Chemical weapon is a device that disperses, or gives off, toxic chemicals to attack enemies. The toxic chemicals dispersed by such weapons are called agents. Chemical weapons typically take the form of bombs , artillery shells, rockets , or guided missiles . The use of chemical weapons and agents in warfare is banned by international law .
Types.
A chemical weapon’s agent is usually loaded in a warhead armed with an explosive . The warhead’s explosion spreads the chemical agent over an area. Chemical agents may also be loaded onto airplanes and sprayed over targets. But such planes must fly low and slow, leaving them vulnerable to anti-aircraft defenses.
Chemical weapons can be armed with a variety of agents. Vesicants, such as mustard gas, cause blisters . The most deadly chemical weapons contain nerve agents, such as sarin and VX . These agents quickly kill anyone who inhales them. Because nerve agents are so deadly, they are sometimes used in the form of binary chemical weapons. A binary weapon stores a nerve agent’s chemical precursors (ingredients) in two separate compartments. The precursors are not especially toxic, making the weapon relatively safe to handle and store. After the weapon is launched, a wall between the compartments opens. The precursors then mix and react to form the nerve agent.
A few chemical agents have nonmilitary uses. In particular, agents called CN and CS cause intense irritation of eyes, nose, and throat. They are called tear gas because tears are their most noticable effect. The effects of tear gas disappear soon after victims reach fresh air. Police may use tear gas against rioting crowds, prison uprisings, or hostage takers.
History.
During World War I (1914-1918), all warring nations used chemical weapons, notably mustard gas . The effects of the weapons on soldiers were gruesome. After the war, nations sought to ban the use of chemical weapons. In 1925, the Geneva Protocol limited the use of chemical weapons in war. But it did not restrict countries from developing or stockpiling chemical weapons. It also had no provision for verification—that is, ensuring that nations actually follow it. The protocol failed to prevent the use of chemical weapons in later conflicts, including the Italo-Ethiopian War (1935-1936) and the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988).
In 1993, an international conference led to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which has more force than the Geneva Protocol. The CWC set up a monitoring body called the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
In 2013, the government of Syria was accused of using chemical weapons against rebels during a civil war. Facing international outrage, the Syrian government agreed to sign on to the CWC and dismantle its chemical weapon stockpiles, though it did not admit to using the weapons. OPCW inspectors traveled to Syria to help destroy its chemical weapons and prevent future violations.
