In military terms, a demilitarized zone (DMZ) is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more groups, where military activity is not permitted, usually by treaty or other agreement. Often the demilitarized zone lies upon a line of control and forms a de-facto international border.
Demilitarized zones have also unintentionally become wildlife preserves as they cause the land which they sit on to be too dangerous for construction. See also Korean Demilitarized Zone.
Generally, "demilitarized" means converted to non-military use or purpose, returned to a civilian field. In such meaning the term is oftenly used in former Soviet countries both in Western and local (transliterated) languages.
Computer networks
In computer network terms, a DMZ is a network or part of a network, separated from other systems by a firewall which allows only certain types of network traffic to enter or leave. In a typical example, a company will protect its internal networks from the internet with a firewall, but will have a separate DMZ to which the public can gain limited access. Public web servers might be placed in such a DMZ.
Often the result of the retributive politics of post-war diplomatic adjustment, legal attempts to ensure that formerly aggressive states do not acquire the military establishments, logistics or weaponry to threaten their neighbours or international peace and security, are often doomed to failure.
This article considers the demilitarization sanctions imposed against Iraq in the aftermath of the Gulf War of 1991 in the historic context of other such efforts, most notably the sanctions imposed against Germany under the 1919 Treaty of Versailles (and subsequently enforced by the League of Nations).
The primary elements shared by most demilitarization regimes are: (1) qualitative and quantitative restrictions on weapons systems; (2) control and monitoring mechanisms; (3) the rhetorical ambition of global and regional disarmament; (4) unrealistic deadlines for compliance; and (5) the implied threat of resumption of hostilities if disarmament is not achieved.
For instance, tanks and rocket launchers are candidates for sale as scrap after demilitarization; tents and combat boots can be reused or sold to the public.
As property is acquired by the Department of Defense (DoD), one of the military services or a defense agency assigns a demilitarization code to the material, based on specific DoD-wide policy.
An audit trail is established for the property, including verification that demilitarization is accomplished.
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