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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bilow who wrote (6219)	10/19/2001 9:47:54 AM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

<<the Anthrax was that the attacks>> It's psychological warfare and its worked on that level...I hope its not just a diversion to keep us busy while a larger attack is launched. These terrorists have used very high grade anthrax -- not the kind you get at a neighborhood lab...A number of experts feel that Al Queda operatives got the small quantity of anthrax from Saddam or from the Russian black market. Both Iraq and the former Soviet Union produced large quantities of biological weapons. We know Mohammad Atta (the mastermind /ring leader of the September 11th attacks) met with an Iraqi intelligence official in the last 2 years at least once. We DON'T KNOW what was discussed or if some small vials of a powerful white substance changed hands. It sure wouldn't surprise me. Leading Middle East Historian Professor Bernard Lewis stated last night on Charlie Rose's PBS show that the U.S. made a BIG MISTAKE by not taking out Saddam in the early 90s...We upset a lot of moderate arabs by NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH and blaming it on our Gulf War Coalition. He said that after we finish up in Afghanistan we should take out Saddam's regime and help Iraq's freedom fighters come into power. This would be a big undertaking BUT I have a hunch that it might happen. This new war on terrorism won't end anytime soon. We're in this for the long haul. Regards, Scott

To: Bilow who wrote (6219)	10/19/2001 11:05:35 AM
From: RocketMan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Not sure they were badly done, it depends on their goal. Mailing letters to specific targets, containing hate language, tells me the perpetrators' goal is to induce fear, rather than to cause mass casualties. If their intent was casualties, they would have attacked with no warning, spraying or depositing the anthrax spores secretly at key locations for maximum exposure, and waiting for the disease to develop. Which, by the way, they may also have done, or are doing. Without fast-responding bio detectors, all we can say is that they had not done this as of 1-2 weeks ago. The mail attack does not fit the M.O. of Iraq or other organized states, it is either a home-grown hate group, or a renegade terrorist cell(s) acting in concert with the 911 attacks (with or without pre-knowledge). The spores themselves could have come from anywhere, though by nature of the sheer magnitude of their bioweapon programs, the probability is that they originated in the old Soviet Union or Iraq. That is, assuming we have learned enough in the last few years to keep a tight rein on homegrown threats like Wayne Harris (who was given 200 hours of community service and released on bail after being found with enough anthrax to wipe out an entire city in the mid-90s).

To: Bilow who wrote (6219)	10/19/2001 11:06:58 AM
From: Michael Watkins	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

The mystery about the Anthrax was that the attacks were so badly done. It's almost like they intended to only cause skin problems. It's like they wanted to piss us off more than hurt anyone. Sending mysterious powders in the mail; sending them to media targets -- its clear they wanted the attack to be discovered. "we have it" "we can get you" "analyse it all you want, in fact, we want you to" "scared yet?" "talk among your neighbors, please!" Hey, maybe its all just to scare; if the material is not so well constructed that it can't be used for a more serious attack, then its all for scare and disruption tactics. Or possibly it is well engineered and a bigger threat. Or possibly they managed to produce what reports are starting to agree is reasonably sophisticated material, but they didn't know enough that its impact would be minimal and detected? [no, I do not believe this one] Scare, use up valuable resources and possibly bigger threat are my current thoughts.

To: Bilow who wrote (6219)	10/19/2001 12:18:32 PM
From: FaultLine	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

It's like they wanted to piss us off more than hurt anyone Scare us and make us look weak, feeble, disorganized. This isn't a bio-attack, it's a psy-ops attack. And who better to spread the fear, the media of course! So, they send these letters to places like : ABC News NBC News (??) CBS News National Enquirer Senate Leadership House Leadership (probably failed...<my guess&gt) and others? There, that should buy $100 miliion in publicity. Not bad for two dollars worth of stamps... --fl@everyonepsychedout?.com