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A Public Service Research Institute Serving The National Interest Since 1958

The Biological Warfare Threat. Col Randy Larsen, USAF (Ret.). A Public Service Research Institute Serving The National Interest Since 1958. Determining the Threat. Capability. X. Vulnerability. X. Intent. =. THREAT. Biological Warfare.

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A Public Service Research Institute Serving The National Interest Since 1958

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  1. The Biological Warfare Threat Col Randy Larsen, USAF (Ret.) A Public Service Research Institute Serving The National Interest Since 1958

  2. Determining the Threat Capability X Vulnerability X Intent = THREAT

  3. Biological Warfare Nov. 16, 1997: Defense Secretary William Cohen holds up a five-pound bag of sugar on ABC's This Week. A similar amount of Anthrax could destroy half the population of Washington.

  4. Lethality With ideal conditions (a clear, calm night) a single aircraft, using an efficient aerosol generator to dispense 100 kg of anthrax spores, could adequately cover a 300 km2 area and inflict between 1,000,000 and 3,000,000 deaths. OUTLINE OF WASHINGTON, DC 300 km2 1,000,000 – 3,000,000 Source: US Congress Office of Technology Assessment, Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Assessing the Risks, August 1993, pg. 54.

  5. The one that scares me to death, perhaps even more so than tactical nuclear weapons, and the one we have the least capability against is biological weapons. General Colin Powell, 1993 Believers Source: Testimony of Gen. Colin Powell, US Congress, House Committee on Armed Services, Hearings on National Defense Authorization Act FYI 1994 - H.R. 2401, 103rd Cong., 1st session., H201–33 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1993): 112.

  6. Bioterrorism is the single most dangerous threat to U.S. national security in the foreseeable future. R. James Woolsey, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, 1993-1995 Believers (Cont.)

  7. Today one man can make war. A lucky bio buffoon could kill 400,000 people. Dr. Joshua Lederberg For more information: Visit the National Library of Medicine's Profiles in Science website on Dr. Lederberg: www.profiles.nlm.nih.gov/BB/Views/Exhibit/bw.html Believers (Cont.)

  8. Soviet Union’s BW Program Colonel (Dr.) Kanjatan Alibekov Dr. Ken Alibek

  9. Live Agent Tests

  10. Credible Threat?

  11. Human “Testing” Aerosol Release of Less Than One Gram of Anthrax Spores Sverdlovsk April 2, 1979 96 People Infected 66 Died of Pulmonary Anthrax Villages With NumerousCases of Animal Anthrax 10 Kilometers

  12. Aerial Dissemination

  13. Gulf War Threat

  14. Force Disposition

  15. Atmospheric Conditions

  16. Bio Vulnerability

  17. Biological Weapons • Agent Acquisition • Production • Weaponization • Delivery March 3, 1999: Dr. William Patrick attempts to illustrate how easy it is to launch biological agents at a House committee meeting.

  18. Applied to this Equation Capability X Vulnerability X Intent = THREAT

  19. Respond vs. React

  20. Education • First Responders • Meteorological Conditions • Defense Against Low-Tech • Low-Cost Defense

  21. www.homelandsecurity.org

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