Subject:
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Re: A N T H R A X - they aren't making this stuff in caves in Afghanistan
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Tue, 16 Oct 2001 08:21:41 GMT
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Viewed:
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2607 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Lindsay Frederick Braun writes:
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> > In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Scott Arthur writes:
> > (citing the Guardian)
> > > ==+==
> > > In May 1989, large-scale anthrax production began at a factory constructed
> > > at Al Hakam. Unscom estimated that Al Hakam manufactured 8,425 litres of
> > > anthrax bacteria during the course of 1990.
> > > ==+==
> >
> > Thanks for the cite. Does anyone know if this stuff keeps for 10 years in
> > powder form? Bacteria are quite resilient but 10 years is an aw'fly long time.
>
> The powder isn't bacteria. The powder is *spores*. And spores
> keep a long, long, long time--live spores nearly 8,000 years old
> have been pulled from ice cores in the last decade or so.
8000 Years! Pah, that is nothing compared to 250,000,000 years:
http://inq.philly.com/content/inquirer/2000/10/19/front_page/ANCIENT19.htm
Scott A
>
> > (of course that cite just shows production capability, it could still be in
> > production, or Iraq could be totally innocent of this particular perfidy and
> > the site destroyed or out of production for years. Who knows?)
>
> Apparently it's possible to get small amounts of this stuff
> from supply companies in the US. You'd need a way to make more,
> sure, but with bin Laden's deep pockets it's possible.
>
> Then again, it *could* be left over. Or it could be an opportunistic
> attack from an antigovernment group here in the USA.
>
> > What I think is telling is the price/performance ratio here. For the cost of
> > a stamp and a little legwork (ignoring production cost), an entire country
> > is stirred up and tens or hundreds of millions spent on defense. Highly
> > asymmetrical, highly efficient of scarce terrorist resources.
>
> ...and it undermines public confidence in a major public industry.
> A government public industry. What's worse, the powder from one
> of those letters, if it's leaking out through the seams as it's
> been said to do, could be spread around on *hundreds* or *thousands*
> of pieces of mail. Aiiiee. Let the US Government do your distribution
> for you.
>
> IMHO, this is the hallmark of this entire terror campaign--to use
> our institutions, our technologies, our fears, and our freedoms
> against us. It's brilliant, but I'm convinced that they've really
> underestimated the power of our commitment to our ideals.
>
> > Evil != stupid
>
> Alas, true evil rarely is. Were only bin Laden that dumb guy
> who leaves his wallet at the gas station he's just robbed...sigh.
>
> best
>
> LFB
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