Three Mile Island Receives "credible threat" overnight. But the big news is that the Anthrax being sent around the country and possibly around the world is "of the same strain" and considered to be "weapons grade", between 1 and 2 microns. . [1 to 5 microns is considered weapons grade]. This means that once it gets into the air, it is exceptionally buoyant and can hang there for hours.
Anthrax is extremely difficult to make into a weapon. You may have heard that. It is gummy, sticky and does not break down into a powder easily. Non weapons grade anthrax would fall to the ground quickly, making it near impossible to inhale. Only a handful of scientists on the planet could create weapons grade anthrax. In Washington, persons inhaled the substance, which is deadly.
What angers me is the ease in which idiots could place the powder into U.S. senate ventilation ducts. It was found in ventilation systems both at the Senate and Governor of New York's 38th floor office. Did nobody think to secure these ducts? C'mon. Did the FBI not think that Al-Qaida could have bought weapons grade anthrax from Iraq, who could have bought it from a former Soviet Union country? The Soviet Union is said to have "several hundred thousand tons" of weapons grade anthrax in storage.
Why does the ball keep getting dropped? I believe this is due to the FBI being investigators. Investigators come in AFTER a crime has been perpetrated. They simply lack the skills necessary to thwart an attack. The FBI investigates, the CIA gathers global intelligence, the National Gaurd protects U.S. interests from its own people. . . but who thinking AHEAD of terrorists?
I believe we need a Security force in the U.S.. . . one that is independent of existing agencies. . . and is focused on providing preventative security to government and public buildings, etc. . . . by using their imagination to determine all possible threats. . .and to use the info gathered by the FBI [investigators] as leads to protect our homeland in any number of ways. Perhaps this security force could fall under command of the new Office for Homeland Security.
Congress is looking for money to spend on buying every American a smallpox vaccine [good news for Acambis ACAM, which we bought on DayRaiders yesterday morning]. As dangerous as Anthrax is, it is nothing compared to Smallpox, which can wipe out a society.
But here is another thought that plagues me. . . [for lack of a better word] . . . if these terrorist idiots can get hold of weapons grade anthrax from former Soviet countries, then they can also get hold of smallpox from same. You want something to scare you for Halloween. . . try that on for size. Truth stranger than fiction.
Rande Is |
