Weapons of mass destruction

[kanicbird]

What does the term 'Weapons of mass destruction" actually mean? Where did it come from?

I have heard this term pop out of the woodwork lately but don’t think I know (no less the news reporter) what it actually means.

I am used to a combined term for Nuclear Biological & Chemical or NBC - are these what is ment? Or is it any high yeild explosive which could include daisy cutters and dirty bombs?

[Crusoe]

There a range of definitions to be found. This webpage lists links to a number of ‘official’ definitions.

Some examples:

"(1) The term “weapon of mass destruction” means any weapon or device that is intended, or has the capability, to cause death or serious bodily injury to a significant number of people through the release, dissemination, or impact of–

(A) toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors;

(B) a disease organism; or

© radiation or radioactivity."

[from FY97 National Defense Authorization Act, Public Law 104-201, September 23, 1996]

“Title 18, U.S.C. 2332a, defines a weapon of mass destruction as (1) any destructive device as defined in Section 921 of this title, (which reads) any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas, bomb, grenade, rocket having a propellant charge of more than four ounces, missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce, mine or device similar to the above; (2) poison gas; (3) any weapon involving a disease organism; or (4) any weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life.”

[from Title 18, USC 2332a, quoted in the Arapahoe County Emergency Operations Plan]

[Scruloose]

K2Dave, you know how in the military, someone gets bored with a current, perfectly acceptable acronym, and changes it for no apparent reason, then gets a medal for doing so? Same thing. NBC->CBR->WMD->???

The term WMD became big where I work well before 9/11. I think I first heard it used regularly around '97-98 or so.

[Squink]

Earlier thread on WMD: Definition of the phrase - weapons of mass destruction ?

[heresiarch]

This isn’t official, but in day-to-day use WMD is equivalent to NBC. A weapon designed to kill massive quantities of people through a nuclear explosion, biological warfare, or chemical attack. A Really Big Conventional (non-nuclear) bomb wouldn’t count.

In other words, the usage I’ve heard matches the first definition that Crusoe gave.

As for the second definition - a missile with 4 ounces of propellant and a 1/4 ounce explosive charge is a weapon of mass destruction? Ohhh-kay.