Asymmetric Threats and Weapons of Mass Destruction, Essay Example

The concept of asymmetry in warfare is intriguing. The possibility of asymmetric warfare means that although no nation can match the United States in traditional methods of warfare or military power, some states and individuals can cause trouble for the nation by using other means. The sections in this lesson regarding asymmetrical methods such as the use of bio-weaponry, information technology and propaganda are particularly interesting.

Although this lesson shows that the use of biological weapons can be very devastating, some of the information in the lesson is comforting. The idea that biological weapons are so hard to use, for instance, is good to know. The fact that some biological weapons require, among other things, the right kind of weather is heartening. So too is the fact that biological weapons are both hard to acquire and to use. The fact that bioterrorism is so old is also interesting.  The lesson’s readings mention that people have been using corpses to poison drinking water since the Dark Ages. This gives credence to the old adage, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

The section regarding “human bombs” was interesting because of the way this method contrasts with traditional wartime methods. The author mentions that in traditional warfare, soldiers lives are considered valuable and worth saving. This is not so in the case of warfare waged with human bombs. It is also interesting to consider that part of the reason insurgents have used this method is that even if it only causes a small amount of damage, the idea that someone is willing to blow himself up to hurt others is emotionally and mentally disturbing to those who are targeted.