Weapon of mass destruction

A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is generally taken to be a type of weapon which is designed to kill large numbers of people, usually civilians but also potentially military personnel. Weapons of mass destruction are generally considered to be of limited military usefulness because their destructiveness is likely to trigger an extreme response.

The types of weapons traditionally considered to be of this variety are:

• nuclear weapons and radiological weapons
• biological weapons
• chemical weapons

Countries that may possess WMD

According to the Federation of American Scientists, over 30 countries may possess WMD. Their assessment is at http://www.fas.org/irp/threat/wmd_state.htm

Links

• Terrorism and the Threat From Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East