Weapon inspectors have been all the rage in international politics recently. Alison Gee described what a typical inspection team looks like:

• The team needs a civil engineer to insure that the buildings they’re inspecting are structurally stable.
• An ordinance expert checks for unexploded bombs and mines.
• Medical experts liaise with local doctors after an alleged chemical attack to identify the poison that was used – if any.
• Chemists, of course, are needed to determine if and how chemicals are being turned into weapons.
• If a bomb or warhead was used in the attack, a rocket scientist maybe utilized to confirm the delivery mechanism.
• Forensic experts follow the paper trail and make sure that when the government hands over a document with a certain date, the date, and the document are authentic through analysis of the ink and paper.
• For smooth interviews interpreters and skilled negotiators as well as experts in the psychology of body language are required.

Read about the importance of persistence, the experiences of previous weapons inspection teams and more over here.

Source: BBC