| Chemical Weapons Convention--The
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is an international
treaty that bans the production and use of chemical weapons
and aims to eliminate chemical weapons, everywhere in
the world. The CWC entered into force in 1997. The Organization
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) at the
Hague oversees the inspection and verification proceedings.
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty--The
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is an international
agreement to prohibit all nuclear weapons test explosions
anywhere in the world. In order to verify compliance with
its provisions, the treaty establishes a global network
of monitoring facilities and allows for on-site inspections
of suspicious events.
Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty--A
Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty would ban the production
of fissile material for nuclear weapons. A cut-off treaty
on fissile material would effectively put a limit on the
size of nuclear arsenals. It would also make weapons reductions
irreversible if the fissile material were disposed.
Hair-Trigger Alert--Hair-trigger
alert is a nuclear weapons posture where nuclear weapons
are poised for quick launch. Keeping nuclear weapons on
a hair-trigger means that leaders on both sides have just
minutes to assess whether a warning of an attack is real
or false.
Human Security--Human
security, often referred to as "people centered security"
or "security with a human face," places human beings--rather
than states--at the focal point of security considerations.
Human security emphasizes the complex relationships and
often-ignored linkages between disarmament, human rights,
and development.
Missile Shield--First
purposed as President Reagan's "star-wars"system, a missile
shield, or missile defense, is a system designed to protect
against a ballistic missile attack. In 2002, the Bush
Administration withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile
(ABM) Treaty. With the treaty's abrogation, the Administration
has accelerated construction of a missile shield system.
Though unproven, the Bush Administration plans to deploy
strategic missile defense by September 30, 2004.
Negative Security Assurances--Negative
security assurances are pledges by the nuclear states
not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states.
Nevada Test Site--The
Nevada Test Site (NTS) is a massive outdoor laboratory
and experimental center 65 miles north of Las Vegas. The
NTS is larger than the state of Rhode Island, approximately
1,375 square miles, making this one of the largest restricted
access areas in the United States. Over 900 atomic explosions
were detonated at the Nevada Test Site during the years
1951-1992.
Nonproliferation Regime--The
nonproliferation regime is a network of interlocking treaties,
organizations, and multilateral inspections designed to
halt the spread of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)--The
NPT is an international treaty whose objective is to prevent
the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology,
to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear
energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament.
Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into
force in 1970. A total of 187 parties have joined the
Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States. More
countries have ratified the NPT than any other arms limitation
and disarmament agreement, a testament to the Treaty's
significance.
Nuclear Terrorism--Nuclear
terrorism is the use of a nuclear device by a extremist
group to cause massive devastation. Detonating a nuclear
bomb, dispersing of fissionable radioactive materials,
such as a dirty bomb and assaulting nuclear powerplants
are also examples of nuclear terrorism.
Preemption--Preemption
is military action undertaken before an imminent attack.
Preemptive war may be justified under the UN Charter if
the military threat is so imminent, substantive (combining
capability and intention), and substantial that an attack
is virtually certain.
Preventive Diplomacy--Preventive
diplomacy is usually used in the international arena and
refers to efforts to prevent the commencement or escalation
of conflicts between nations.
Preventive War--Preventive
war is military action undertaken before evidence of an
imminent threat.
Tactical Nuclear Weapons--Tactical
nuclear weapons, also known as "battlefield" or "non-strategic"
nuclear weapons, are nuclear weapons designed for battlefield
use. These weapons come in the form of bombs, mines, and
artillery shells. Tactical nuclear weapons are not monitored
or controlled by any existing treaties or formal agreements,
even though these thousands of weapons pose dangers that
can be equal to those of strategic nuclear weapons.
Threat Reduction Programs--Threat
reduction programs are programs to help the countries
of the former Soviet Union destroy nuclear, chemical,
and biological weapons of mass destruction and associated
infrastructure, and establish verifiable safeguards against
the proliferation of those weapons. Since its inception
by Congress, the program has substantially reduced the
weapons of mass destruction threat by helping to better
account for weapons previously aimed at the United States
and reduce their delivery systems. Recently the program
has been expanded beyond the former Soviet Union.
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