Chemical warfare
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Chemical warfare means using chemical compounds and agents in war to cause injury or death. The chemicals used are not explosive, but they are poisonous. The chemicals are also not derived from living beings or organic matter (See Biological warfare). The main types of agents used in chemical warfare are:
- Nerve agents
- Mustard agents
- Hydrogen cyanide-based agents
- botulinum
- Arsines
- Toxins
- Tear gases
- pepper spray
- Incapacitating agents such as
- Psychotomimetic agents
- Potential chemical warfare agents
If we use chemicals (like Agent Orange or DDT) to destroy vegetation, sometimes human beings may be affected by side-effects. But,we will not call it chemical warfare. Chemical warfare covers only direct attacks on human life.
[edit] History
Chemical warfare was used for the first time in World War I. Chlorine, mustard gas, and phosgene gas were used in the war, to kill or injure enemy soldiers. But, they were not used very much in World War II. This was because, everybody was afraid that the other side would use similar weapons. Also, chemical weapons were not easy to use. The time taken to use them, delayed the advance of one's own troops. The raw materials for producing chemical weapons were not available easily. This was because World War II was fought in areas which were not connected well by railroads.
During the Iran-Iraq War, both sides used chemical weapons very much. Many people believe that Iraq used chemical weapons against Kurdish civilian populations.
According to international law, it is wrong to use chemical weapons. There are many rules that ban the production, import and use of chemical weapons. Of these the most important is the Chemical Weapons Convention(CWC).
UN formed a working group in 1980 that works for reducing the number of chemical weapons in the world. On April 4, 1984 the President of United States, Ronald Reagan called for an international ban on chemical weapons. After this, negotiations between various countries started. The Chemical Weapons Convention was signed in 1993 and came into effect in 1997. Experts believe that 70,000 metric tons of chemical weapons are known to be present totally in this world. Out of this, 8000 metric tons have been destroyed in the past few years. By 2003, United States had destroyed 23% of its total chemical weapons. Other countries like India, South Korea and Russia are destroying chemical weapons under the CWC. Libya is also destroying its weapons in the last few years.
It has been reported that many other countries like People's Republic of China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Serbia and Montenegro have chemical weapons.
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