With the possibility of germ warfare increasing in the world, Defense Secretary William Cohen has decided all of America's men and women in uniform should be inoculated against the biological weapon anthrax. The report convinced Cohen to announce the decision on Monday. To be effective, medical force protection must be comprehensive, well-documented and consistent.
Anthrax can be fatal even in microscopic amounts.
Although just one of many biological weapons in the hands of rogue nations, anthrax is considered by the Pentagon to be the most threatening because it is the easiest to produce. Prospects of biological warfare became especially pressing in recent months as Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein refused to allow U.N. teams to inspect all possible locations of biological and chemical weapons within his country. In response to the National Defense Panel, an advisory group mandated by Congress, advised the Defense Department that the 400,000 member national guard take charge of defending citizens from terrorist attacks and help coordinate response to chemical and biological attacks. But even if Saddam Hussein wants to take over the world by raining anthrax spores down on invading armies or nearby nations, he's going to have a tough time of it. It has to be in tiny droplets in order to float for miles, and you have to make sure the wind currents are right and all that.