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Politics : DON'T START THE WAR -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Patricia Trinchero who wrote (21869)	3/16/2003 8:20:08 PM
From: Sea Otter	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 25898

Iraq War And Saddam's Love For Camels zkea.com ================================= Unless you've just returned from a long solitary sojourn in a Himalayan cave, you're probably aware that a very large war is imminent. The main actors will be Iraq and the United States, with Britain as supporting cast, Kuwait as the not-so-willing stage host and the rest of the world as the rather nervous audience. Whatever one's personal stance on this pending drama, many will probably admit to a certain sense of relief: at least this long-awaited war will finally be fought and finished. And once concluded, this war will be just that - concluded. The world will then be able get back to its original business, whatever that might be. Yet perhaps things aren't so simple. Perhaps this war might have unanticipated costs or ramifications. On this topic, it's probably as good a time as any to note a couple curious and little-known facts about Iraq. Over the next few weeks, these facts may or may not become relevant to the world at large. Then again, they could become quite relevant. And even if this is not the case, these facts will certainly have broader implications for the post-Saddam world. We may see this play again. These facts revolve around Saddam's love for camels. This (presumably platonic) affection is so intense, in fact, that Iraq has duly invested millions of dollars into an effort to make camel's healthier. Specifically this money has gone into researching camelpox, a deadly virus which afflicts camels throughout the world. To this end Iraqi biologists and engineers have built a very large camelpox research program. Since 1988 (according to the Iraqis) this program has dedicated itself to making the world safe for camels. Such was the Iraqi dedication that, even during times of economic hardship and war, the camelpox program received increasing funds and resources. It seems no effort was too great for this fine desert beast, no matter what the cost. This altruistic interest in camels was uncovered by United Nation's weapons inspectors after Gulf War I. In addition to uncovering large biological weapons programs for anthrax and BT, which were obviously built to kill people, the inspectors uncovered document and equipment relevant to viral poxes. What poxes are you researching? the inspectors asked the Iraqis. "Camelpox" answered the Iraqis. "We are researching camelpox". The Iraqis then trotted out some vials of camelpox plus a bunch of camels. "Viral cultures and patients", they proclaimed. Of course, the weapons' inspectors weren't so easily convinced. They had been around and knew the ways of Middle Eastern duplicity. They thus openly wondered if this camelpox program might be military rather than civilian in its orientation. They also wondered if it might have a different mammal as its target, namely, us. The Iraqi's were shocked by this suggestion. No, they insisted, we are simply interested in camels. Besides, they pointed out, how could camelpox have a military application? It doesn't affect people, just camels! Why research a virus for military purposes, when that virus was inherently benign? They had a point. While it can be quite lethal, the camelpox virus is quite specific and does not particularly like people. Not for nothing is it named camelpox. Very occasionally humans who work in close proximity to camels will get the virus, but even then the disease is localized and mild. Then came an interesting event. While nosing about in an abandoned warehouse in Iraq, two inspectors chanced upon a fermentation chamber. Such chambers are used to incubate and mass-produce viruses, such as camelpox. As one looked inside the other noticed that this chamber had a faded label on it. The label said "Smallpox". The inspectors beat a hasty retreat. "Jesus", remarked one inspector, "I sure as hell hope they sterilized that thing". "Mistaken labeling", said the Iraqis. "We don't have smallpox here in Iraq. Sorry for the misunderstanding". With that, and given they could uncover no other information, the weapon's inspectors proceeded to other projects. Then there was another discovery, this one in the UK rather than in Iraq. In 2002 researchers at Oxford University sequenced camelpox. This sequencing revealed that camelpox was the closest living relative to smallpox - their genetic codes matched up almost identically. Among other things, this discovery lends credence to the theory that smallpox may have evolved from camelpox back in the dims mists of early human history. It also meant that camelpox is perhaps the ideal surrogate for smallpox. Given they are so closely related, techniques for bioengineering and weaponizing camelpox would also work for smallpox. Does Iraq have smallpox? Is their camelpox program merely a cover and a useful research surrogate for other hidden work with the smallpox virus itself? No one knows. But the known facts are indeed quite curious and provide much raw material for doubt and reflection. Lastly, we reach present-day events. What if Saddam Hussein decides to broaden the coming war? Will he seek to strike the United States first with the most potent weapons in his arsenal? If so, what better weapon than one that could spread mass terror and death in the attacking country? Perhaps this will happen, perhaps not. Maybe Iraq never had smallpox weapons, or maybe they once did and they since have been dismantled for fear of discovery. Or perhaps Iraq will indeed try to use such weapons but will be forestalled by United States military action. No one will know until events of the next few weeks fully play out. However, even if the United States dodges a biological attack this time, the future holds a grave caution: biological weapons even the playing field. They are a cheap and extremely potent way to counteract the conventional or nuclear superiority of an opponent. Even in victory, a superpower might find itself paying a price beyond its imagination.