Most people are smart enough to understand that chemical warfare and biological warfare can kill as many as nukes...it might take a bit longer though.
KLP,
Nerve agents disperse quite well as airborne agents and kill in seconds. That is pretty quick.
Nuke damage is confined to the blast area and fallout zone and radiation sickness is not contagious.
A simultaneous release of Smallpox in several populated areas may take decades to confine. Depending on the care received, the expected death rate from such an event is 35-85%.
And a bio attack might be easier to accomplish.
The recent discussion here about stalin, lenin, hitler, mao, pol pot, et al, is pertinent. We humans have had such leaders throughout our history. Similar men are active in the world today.
Can we change the course of history? Can we dump these leaders in the early stages, when their murders number in the 10s or 100s of thousands instead of millions? Can we dump them before they commit greater mass atrocities against humanity?
It will be difficult at best...impossible without greater support both from more Americans and our allies. The adversarial political game currently being played out is not conducive to problem solving.
That does not mean I think we need the UN. I don't.
I do think to be successful in changing the course of human history, we need our allies. I am not sure they are up to the challenge. If they are not, a great expansion of the on-going WWIII is inevitable.
I keep the following quotes handy:
“I am confident that Muslims will be able to end the legend of the so-called superpower that is America.”
Osama Bin Laden, Time magazine, Jan 11, 1999.
“There’s never … been worldwide terrorism at a time when the weapons have been as powerful as they are today, with chemical and biological and nuclear weapons spreading to countries that harbor terrorists.”
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, October 4, 2001
“We are the targets of enemies who boast they want to kill - kill all Americans, kill all Jews, and kill all Christians.”
President George W Bush, November 9, 2001
uw |
