More Security Against the Rising Risk of Bioterrorism
"One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter" (Egendorf 12-13). These people, be them terrorist or freedom fighters, have, for many years, killed innocent men, women, and children for no reason. In recent years, biological weapons have taken terrorism to a whole new level. Not only can terrorists accomplish their deeds with even more stealth, but they can also kill thousands and even millions cheaply and painfully. Bioterrorism has been called a disease of modern society, a condition of life, an art, an unsurpassed weapon of psychological warfare, and an antithesis of democracy and the democratic spirit (Hyde & Forsyth). Although bioterrorism is thought to be difficult to accomplish on a large scale, the national bioterrorism security should be heightened due to the recent cases of anthrax tainted mail and the leakage of information, technology of bioweapons, or weapons enhanced by disease, to rogue states, due to the collapse of the Soviet Union and its bio-weapon program. Terrorists have relatively easy access to a range of sophisticated, "off the shelf" weapons technology that can be readily adapted to their operational needs (Hoffman). In September 1984, a non-state sponsored terrorist cult called the Rajneeshee fro
Even more enticing to the terrorist is that biological agents are cheaper than explosives and nuclear devices. All that is needed is to acquire a simple strain of the virus or bacteria. If the terrorist can acquire a good dried material, it will be easier to disseminate effectively (Franz). "You start with a small amount of biological agent and you feed it and let it grow," said Dr. Jay Davis, former director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which ran an experiment to see how easily a terrorist could create a bioweapon. Based on the experiment, a terrorist could easily grow anthrax in any facility and produce enough quantity in a covert delivery to kill 10,000 people in a large city ("Germ Warfare Factory"). Never before has an empire collapsed leaving 40,000 tons of chemical weapons, advanced biological weapons, and thousands of scientists with the knowledge to create all of the above (Nunn). In addition to naturally occurring pathogens, or diseases, terrorists have the ability to use genetically encrypted viruses to resist current therapies and evade vaccine induced immunity (FDA). A mixture of rogue states and well-financed religious cults with scientists desperately seeking funds creates a volatile situation with potentially serious consequences (Henderson). Among the most critical needs currently are improved vaccines, available in large supply, for all "Category A" viruses. Areas for vaccine improvement include increasing overall efficiency, protection against genetically engineered viruses, reducing complications of viruses, and, in the case of anthrax, increasing the number of inoculations. Finally, there is a need, both now and long term, to pursue measures that will prevent acts of terrorism. Whatever the CDC and The National Institute of Health can do to strengthen the provisions against bioterrorism deserves all possible support by the government. The strengthening of the United State's intelligence capabilities, so as to anticipate and perhaps capture and reveal terrorists, is of the highest priority. The fostering of international cooperative research programs with Russian and European laboratories is also important (Henderson). Finally, a more reassuring step is the Technology Applications to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Funded Research. This will apply the latest genetic, imaging, and computer technology to currently funded research on infectious diseases, especially those caused by "Category A" agents of bioterrorism. This is a much stronger step toward a United States of America with stronger protection against bioterrorism. To stay ahead of terrorists getting their hands on technology the U.S. must strengthen their technology. Therefore, the terrorist's power will never be stronger than the government's. This latest technology will help vaccines so they can still fight genetically altered viruses. This is one great step toward full protection of bioterrorism in this country (HHS Accelerates). These first steps to higher security against bioterrorism are key to the future. But funds and grants will not protect the U.S. when a terrorist decides to biologically attack. Terrorists are not going to sit around and wait for the US to build up its defenses. If anything the terrorists will attain what they need and attack as soon as possible. That's why the government needs to push a bioterrorism bill that w
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Approximate Word count = 2299
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)
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