Test: Conflict and Peace Study - UGC NET MCQ

The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) is a disarmament treaty that aims to eliminate biological and toxin weapons by prohibiting their development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling, and use.

It holds the distinction of being the first multilateral disarmament treaty that bans an entire category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

India is part of the signatories to the BTWC, indicating its commitment to the treaty's objectives.

The correct answer is option 4

In News

• Recent concerns have surfaced regarding the potential use of chemical weapons by Russia in its conflict with Ukraine.

Key Points about the Biological Weapons Convention:

• The BWC effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling, and use of biological and toxin weapons, validating statement 1.

• Being the first multilateral disarmament treaty to ban a category of WMD, the BWC confirms statement 2.

• The BTWC plays a crucial role in combating WMD proliferation and has set a strong norm against biological weapons.

• With 183 States Parties and four Signatory States, the convention enjoys widespread membership.

• India's participation as a signatory underscores its commitment to the goals of the convention, validating statement 3.

• The BWC was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 16 December 1971.

Consider the following information about Chemical Weapons:

Key Points about Chemical Weapons:

• Definition: Chemical weapons are specialized munitions designed to cause harm or death using chemicals.
• Classification: Chemical weapons are categorized as weapons of mass destruction (WMD) by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
• Examples: Nerve gas, tear gas, and pepper spray are modern examples of chemical weapons.
• Distinct from Other Weapons: Chemical weapons are distinct from nuclear, biological, and radiological weapons.
• Characteristics: Chemical weapons can be dispersed in gas, liquid, and solid forms, posing a risk beyond the intended targets.
• Effectiveness: Some chemical weapons, like nerve agents, are unitary agents that can cause harm on their own without mixing with other substances.
• Historical Use: Chemical weapons were infamously used during World War I and World War II, causing significant casualties.
• Modern Use: CS gas and pepper spray are still used for riot control and policing purposes today.

Chemical Weapons Convention (1993):

Under the Chemical Weapons Convention (1993), there is a global ban on the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors. Despite this ban, some countries still possess significant stockpiles of these weapons.

The correct answer is 1-D, 2-C, 3-B, 4-A.

Key Points

• Security
  • The essence of the existence of human life is to protect from threats either external or internal.
  • National security involves protecting the state and citizens against various crises.
  • A national security doctrine helps prioritize a country’s geopolitical interests.
  • It includes military, diplomatic, economic, and social policies to safeguard national security interests.
• Arms Control
  • It regulates the acquisition of weapons.
  • Arms control efforts have contributed to reducing the risk of nuclear war.
• Disarmament
  • It requires states to relinquish specific weapons to prevent mass destruction.
  • Disarmament aims to move towards a world free of nuclear weapons for global security and peace.
• Confidence building
  • A process where countries share ideas and information to build trust and reduce tensions.
  • Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) address uncertainties among states.
• Hence, Option 4 is correct.

• Biological Weapons Convention (BWC): The 1972 Biological Weapons Convention prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling, and use of biological weapons. This means that the use of biological agents in armed conflict is considered a war crime, making it illegal under international law.
• Defensive Biological Research: While offensive biological warfare is banned under the BWC, defensive biological research for prophylactic, protective, or peaceful purposes is not prohibited. This means that countries can engage in research and development activities aimed at protecting against biological threats without violating the convention.

Biological warfare and chemical warfare intersect in some aspects, as toxins from living organisms fall under the regulations of both the BWC and the Chemical Weapons Convention. These toxins and psychochemical weapons are often categorized as mid-spectrum agents, distinguishing them from bioweapons due to their inability to reproduce within a host and shorter incubation periods.

• Ethical Realism Principle: Ethical realism, as a guiding principle, strikes a balance between state sovereignty and moral obligations on a global scale. It emphasizes conflict resolution, environmental protection, and human security as essential responsibilities of states.
• Understanding Ethical Realism: This principle recognizes that states are inherently self-interested in international affairs, aligning with traditional realist views. However, it goes beyond pure self-interest by advocating for ethical behavior and moral duties in state interactions.
• Conflict Resolution: Ethical realism promotes peaceful conflict resolution, urging states to address disputes through non-violent means to prevent escalations into full-scale wars. It emphasizes the importance of fostering dialogue and understanding for sustainable peace.
• Human Security: Acknowledging the significance of human security, ethical realism highlights that individual security is as crucial as state security. It underscores the role of states in ensuring the well-being of individuals.
• Environmental Protection: Ethical realism also stresses the importance of environmental stewardship and sustainability, recognizing the impact of human activities on the environment. It advocates for sustainable practices to preserve the environment.
• Superiority of Ethical Realism: The comprehensive nature of ethical realism in addressing the complexities of Conflict and Peace Studies makes it the most appropriate choice among the options provided, capturing the essence of state sovereignty, human and environmental security, and peaceful conflict resolution.

The correct option is 'A and C'

Key Points

• Dual Deterrence is a strategy used by the US to keep two sides from going to war by making vague assurances.
  • This Statement is true
  • Dual deterrence is a strategy used by the USA to prevent potential conflicts by providing ambiguous assurances.
  • It involves keeping aid intentions ambiguous and explicitly denouncing any moves towards full independence.
  • This strategy is often employed in situations of potential conflict between nations, such as the tension between Taiwan and China.
• The US pledges to aid Taiwan in its self-defense if attacked by China but does not explicitly denounce any efforts by Taiwan to declare full independence.
  • This Statement is false
  • An example of dual deterrence is the way the USA pledges to aid Taiwan in its self-defense if attacked by China.
  • This approach aims to prevent aggressive actions by China towards Taiwan while avoiding direct military conflict between the USA and China.
• Deterrence has more positive aspects than negatives, including stopping World War III.
  • This statement is true
  • While deterrence has some negative aspects like the potential for an arms race and accidental conflicts, its positive impacts are more significant.
  • The use of deterrence has contributed to global peace and prevented the outbreak of World War III.
  • By keeping potential adversaries in check, deterrence has fostered a stable and secure international system.
• Dual Deterrence is a strategy used by China to maintain peaceful relations with its neighbors.
  • This statement is false
  • Dual Deterrence is not a strategy employed by China. It is a strategy used by the US to prevent conflicts between two sides.
  • One of the key benefits of deterrence is enabling nations to ensure security without resorting to warfare.
  • By leveraging the threat of military force, countries can deter potential aggressors without engaging in direct military confrontations.
  • This can help avoid the significant costs and risks associated with war, such as loss of life, economic disruption, and political instability.

• Credible Minimum Deterrence (CMD):
  • CMD is the principle guiding India's nuclear strategy.
  • It emphasizes the concept of no first use (NFU) along with an assured second strike capability.
  • It falls under the category of minimal deterrence, distinct from mutually assured destruction.
• Doctrine of Solely for Deterrence:
  • Under this doctrine, nuclear weapons are considered solely for deterrence purposes.
  • India's policy is based on retaliation only, meaning it will not initiate a nuclear first strike but will retaliate if necessary.
  • Any decision regarding the use of nuclear weapons rests with the Prime Minister or the designated successor.

• Multilateral Export Control Regime: The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is a multilateral export control regime that consists of 35 member states. It aims to restrict the proliferation of missiles and related technology. The regime was established in 1987 by the G-7 industrialized countries.
• Objective of MTCR: The primary goal of the MTCR is to mitigate the risk of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by regulating the export of goods and technologies that could contribute to the development of delivery systems for such weapons, excluding manned aircraft.
• Non-binding Nature: It is important to note that the MTCR is not a legally binding treaty. Instead, it operates based on an informal political understanding among its member states.
• China's Status: While China expressed interest in joining the MTCR, it is not a member of the regime. However, China has agreed to comply with the original guidelines established in 1987.
• Non-Member Compliance: Several countries, such as Israel, Romania, and Slovakia, have voluntarily committed to adhering to the export control rules of the MTCR, despite not being official members of the regime.

Analysis of Solution

Statement 1: The urban warfare is actually on the rise, contrary to the statement provided. Currently, more than 50% of the world's population resides in cities, with this number expected to increase further.

• Furthermore, over 50 million individuals are impacted by conflicts in urban areas spanning from Afghanistan to Libya, Syria, Yemen, and beyond. These individuals face a significantly greater risk of injury or death within these urban conflict zones.
• For instance, in the recent fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas militants, numerous schools and healthcare facilities were destroyed, leaving almost 800,000 people without access to piped water.

Statement 2: In contrast to the first statement, this statement is accurate. Presently, the United Nations does not have a specific treaty that addresses warfare in urban areas.

• As a result, such conflicts are managed under diverse United Nations Peacekeeping Missions.

• United Nations Peacekeeping Force: Commonly known as the blue helmets, these forces are deployed to maintain peace and security in conflict areas. Countries like India also contribute forces to these missions.
• International agreements and bilateral collaborations like the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) play crucial roles in regulating and preventing conflicts.

• Traditional views of security do not rule out other forms of cooperation as well.

• The most important of these are disarmament, arms control, and confidence building.

• Disarmament requires all states to give up certain kinds of weapons.

• For example, the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the 1992 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) banned the production and possession of these weapons.

• More than 155 states acceded to the BWC and 181 states acceded to the CWC.

• Both conventions included all the great powers.

• But the superpowers — the US and Soviet Union — did not want to give up the third type of weapons of mass destruction, namely, nuclear weapons, so they pursued arms control.

Therefore, we can conclude that the following statements are correct about 'Disarmament':
(A) Disarmament requires all states to give up certain kinds of weapons.
(B) The Biological Weapons Convention (1972) and the Chemical Weapons Convention (1993) banned the production and possession of these weapons.