Until now little attention has been paid to the development of military capabilities designed to target food crops with biological warfare agents. This book represents the first substantive study of state-run activities in this field. It shows that all biological warfare programmes have included a component concerned with the development of anti-crop biological warfare agents and munitions. Current concern over the proliferation of biological weapons is placed in the context of the initiative to strengthen the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. The book concludes by arguing that the risks posed by this form of warfare can be minimised, but that this would depend largely on the effective and efficient implementation of regimes concerning the peaceful use and control of plant pathogens that pose a risk to human health and the environment.

Autorentext
SIMON WHITBY is a Research Fellow in the Department of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford. He has published numerous articles on biological warfare and its control.

Inhalt
List of Figures List of Tables Preface Acknowledgements Glossary Introduction Iraqi and the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) A Study of Disease in Plants Anti-Crop Biological Warfare and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) The Context of US Biological Warfare Research and Development Aspects of Anti-Crop Biological Warfare Activity, France, Germany, and Japan Post-World War Two United States Anti-Crop Biological Warfare Some Aspects of UK and US Anti-Crop Warfare Collaboration Between 1943 and 1958 Munitions for Anti-Crop BW Agents Targets Conclusions Related International Prohibitions and Controls on Dangerous Plant Diseases Appendices Notes Bibliography Index