomplished through fermentation in a relatively short period of
time. Only small amounts of biological agent seed stocks -- as little
as 2 ml -- are needed to produce weapons-grade biological weapons
material. Fermentation also represents the easiest and the most
cost-effective method for producing biological weapons, since
fermentation technology is readily available on the global market.
This process is quick when compared to the time needed to reprocess
uranium into
weapons-grade fissile material.
Other facts found in Jane's US Chemical-Biological
Defense Guidebook:
* Effective chemical agent decontamination must be
completed within the first 1-2 minutes of initial exposure. Rapid
action, either by the affected individual or by emergency response
personnel, often means the difference between survival and death.
* The Korean People's Army (KPA) of North Korea
conducted some 630 chemical weapons training exercises using live
chemical agents between 1980 and 1991. Estimates of KPA chemical agent
stockpiles are in the range from 1,000 to 5,000 tons.
* Concern about a possible chemical-biological attack at
the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games ran high. An estimated 3,000 US Army
personnel, 6,300 National Guardsmen and at least 10,000 other law
enforcement officials were on hand in Atlanta during the event, nearly
doubling the 12,000 person security contingent at the 1984 Los Angeles
Olympic Games.
Jane's US Chemical-Biological Defense Guidebook is a
comprehensive resource for everything from chemical and biological
agent weaponization to emergency response. It is an ideal tool for
federal, state and local emergency management officials, "first
responders" such as police, fire and emergency medical personnel, the
military, and all others with a stake in being well-prepared for a
potential chemical or biological weapons attack.
The 470-page guidebook, also available on CD-ROM,
provides a listing of all major chemical and biological agents,
complete with each agent's composition, intended effects, symptoms and
antidotes. The reference also explains defensive measures, medical
responses, training procedures, detection and protection equipment,
and contains a complete list of US federal, state and local
chemical-biological defense agencies.
Jane's US Chemical-Biological Defense Guidebook also
includes threat assessments of nations and terrorist groups with
access to chemical and biological weapons, an extensive survey of US
civilian and military agency responsibilities in a chemical or
biological contingency, federal training programs, and the legal,
policy and operational frameworks activated in a chemical-biological
crisis. The title includes 56 photographs and 116 charts and tables.
For more information or to order Jane's US
Chemical-Biological Defense Guidebook ($895 hardcopy, $1075 CD-ROM),
call 800-824-0768, or visit Jane's on the Internet at www.janes.com.
Jane's US Chemical-Biological Defense Guidebook is
published by Jane's Information Group, described by the CBS program
Sixty Minutes as "the closest thing there is to a commercial
intelligence agency." Jane's is the leading provider of defense,
aerospace, aviation, transportation, geopolitical, and police and
security information to the world's militaries, governments,
universities and businesses.