Date of Graduation
Fall 2025
Degree
Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies
Department
School of Defense & Strategic Studies
Committee Chair
Amanda Moodie
Abstract
Chemical weapons (CW) and biological weapons (BW) are becoming more dangerous for experts to employ and more accessible to amateurs. Despite CW and BW attacks throughout history that killed and maimed millions of people, the international community has failed to establish meaningful consequences to prevent them. Agreements such as the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention vow to eliminate and reduce the effects of CWs and BWs but lack respected response precedents and capabilities. The limited and inconsistent enforcement has inadvertently allowed CWs and BWs to become plausible weapons, especially to gain asymmetric advantages, while modern developments exasperate the problem. The availability of information and interconnectedness, artificial intelligence, dual-use technology, and multiplying vectors increases damage potential in the hands of experts with tacit knowledge and lowers barriers to entry for rudimentary CWs and BWs for others. Future prevention efforts should be aimed at increasing consistency and limiting the impact of technology used for nefarious activity. The activities should include expanding detection and attribution capacity, leveraging general deterrence principles with incentives and disincentives, more stringent monitoring of dual-use technology, and targeting technology with technology.
Keywords
biological weapons, chemical weapons, inconsistent responses, biological weapons convention, chemical weapons convention, export control, artificial intelligence, dual-use research of concern, deterrence, tacit knowledge
Subject Categories
Human Rights Law | International Law | Law and Politics | Legal | Mental and Social Health | Military History | Military, War, and Peace | National Security Law | Other Public Health | Political History | Political Science | Social Influence and Political Communication
Copyright
© Alex Elliot Ottoni-Belval
Recommended Citation
Ottoni-Belval, Alex Elliot, "Preventing Chemical and Biological Attacks: Enhanced Threats Requiring Enhanced Solutions" (2025). Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 4109.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/4109
Open Access
Included in
Human Rights Law Commons, International Law Commons, Law and Politics Commons, Legal Commons, Mental and Social Health Commons, Military History Commons, Military, War, and Peace Commons, National Security Law Commons, Other Public Health Commons, Political History Commons, Political Science Commons, Social Influence and Political Communication Commons
