DISEC MUNCAS XVII

Background
Topic B: Preventing the acquisition
of WMD by non-state actors.

COLD WAR ERA (1945-1991) AND

POST:

As of the Cold War era, non-state actors’

1
acquisition of WMD was not a primary
concern. The world’s focus was the nuclear
arms race which was limited to state actors,
besides the possible destruction that nuclear
weapons could have. However, the end of the
Cold War saw the creation of non-state
(Bilimi, n.d.)
actors such as terrorists as ISIS, Aum
Shinrikyo, or Al-Qaeda.

RISE OF TERRORISM AND ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE

The technological advances, increased global

connectivity, and the desire for more power
made it possible for non-state actors to
acquire WMD in order to achieve their goals

In the second half of the 20th century,

terrorism expanded and became more
powerful adopting asymmetric warfare, which
included WMD. Events such as the 1995 sarin
gas attack by a non-state actor, highlighted (Sapriel, 2021)
the impact of WMD in the hands of terrorist
groups and their will to use unconventional
tactics.

The rise of asymmetric warfare has emphasized the

need for a different approach to security from interstate
conflicts to more complex peace challenges. The ability
of non-state actors to break through security holes and
gain access to information meant a reassessment of
global security strategies preventing non-state actors
from acquiring WMD.

(World101, 2023)

POST 9/11 ERA

The 9/11 event demonstrated the dimension of non-
state actors owning WMD. This strengthened the
international response to this issue, improving
security by the international community as a whole.

The international organizations moved their focus to

non-state actors and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) or the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) was created to develop
comprehensive actions trying to prevent WMD from
falling in non-state actors and regulating nuclear
access.
(Warrick & Miller, 2016)

1
Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)