Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: eugene@nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Biological weapons Message-ID: <1991Jan24.041304.23421@cbnews.att.com> Date: 24 Jan 91 04:13:04 GMT References: <1991Jan19.033623.765@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: NAS Program, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Lines: 78 Approved: military@att.att.com From: eugene@nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya) In article <1991Jan19.033623.765@cbnews.att.com> rcorless@uwovax.uwo.ca (Rob Corless) writes: >Can anyone in this newsgroup provide an overview of the effectiveness >of such weapons, with particular regard to Iraq's arsenal? Well, I didn't sign any documents on this and the distribution is limited to usa, and I suspect network and phone links to Iraq are limited. Basically, the "effectiveness" is a big unknown. We (the US), nor anyone, has fought a biological war. We have fought limited chemical wars with crude agents during WWI. WHAT we do know is that major epidemics have covered the world at times (the plague, the 1918 flu; note this last killed more people than WWI). The US and other countries have tried to understand how these weapons might work (aerobiology). Weapons fall into two basic categories (like chemical weapons): lethal and incapacitating agents. Because, we have not fought such a war, the latter are largely studied for "curiosity." The "science" studied manufacturing (simple), packaging, dispersal, vaccines (prevention), treatment (during infection), etc. Basically: 1) it doesn't take much, it's very cheap, 2) attributes like disperal, persistence, etc. are unknown. All this stuff is in libraries, and you used to be able to write the Pentagon and they would mail you public domain info. On anthrax specifically: virulent. Harty spores (boiling will kill the bacillus, but not the spores). Store it for years, can survive a dispersal explosion. Easily reproduced. Short infection time. Open air tested several times. Problems as a weapon: Can be treated if detected in time (depending on form). A vaccine exists (but crude), Iraq probably only has limited quantities. Possible contamination if facilities attacked, unknown. Also depends on the vector used to disseminate the agent. You can look up CBW books which will tell you the symptoms and treatments of diseases like anthrax. Basically, you can get sick and die in up to 24 hours without treatment (assuming proper agent identification). Basic bottom line: you don't want anyone starting a biological war if you can help it. Anthrax as developed and as would be theoretically contracted would be quite lethal. It would be a "doomsday" weapon, since the Iraqis would have little control. It is assumed any penicillin supplies and medical staff would be overwhelmed. There is another type of biological warfare. No one has talked about it. Using dogs, dolphins, etc. I am sure these are in use. BZ: BTW, de-commissioned, apparently had problems in hot environments. Check the non-classified literature. Napalm: (your poster who noted phosphorus was wrong (excepting the fuse)). I grew near the Torrance plant where its made. Basically, they mix gasoline and styrene. They stockpile the styrene (which is also a product of the plant, in waiting for the bombs. Two times during the Vietnam war, trucks carrying the bombs (silver things) had crashes, and a container or two would break open (fortunately not igniting, you need the fusing or open flame) spilling their contents. Demonstrators were a common sight at this plant. The question I would ask about the Gulf war (rhetorically, I don't expect an answer): how many flame throwers they have in the engineering battlions over there? That will determine how fast the war will be over. Reasoning: CS won't be effective. It is unclear to me how their chemical warfare units are organized in the Iraqi army. Enhanced radiation (neutron) weapons: See the "What Ever Happened to ...?" column in IEEE Spectrum, I think it was December, could have been November. Basically several hundred were made (shells and missile warheads). That is getting a little close. Enough said. --e. nobuo miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@orville.nas.nasa.gov {uunet,mailrus,other gateways}!ames!eugene AMERICA: CHANGE IT OR LOSE IT.