Topic: 2026 – Proliferation of Ballistic Missiles
Country: Lebanon
Delegate Name: Alveera Poptani
By definition, a ballistic missile is a usually rocket-powered missile that is launched in a high arc under guidance for its ascent but that is unpowered and unguided once it begins its descent. Two major missile types are ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) and IBRM (Intermediate-range Ballistic Missiles). ICBM typically goes over 5,000 kilometers, while IBRM goes around 3,000 – 5,500 kilometers. The proliferation of ballistic missiles is a growing global security threat as missile technology in various places improves and spreads, particularly in the Middle East, East Asia, and South Asia. Driven by a desire for prestige and strategic leverage, these weapons are often used in harmful ways for regional power projection. However, these missiles can also be used as a defense mechanism for many countries, especially when those countries find themselves under threat.
While there are many key actors in the fight around the proliferation of ballistic missiles, notable parties include the United States, Russia, and China, who have maintained their ICBM arsenal; and countries such as Iran, North Korea, Israel, and others, that have developed IBRM. The first true modern missile, the starting point in this concern, was developed by Germany during World War II with the V-1 Flying Bomb and the V-2 Rocket. However, the proliferation of ballistic missiles wouldn’t become a huge global security threat until the late 1970s – 1980s, escalated by their substantial usage during the Iran-Iraq “War of Two Cities” in 1988 and the usage of scud missiles by many middle eastern countries and Russia during the Cold War.
An important document in relation to this topic is The Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, established November 25th, 2002. While the code does not outright ban ballistic missiles, it does call for a halt in their production, testing, and export, in an effort to regulate potential weapons of mass destruction. Another document in place to control the proliferation of ballistic missiles was the Missile Technology Control Regime (MCTR) in 1987. It consisted of two parts, the first, “The Annex” which listed out all technologies that would be classified as amicable to the MCTR and a second part, the listed out the proper procedure when it came to dealing with the technology listed. However, both of these documents are non-binding political treaties.
Lebanon faces many challenges when it comes to proliferation of ballistic missiles, specifically due to the the vast arsenal currently held by Hezbollah; a political party in Lebanon that operates a militia. However, Lebanon currently attempts to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701; that requires they disarm Hezbollah including relieving them of their missiles. These attempts often don’t go well due to the mass support Hezbollah has from Iran and inside of Lebanon with the Shia community. These reasons make it incredibly difficult to deal with Hezbollah and their ballistic missiles.
The underlying problem with current measures in place is that they are more of a shared understanding than a true solution. What the UN needs to do is find a satisfactory way to implement these solutions instead of making new ones. Increased regulations and an official way to enforce or monitor compliance is the solution to our dilemma.
Works Cited:
https://www.hcoc.at/
https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2012-04/stemming-spread-missiles-hits-misses-and-hard-cases
https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/publications/assessing_ballistic_missile_proliferation_and_its_control#:~:text=The%20extensive%20use%20of%20ballistic,come%20if%20and%20when%20developing
https://glica.org/simun/committees/disec-ballistic-missiles/
