A powerful statement of the obvious, with one important ommission: The United states is the largest researcher, producer, experimenter with, and user of biological weapons. Despite 'honest' Dick Nixon's unilateral pledge in 1972 that the US would not produce offensive BW weapons, they have been doing so, keeping pace with developments in molecular biology. Much research and development is privatized; it is not prohibited for private corporations to develop such weapons. A few observations: The Army has used the term "Ethnic Biological weapons" since the late 60's. There are 2 kinds of BW weapons development: o battlefield weapons o weapons of class warfare ( suitable for covert long term use against all or subsets of the civilian population ). And finally as one observes "new" diseases, one should remember that the main thrust of the major BW research since the end of wwII, has been against the immune system ... so that no defense can be mounted. On Fri, 16 Oct 1998, Vladimir Z. Nuri wrote:
........ Microorganisms, it should be noted, are a very inexpensive way to exterminate entire populations. Above all, many microorganisms can be cheaply grown, each having its own unique uses. As stressed by Carl Yaeger of Utah Valley State College and Steven Fustero, IACSP Director of Operations, this is a great advantage in deciding the effect wished to be brought about on the section of the population at which the attack is directed. Since the organisms are capable of rapid reproduction, only a small amount is required to infect a very large area. .... But possibly more interesting than the large area to be infected is the selectivity. With the development of biochemistry and genetic engineering, it might be possible to target ethnic groups ....... .......... Still another advantage could be secrecy and concealment. Limited attacks could be carried out secretly before open "hostilities" even began. As you can see, a whole new age of warfare is beginning. According to an excellent PBS "Frontline" documentary aired this week, the Soviet Union, even under Mikhail Gorbachev, had already broken an international agreement restricting chemical and biological weapons.
- Carl