Introduction: Inconspicuous Disarmament
Small arms disarmament is reshaping the global distribution of firearms, light weapons and ammunition. It is far from comprehensive, but much more than cosmetic. Its importance has been widely recognized, but seldom evaluated. The case studies in this volume examine the politics of when surpluses actually get destroyed. When, they ask, is surplus destruction most likely? And what can be done to make destruction more likely? Perhaps the key characteristic shaping small arms disarmament is it has not been treaty-driven. Much of the trouble comparing small arms disarmament to better known programmes comes from the informal nature of these processes. The low visibility also is a side effect of the low visibility of small arms politics generally, typically the responsibility of mid-level officials, with high-level officials mostly playing ceremonial roles. But inconspicuous does not mean unimportant. Small arms and ammunition destruction directly affects prospects for future violence. By eliminating the weapons most likely to be used, it directly limits the dangers of violent crime and terrorism, and inhibits the descent into warfare.
Enforced Disarmament: From the Napoleonic Campaigns to the Gulf War
Enforced disarmament has often been ignored by historians, diplomats, and strategic analaysts. Yet the democracies have imposed some measure of disarmament on their enemies after every major victory since 1815. In many cases, forced disarmament was one of the most important, if not the most important, of their war aims. The demilitarization of Germany and Japan, for example, was one of the most significant post-war measures agreed by the Soviet Union, Britain, and the USA in 1945, whilst the debate on the disarmament measures imposed on Iraq after the Gulf War continues to rage. The efficacy and durability of enforced disarmament measures, and the resistance they are likely to encounter are thus issues of central strategic and political importance. Philip Towle examines the most important peace settlements from the time of Napoleon to Saddam Hussein, in the first major history of this fascinating subject.
Effect of temperature on the solvated electron in 1-propanol
Abstract The technique of pulse radiolysis has been used to study the effect of temperature on the solvated electron in 1-propanol. The spectrum of the solvated electron has been measured in the range 140–298 K. The wavelength at maximum absorption, λ max , decreases with decreasing temperature (corresponding to an increase in the energy, E max ) but the spectral width at half height, ΔE 1 2 , changes little with temperature. At temperatures above ≈180 K, the formation of the solvated electron is complete at the end of the pulse and its spectrum shows no change in shape with time. Below ≈170 K, the absorption spectrum is time-dependent in both liquid and glassy phases, the changes being attributed to the solvation process. The reaction(s) leading to solvated electron formation following the pulse show an activation energy of 22±2 kJ mol − and the solvated electron decays with an activation energy of 20±2 kJ mol −1 . The yield of solvated electrons decreases continuously with decreasing temperature in the range 298-77 K and, at all temperatures studied, is less than the total ionization yield measured by scavenging techniques.