The Niche Threat: Deterring the Use of Chemical & Biological Weapons

The problem of chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction is not well understood by the general public nor, for that matter, by the members of the Armed Forces who could face these terrible weapons first should they be unleashed by a rogue nation or terrorist group - or even by accident. Complicating this lack of understanding is the ironic reality that use of chemical and biological - and even limited nuclear - weapons has become a greater threat than it was in the Cold War era, when the superpowers kept a leash on their client states. Now, nations that cannot hope to challenge the United States seriously with conventional force have the means and possibly the motivation to use such weapons. Iraq comes to mind as a prominent example. The authors of this volume have coined the term "niche threat" to identify these states, falling as they do in a category below major power status but above the threshold of WMD capability. While civilized nations have repudiated the use of such weapons, we must confront the possibility of having to deter and defend against chemical and biological weapons. Accordingly, the essays in this collection discuss the dangers of the niche threat, the possibility that such weapons could be used, and the measures the United States can employ to deter their use.