- Nuclear WMD: In history there has only been one case of a nation attacked with a nuclear weapon. That is the attack in 1944 by the U.S. against Japan. I am not getting into the justification for using nuclear bombings as that topic is covered elsewhere. The attacked ended WWII and forced the Japanese into unconditional surrender. The impacts of the two target sites, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are still being studied today. The short and long term impacts in both cities was extensive. A description of the effects of Nuclear WMD is at: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/intro/nuke-blast.htm
- Electro-Magnetic Pulse WMD: Electro-magnetic Pulse weapons attack electrical systems, computers, networks, satellites, wireless communications, and global positioning systems (GPS). EMP does not cause short-term casualties but rather disrupts a nation's infrastructure of military and non-military equipment, operation, and communication components. The greater a nations dependence on electronic technology determines the more at risk and the amount of damages and impacts to the military and civilians when attacked. The U.S. is extremely dependent on electronic technology and can be considered a major target for this type of attack. It is a focused attack on electronic components. Mostly under new development, but the expectation is that using this type of WMD, attackers can choose a location and the relative size of the disruption area and fire such a weapon to disrupt and disable a nation's electronic offensive and defensive capabilities. A description of EMP weapons is at: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/report/1988/CM2.htm and http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/intro/emp.htm
- Computer Software WMD: Usually attacks computers and networks, but it really depends on the target computer site and it's applications. For example, Iran was recently attacked at a nuclear systems site and caused disruptions that impacted it's centrifuge production of weapons grade plutonium. A description of the effects of computer software virus' is at: http://www.bizymoms.com/computers-and-technology/virus-effect.html
- Chemical WMD: The chemical WMDs are designed to create massive human casualties in the both the short-term and long-term. Chemical WMD attacks have occurred as far back as chemical weapons in WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Iran-Iraq War, Iraq-Kuwait War, and the U.S.-Iraq War. In WWI it was reported that Germany used chemicals against it's enemies. Similarly in WWII most nations had some form of chemical weapons that could be used. The exact execution specifics of these attacks is difficult to identify in the records from WWII. Nations had capabilities, but how much they used them is really unknown.A description of the effects of chemical weapons is at: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/intro/cw.htm
- Biological WMD: The best example of the impacts of biological weapons happened in 1600's, 1700's, and 1800's in America. Unknowingly and unintentionally, immigrating settlers brought with them diseases from Europe that the local populations had no immunity against and the locals were almost completely wiped out. Another horrific example in history during the Dark Ages was the Black Plague in Europe. It wiped out almost 2/3rds of the entire European population, and nations were completely defenseless against it. Current creators of biological weapons want to be as devastating as the Black Plague. Some are even experimenting with weapons use of the Black Plague itself. A description of biological weapons is at: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/biological_warfare/article_em.htm
The real issue of all these WMDs is if terrorists will use them. General consensus says there is no If, only when. Terrorists at some point will be using all WMD types to attack western nations.
