America's Preparedness in Chemical or Biological Attack.

The events of September 11, 2001 have cast a new light on a debate which has transpired for decades in the U.S. government and among its citizens, namely, is the US prepared for chemical or biological attack. The United States has not previously, nor does now, show the preparedness to defend against this inherent threat.
Before we look at the issues, however, we must first look at the origins of these threats on mankind. “As long ago as 429 B.C. the Spartans burned pitch and sulfur to produce poisonous fumes under the city walls of the enemy”(Taylor 1). Chemical weapons were used during WWI that US citizens first saw for the first time, namely on those soldiers who fought in Europe. For those not killed by these gases, the devastating effects of these weapons continued on these soldiers for many years after they returned home from the war.
During World War II (WWII) it was common knowledge that the Germans and Japanese, and to a lesser extent, the US were experimenting with chemical and biological weapons. It was only
after the agreements of post WWI, the Geneva War Conventions, that no country utilized these weapons to any great extent in war. Development, however, was not slowed by these conventions, only usage.



 

 
   
 
  
 
 
 
America's Preparedness In Chemical Or Biological Attack.
.... The United States has not previously, nor does now, show the preparedness to defend against this inherent threat. .... "Even after a city 's water is .... (1237 5 )
  
Weapons Of Mass Destruction
.... by the United States military, which showed America 's vulnerability, and ill preparedness for such .... affected by various forms of chemical, or biological .... (1419 6 )
  
Weapons Of Mass Destruction
.... However we are left waiting in our preparedness for a .... nuclear weapons are not the only threats to America. .... a nuclear reactor in an antagonist 's territory to .... (1742 7 )
  
Homeland Security
.... Emergency Preparedness and Response: Although the main .... there are no major chemical, biological, radiological, and .... It will also improve America 's ability to .... (2338 9 )
  
Terrorism: September 11
.... or it can be the release of a toxic chemical in a .... Background to awareness/preparedness? .... The next day, President Bush called on America 's allies to join on a .... (3663 15 )
  
 
 

No one citizen of the U.S. knows how prepared we are for an attack of chemical or biological weapons. Here are some facts: “The greatest need for public health review stems from its antiquity. The laws date back to 50-70 years ago, and thus, do not adequately contemplate modern scenarios of probable significant contagious outbreaks”(Kellman 2) and that “The Center for Disease Control has enough stockpile of smallpox vaccines to medicate 12-15 million people”(ABC News 2). How can be considered prepared? Israel is, they “produced enough smallpox vaccine for the entire population”(ABC 2). Israel must care about there people more than the U.S. does.

Since these weapons of mass destruction have been created the world has changed forever. “Recent history demonstrates that neither arms control treaties, global missile defense or the moral aversion associated with the use of biological or chemical weapons will deter the use of these agents as weapons of mass destruction”(Webmedic4u 1). As with any type of conventional threat against the United States and its citizens this country must be ever vigilant and prepared. An equal effort at this preparedness must be exerted by the present administration and future administrations.

The Clinton Administration understood the need for our country in time of attack. “Over the last two years, the (Clinton) Administration has almost doubled the money devoted to protecting Americans against attacks with unconventional weapons”(Solomon 130). There is also a creation of 25 medical emergency teams to be able to react quickly in case of contamination anywhere in the U.S. There is a “Biological and Toxic Weapons Treaty of 1972 which prohibits the development, use, or stockpiling of biological or toxins”(Cobb 52). We have too programs to develop vaccines or immunizations with different organisms.




Some topics in this essay:
FBI CIA, Disease Control, Soviet Union, Weapons Treaty, Sarin VX, , BC Spartans, Clinton Administration, South Africa, Trials Germany, biological weapons, chemical biological, chemical biological weapons, chemical weapons, prepared attack, mass destruction, government spend, public health, “the public, weapons mass, citizens namely, biological chemical weapons,

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PROFESSIONAL ESSAYS:

National Security Before 9/11 OMB conducted a survey to see how America could survive took the position that most emergency preparedness concepts had Blank, S. What's at stake in Chechnya. (1056 4 )

EFFECTS OF WORLD WARS I AND II ON THE US of President Woodrow Wilson largely neglected preparedness before the IL: Jeffries, John W. Wartime America World War II Link, Arthur S. "What Happened to the (2469 10 )

EFFECTS OF WORLD WARS I & II ON THE US of President Woodrow Wilson largely neglected preparedness before the IL: Jeffries, John W. Wartime America World War II Link, Arthur S. "What Happened to the (2469 10 )

Issues of Production & Manufacturing Management have been observed in North America and Japan to understand the subsidiary(s competitiveness on One recent assessment of corporate preparedness for Europe 1992 (6841 27 )

Hurricane Katrina fuels a unique part of America's national psyche Department Office of Emergency Preparedness, Disaster Recovery Rosenblatt, S., & Rainey, J. (2005, September 27 (3721 15 )

The Northridge Earthquake of 1994 Perhaps S wave motion is best illustrated by the instruments in an urban setting in North America. the value of earthquake hazard mitigation and preparedness. (3911 16 )

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