Preventing Nuclear Terrorism

Introduction

Though war has been with us from the beginning of time, with technological advances, the world has witnessed the production of increasingly lethal weapons. The effects of these weapons have been so devastating that they have been placed in a category by themselves and aptly named, “Weapons of Mass Destruction” (WMD's). These weapons include chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Although each type of weapon works differently, as a group, they have the ability to kill millions of people, nuclear weapons being the most lethal. These weapons have been the subject of many debates throughout the world and many nations have taken steps to reduce their use and limit possession by pursuing sanctions on international disarmament. The United Nations, for its part, has responded to these threats by introducing a wide range of measures including policies covering sanctions, military strikes, conventions and other reforms.

Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear weapons are the most lethal of the weapons included in the WMD category. Nuclear weapons were successfully deployed by the United States in World War II and were used to bomb the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The cities and inhabitants were sickened and many destroyed by these bombs. Nuclear weapons fall into two main categories;

1. Atomic bombs work by splitting of the nuclei of uranium or plutonium. When an atomic particle strikes the nucleus of uranium or plutonium a substantial amount of energy is released resulting in astronomical explosions. Fission bombs were first developed by the United States in 1952 and this type of bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II.

2. The second type of nuclear weapon is fusion or thermonuclear bombs. These weapons use fusion as the trigger. When the trigger is fired, the high temperature causes the atomic nuclei of hydrogen atoms to combine causing a gigantic explosion.

These nuclear blasts or explosions, in addition to the fire effects, also cause long-term radiation damage. As a result of the World War II nuclear bombing, estimated eighty thousand Japanese were immediately killed (Levi, pp. 131).

The History of Nuclear Weapons

The history of nuclear weapons may, in part, be said to reflect the cold war. The United States held the monopoly on nuclear weapons from 1945 to 1949. In 1949 the Soviet Union successfully tested its first hydrogen bomb, followed by a number of other tests over the ensuing 6 years by the two super- powers. Nuclear weapons at this point were being used as deterrents of war rather than attack weapons. Although most of the nuclear weapons are now being held by the Soviet Union and the United Nations , a number of countries over the years have exploded their own devices; England in 1945, France in 1960 and China in 1964. More recently, as detailed in the following sections, a number of other nations including North Korea, Iran, India and Pakistan, Israel, Brazil and Argentina have produced their own nuclear weapons despite numerous legislation designed to halt the ...