Chemical and Biological Warfare: A Comprehensive Survey for the Concerned Citizen - Hardcover

Croddy, Eric

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0387950761 ISBN 13: 9780387950761

Publisher: Copernicus, 2001

Synopsis

The armaments of chemical and biological warfare (CBW), as Eric Coddy shows in this introduction for the concerned layman, are now widely held not just by nation-states, but by terrorist and criminal enterprises. The weapons themselves are relatively inexpensive and very easy to hide, and organizations of just a few dozen people are capable of deploying potentially devastating attacks with them. While in the twentieth century most of our arms-control effort focused, rightly, on nuclear arsenals, in the twenty-first century CBW will almost certainly require just as much attention. This book defines the basics of CBW for the concerned citizen, including non-alarmist scientific descriptions of the weapons and their antidotes, methods of deployment and defensive response, and the likelihood in the current global political climate of additional proliferation.

About this title

Review

From the reviews:

"Croddy provides a useful handbook for anyone who wishes to know about chemical and biological weapons (CBW). ... Croddy lays out basic information in the beginning and only gradually adds complexity when the reader is ready for it. ... Croddy incorporates the latest information, including the changing tactics of terrorists and their plans to use CBW. ... Particularly useful is Croddy’s discussion of the current controversy surrounding mandatory vaccination of all US military personnel ... . Recommended for both undergraduate and graduate students." (J. Granville, CHOICE, July, 2002)

"Chemical and Biological Warfare: A Comprehensive Survey for the Concerned Citizen provides extensive listings of and information about known chemical and biological agents, while keeping historical perspective and avoiding alarmism." (Morning News Dallas, July, 2002)

"Chemical And Biological Warfare analyzes the key issues related to chemical and biological warfare, detailing known chemical and biological agents, how they may be used in weaponry, and the possibilities of their use in modern conflicts. Readers seeking a technical survey of proliferation and basic concepts of chemical and biological weaponry receive more in-depth information here than in many titles." (Bookwatch, May, 2002)

"In this highly authoritative book, Croddy ... provides a realistic assessment of the dangers we actually face from chemical and biological warfare. The author uses his extensive knowledge of the technology and history of such warfare to survey key chemical and biological agents and explain their characteristics and effects on humans." (Joshua Sinai, Journal of Homeland Security, June, 2002)

"‘Be Informed, Not Afraid’ ... encapsulates the laudable objective of this book by Eric Croddy ... . A historical and factual approach is taken that achieves the objective of informing but not alarming the reader. It provides a succinct appreciation as to which countries still possess those weapons ... . Overall, this book is a primer for the concerned citizen, which puts the dangers of chemical and biological weapons into the context of today’s world." (Graham S. Pearson, Biologist, Vol. 49 (5), 2002)

"As the title states, the authors of this book have set out to give the ‘concerned citizen’ a comprehensive overview of chemical and biological weapons. In their descriptions of the various agents they have succeeded very well ... . Considerable attention is given to measures for preventing war-induced epidemics ... ." (Erhard Geissler, Angewandte Chemie, Vol. 41 (16), 2002)

"The book provides a detailed survey of the key issues related to chemical and biological warfare. For the reader who wants solid and level-headed information on the current state of CBW affairs and the likelihood of its proliferation, it is indispensable." (Chemische Rundschau, Issue 14, July, 2002)

"Without playing with fears, Eric Croddy ... uses his extensive knowledge of the technology and history of chemical and biological warfare (CBW) to provide a comprehensive run-down of key CBW agents ... . In clear, non-alarmist language, Croddy provides a detailed survey of the key issues related to chemical and biological warfare. For the reader who wants solid and level-headed information on the current state of CBW affairs and the likelihood of its proliferation, this is an indispensable volume." (Science in Africa, April, 2002)

From the Publisher

Just like everyone else, the thought of anthrax and CBW is keeping me awake at night. In his new book, Eric Croddy tells the truth about the weapons we can only imagine in our nightmares. Surprisingly, it's less frightening than you might think - there's enough detail about chemical agents and terrorist tactics to terrify anyone, but the tone is ultra calm and rational. After reading just the first chapter, it becomes clear that the real threat to modern society is not the potential for CBW, but panic, fear and misunderstanding. Read this book and you will feel informed and less afraid - you may even find you can sleep a little easier.
Springer-Verlag are the distributors for Copernicus Books, New York.

Edition details

• Publisher: Copernicus
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387950761
• ISBN 13: 9780387950761
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 328