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Chemical and Biological weapons, the "BC" of "NBC" the acronym used by disarmament and DoD types (Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical), have a fairly long history. The first chemical weapons were simple poisons used in ancient times against specific targets, and later simply as smoke to confuse the battle lines in many a war.
The "weapons of mass destruction" use of chemical weapons is most familiar during World War I, when troops in the trenches were subjected to mustard gas, a hellish agent which attacks via an aerosol application and is inhaled. This is perhaps the easiest chemical weapon to mass produce, or produce in your home.
The difference between chemical and biological weapons is perhaps only explained in terms of the science involved. A chemical agent is produced by distillation, combination or precipitation of a chemical toxin. For example mixing two fairly harmless chemicals (like ammonia and some other for instance) to produce the toxin. When you are able to deliver the chemical agent in its unmixed form, mix it upon attack, and then disperse it, this is called a binary weapon. These are obviously much safer to store, a major consideration when dealing with chemical weapons.
The U.N. definition is "...chemical substances, whether gaseous, liquid or solid, which might be employed because of their direct toxic effects on man, animals, and plants...".
The Geneva Protocol of 1925 (also known as the Geneva Convention), prohibits the use of "...asphyxiating, posionous or other gases and of all analogous liquids, materials or devices."
Also important to note is the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention of 1972; which bans the development, production and stockpiling of such substances not required for peaceful purposes, and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction also known as the CWC
The biological weapon, may also use similar operations to create the precursors or ingrediants, for the most part, of the weapon. For instance, simple agar, a waxy mix of protein and hydrocarbons, is useful in growing a biological toxin. "Biological" and "grow" are the key terms. This is "germ warfare", where the agent is a live organism that is, of itself toxic (botulism for example), or produces as a by-product of its living, a toxin. In many cases, the dead form of the biological is just as deadly, if not as pervasive (it is dangerous as long as it can multiply). The mutated virus is perhaps the worst of all the biologicals, since it may be highly resistive to common medical treatments, and in fact may require (if there is one at all) a specialized antidote or treatment protocol to render it incapable of continuing to multiply. These types require a technology capable of genetic manipulation in its most primitive form, so at least for now are not as threatening from third world countries. However as new medical treatments are being discovered using this level of manipulation of our environment, this means that medical technology being distributed worldwide will increasingly present the danger of mutated virus (and other such) agents being produceable by third world countries and hence, perhaps by or for terrorist uses.
Following the attempt by a U.S. citizen to experiment with producing counter agents to chemical and biological agents, U.S. law now prohibits the possession of such agents. Experimentation with such agents is deemed a crime of mass destruction, and U.S. government agencies will deal with suspected possession with the most violent and severe methods. No kidding folks, don't even think about it. It's shoot and ask questions later time.
In its 1997 annual proliferation status report (dated November 1997) Proliferation: Threat and Response, the Pentagon points out that new toxins are becoming available which were not technically feasible just a decade ago. For instance, bio- engineering (genetic research) methods present a particularly deadly threat:
However, man made agents are only part of the problem as this citation from the same document indicates:
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
website at http://www.opcw.nl/ptshome.htm
using material taken from the publication A FOA Briefing Book on Chemical
Weapons
Biological and Chemical weapons are delivered in very similar manners. Since most are intended for absorbtion through the skin or inhaled, a fogger, capable of distributing or dispersing quantities of the chemical or biological agent into the air are the most common means of attacking. In the case of the battlefield, this is somewhat more difficult than it sounds. In order to generate a fog, the generator must be close to the target troops or the cloud of agent must be suspended for enough time for the target troops to enter it before it has been dispersed by the wind or falls to the ground. In some cases, falling to the ground may not fully disarm the agent, it is clear that its effectivity is reduced dramatically. The exceptions might be virul or organically distributed agents such as anthrax or botulinum. These biological agents could be absorbed into crops or water and spread thru consumption...either by meat or dairy animals, or through contaminated vegatables or grain.
Thus the generator must be near the troops and move slow enough to properly disperse the cloud. This means, however, that the generator is prone to attack, moving low and slow...either a slow moving vehicle, or a slow moving aircraft (plane or helicopter like a crop duster). Modern weapons can easily attack slow movers and pretty much eliminate a large area attack, leaving only small area protection necessary.
As mentioned previously, some agents are extremly effective when used to contaminate meat or dairy animals, as well as vegatation such as food crops. These and water supplies are elements that make up a category we will call Area Contamination. While much of the infrastructure for prevention of disease and contamination already exist in our food supplies, it is clear that contamination of plant or animals can also serve as an indirect source of attack. For instance, a wide spread area spraying could coat jungle foliage in a area to be denied, with later troop movement through that area being cause for sudden and surprised troops coming down with biological or chemical agent symptoms. Since no attacking vehicle was detected, the surprise factor may mean protection measures will be slow or even far too late to prevent massive casualties. Of course this depends upon the longevity of the agent as it lies in wait in the seemingly benign environment.
In this category, nerve agents are especially dangerous, as they can lie on leaves or in fur just waiting to be brushed off onto unprotected skin. In as much as many nerve agents are absorbed through the skin, this type of secondary attack could be quite effective...again the surprise on lack of attack indicators exacerbates the problem due to lack of early detection, thus leading to slow and late protection efforts.
More critical in terms of delivery are artillery rounds or bombs which can be dropped from high altitude. Only some agents can be dispersed in this manner, however, this means of delivery can be quite effective with the proper agent. Once again, the generator is brought close to the target troops and dispersal can take place rather rapidly. Agents sensitive to heat are not deliverable with these means however. Chemical agents such as some alkaloid-insectizide like nerve agents are quite effective using this means of delivery.
In a class similar to the artillery round delivery is the use of battlefield or even ICBMs as a means to place the generator in amongst the target population. For instance, Iraqi SCUDs during the Gulf War could just have easily been armed with biological or chemical warheads (and in fact after the war some of these were found and destroyed by UNSCOM). Preventing this type of attack is much more difficult as missile intercept system development has been retarded by various anti-missile missile sections of early Cold War treaties. U.S. Air Force's AirBorne Laser project is a key high tech element for the future protection against this kind of attack.
And finally, the most serious delivery system are those intended to be used against civilian populations in the urban setting. The attacker in these cases would most likely be well organized terrorists, it is also true that a rogue nation such as Iraq, Iran, Libya or Syria could also be the instigator is a real possibility. The urban delivery system could be as simple as a container with a built in fogger, similar to a pest fogger--a flea bomb. Only instead of a fairly harmless insecticide, the fogger would contain a chemical or biological agent. This attack type was shown quite effective in the subways of Toyko recently. The attackers fit the profile, well, a militaristic society of anti-government radicals planted several such devices throughout Tokyo. Fortunately most of the devices failed, however, a goodly number of fatalities and serious injuries occurred where the devices functioned properly. It is a frightening fact that this event probably marks only the first of such attacks in the remainder of this century. Building a fogger for this purpose is simple, as are other means of distributing toxic agents. For instance, a terrorist could simply spread a virul agent or botulinium by attacking air filters in an underground area or building air conditioning system. This method appears to have naturally occurred in the last several decades when a virul agent produced pneumonia symtpoms in an incident which later became known as Legionaires Disease (after the convention goers who were afflicted).
In fact, the danger to typical environmental equipment is perhaps the most severe means of delivery, and the least protected today.
And much like Area Contamination discussed previously, the urban setting is ideal for secondary attack methods. A never agent could be applied to hand rails on stairs, public transit, and many other means by an innoculated attacker. In cities where citizenry are prone to wearing surgical masks, Tokyo for instance, an attacker could done protection that might go unnoticed from the general population while spreading the agent everywhere they go.
Of course the best way to protect against any chemical or biological attack is to stop it at its source. When unable to do so, detection of the attack is the next best method. Once detected, the doning of protective gear is necessary. Protective gear today consists of non-porous clothing covering the entire body as well as face mask and filters or self-contained breathing apparatus.
Innoculation against common biologicals can also reduce the risk to target personnel, however, as the agents you are innoculating against is varied, there is some risk of creating health problems through the innoculation process itself. For instance, some innoculated could turn out to be allergic to the innoculation, so care must be taken to test for allergies prior to the innoculation being given. Moreover, some may not be allergic, but worse, sensitive to the compound used, thus while not having an allergic reaction, the person innoculated comes down with a case of that which you are innoculating against...akin to getting the flu from a flu shot. This is rare and in the numbers game not significant. However, in innoculating a general population any chance of creating a health problem is unacceptable.
Clearly, security of environmental equipment is an excellent way to prevent that mode of attack, however, routine maintenance of that equipment leaves room for attack by substitute personnel or by direct attack on the equipment itself...few building owners can afford to have a SWAT level team to protect the access to such equipment. Much can be done however to make a building a more difficult target...eliminate access from the ground, increase security on access paths to such equipment, use the two man rule for access, etc.
Water supplies and the food chain are another clandestine concern, so access is again a key method for prevention.
In most parts of the world, the emergency response teams such as fire, medical (i.e. ambulances, paramedics), and police are not well trained in dealing with a chemical or biological attacks. Some exceptions such as most every city in Israel exist but the vast majority of cities in the rest of the world are so unprepared as to be useless in an NBC attack.
However, as the NBC weapons issues have grown due to terrorism, cities are now taking these preparations seriously. Larger cities have the budgets necessary to acquire training and equipment necessary to respond to NBC emergencies, however, mid-sized cities are woefully unprepared, perhaps unable to deal with even a small incident.
National level efforts are beginning to appear worldwide. For instance, on February 17, 1998, U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen announced that special response teams were being set up within the U.S. National Guard, to be trained and ready as Rapid Response Teams for dealing with NBC attacks. These groups will reside in major U.S. Cities, and be capable of being airlifted to outlying areas as needed. They will be trained by DoD methods already being used for the training of U.S. military troops with an emphasis on urban contingencies. Also, a special office within the DoD will be established to coordinate the National Guard and local official training which may include integrated training exercises.
| Cyanide | Cyanide is a gas manufactured from in large quantities quite easily. It is quite bitter to the taste, and acts almost instantly to stop respiration. In its gaseous form it is invisible, however dispersment (like most gas weapons) is best if produced by a fogger. Death is immediate and there is litle if any time for an antidote to be applied. Standard NBC equipment is capable of protecting would-be victims, however, this is such a nasty poison that it can be absorbed through cuts or other openings in the skin, thus decontamination of the outside of suits is required before removing NBC gear (this should be standard practice). Gas masks alone are a useful means of protection, however full body protection is highly recomended. Cyanide is another of the World War I agents and was also used by Saddam Hussein against Iranians and Kurds. |
| Mustard Gas | Mustard Gas, used in World War I is a highly odorous gas which stings the eyes and causes severe fits of coughing. It has been linked to medium term diagnosis of cancer of the lungs in British Soldiers surviving attacks during World War I as well as workers where the gas was made. It is highly toxic to the eyes and lungs and immobilizes the unprotected in seconds, much like tear gas. In fact, its first victims were those familar with tear gas and who thought there was only a temporary incapacitation. They were dead wrong. Mustard gas is extremely easy to manufacture in large quantities. The only recorded use since World War I (and international treaties making such use illegal and a war crime) was by Saddam Hussein against Iranian soldiers and Kurds in his own country. |
| Ricin | Manufactured from castor beans, this natural occuring toxin which can be packed in just about any delivery system. It produces nearly instant paralysis once symptoms occur, followed by coma and death. It strikes in a manner similar to a dehabilating virus, and therefore can easily be misdiagnosed. Full NBC protection is the only means of adequate protection, and full decontaminiation is required off all equipment and suits which are suspected of having come in contact with the agent. |
| Sarin | Also known as Nerve Gas GB, is an oderless, straw colored liquid similar to modern pesticides typically found worldwide. Sarin attacks the respitory system within minutes and is deadly in almost all cases. Minor exposure can produce long terms effects, and a non fatal dose can be aggravated by minor subsequnt exposure later on, with a full onset of symptoms as a result. U.S. soldiers destroying ammunition bunkers were exposed to minor doses at the conclusion of the Gulf War and are displaying chronic symptoms 7 years later. Sarin, like most never agents, is easily administered via aerosol or through contact with the skin in fine droplets. Full NBC protection is the only means of adequate protection, and full decontaminiation is required off all equipment and suits which are suspected of having come in contact with the agent. |
| Tabun | Tabun is a somewhat older nerve agent created in the 1930s initially as a pesticide with dramatic effects on humans. It is easily used in attack via aerosol application and is somewhat resistive to heat, making it deliverable via artillery shell or other explosive dispersion. Like other nerve agents it is absorbed through the skin or inhaled, producing immediate symptoms of respitory difficulty, followed by nausea, vomiting, or other toxin related symptoms. However, Tabun may cause rapid onset of coma or respitory failure, which in most cases leads to death with little treatment beyond extraordinary life support. Most victims will die before such treatment can be administered however, and those who can be on full life support are likely to die due to total shutdown of the respitory system. Tabun is the easiest of nerve agents to manufacturer and is considered the first to be created by emerging NBC warfare designers. Like most "artificial" nerve agents, it is somewhat costly to manufacture, however, modern pesticide equipment is considered dual use, and capable of manufacturing Tabun. Full NBC protection is the only means of adequate protection, and full decontaminiation is required off all equipment and suits which are suspected of having come in contact with the agent. |
| VX Nerve Gas | Nerve gases in general are extremly hazardous agents used in chemical warfare. The Nerve VX is just one of many and characterizes the worst of this class of chemical agensts. It is odorless, colorless, and only detectable with special high technology gear. It attacks the nervous system almost immediately, producing dizziness, immediately followed by convulsions, paralyse and death. It is produced in a manner very similar to that of modern phosporous based pesticides today, and therefore is extremely easy to manufacuture, more alarming, easy to hide as part of dual use manufacturing processes and facilities. Anyone creating modern pesticides, could be secretly producing VX liquid. In its liquid form it is highly concentrated, and a small quantity can be extremely deadly as it be mixed and dilluted for disperal in aerosol form. A single drop is deadly, a 10 foot cloud of VX can disperse and kill 100s if not more depending on how long the dispered cloud remains in the air, or whether where is falls will come into contact with humans or animals. VX gas was found in huge quantities (initially undeclared) in Iraq by UNSCOM inspectors. The CIA reports that Iraq still has many of the precursors for the creation of VX nerve gas, and is one of the reasons for the concern of Allied political and military leaders since the Gulf War, and is perhaps an agent which has prompted the Iraqis to defy U.N. sanctions during the Inspetion Crisis, October 1997 through February 1998. Full NBC protection is the only means of adequate protection, and full decontaminiation is required off all equipment and suits which are suspected of having come in contact with the agent. |
| Aflatoxin | This biological is produced by certain fungi found on grains, peanuts, or other foods under specific conditions (which we won't go into for obvious reasons). The toxin is a fast acting poison that once ingested, attacks the digestive system, and leads quickly to shutdown of the renal system, causing a painful death (typically death is from acute liver poisoning). It can be treated only right after exposure, otherwise damage is so severe the body cannot recover. Symptoms typically are led off by vomiting, nausea, internal bleeding in the intestines, quickly followed by convulsions, coma, and death. Since the intitial symptoms are similar to a highly virulent flu or other virual attack, this agent is sometimes overlooked until internal bleeding is detected, at which point convulsions, coma and death are soon to follow. While this is NOT a virul agent it is not contagious per se, however, the liquid output from a person who has been attacked is toxic and must be protected against using normal biological safeguards...i.e. gloves, facemasks, smocks, etc. to prevent inhalation and contact with the skin. Aflatoxin breeds in the host, therefore care must be taken to fully eliminate cadavers, waste, and clothing which may have absorbed toxin in the oil from the skin or waste products generated by the host before death. |
| Anthrax | Anthrax is a naturally occuring biological germ which attacks either
the lungs and heart (pulmonary form) or the intestines (intestinal form).
Anthrax is transmitted quite easily from meat animals to those hosts consuming
the meat. The pulmonary form is ingested through the normal course of breathing.
Both froms are deadly within hours, the intenstinal form having typical
toxic ingestion symptoms such as vomiting, intestinal bleeding, severe
diarrhea. Coma and death are final stages of the attack. Attacking with
Anthrax is somewhat difficult in that the pulmonary from must be applied
with aerosol, and the cloud must be fairly potent (8-10,000 spores per
person) in its reciept by the host. Crop dusting aircraft or Helicopter
dispersion over the battle lines would be typical means of performing the
attack, however, these are also readily countered simply by targeting these
aircraft, which are by the nature of the application, slow moving and prone
to loss. The intestinal form could be seeded in an agricultural or meat
producing area with the hope it would go undetected, thus poisioning the
food or water supply. However Anthrax is susceptible to heat and most food
sterilization techniques are satisfactory to prevent the spread of the
germ. In fact this sensitivity to heat is why it is difficult to use an
artillery shell to dispense the agent, and makes it easy to destroy in
storage with high temperature or burning bomb attacks.
Anthrax agents occur naturally but are susceptible to a wide range of antibiotic counter-agents. However, weapons grade Anthrax agents have been created that are extremely resistant to common anti-biotics like Pencillin. A number of anti-biotics tailored specifically to the Anthrax like toxins have been developed, providing for preventive vaccinations -- typically being administered to military or aid personnel going into harms way. Anthrax spores are, in nature, in low concentrations of the size that can be inhaled, and this typically can be used to identify truely natural occuring agents from manufactured agents. However, a natural strain can be cultured into a toxic air borne variety in sufficient concentrations without extremely complex reagent equipment. True weapons grade Anthrax requires a sophisticated level of bio-chem expertise and modern medicine production quality equipment to culture. However, patient use of less sophisticated equipment can be used to create, over long periods of time, sufficient material to stockpile enough for an attack. |
| Botulinum | A germ with both useful and dangerous properties, Botulinum can cause botulism, a horribly efficient and toxic killer. The biological warfare agent is more toxic per quantity then nerve gas. Exposure (via aersol) can be deadly within 12 hours, however incapacitation does not occur until the severe onset of symptoms, which may not show until upto 18 hours after ingestion. Once the disease has begun showing, there is little time to reverse its course, and death occurs usually within 36 hours. Death is the expected results after 3 days for 80 percent of those exposed, usually regardless of treatment. However early treatment may prevent some deaths (thus the 20% survival rate). Botulinum itself can be manufactured easily, however, really toxic forms take some medical expertise to grow. Unfortunately the equipment used is similar to any growth medium medicine equipment, so monitoring dual use equipment is essential in preventing its manufacture. Few nations are unable to meet the technology requirements, therefore, little can be done to prevent its manufacture if monitoring is not available. Iraq at one time had enough toxin to kill everyone on the planet. U.S. and British intelligence sources have indicated two to three times the amount destroyed by UNSCOM may have been manufactured. UNSCOM is clearly on a mission to find the storage locations for any remaining Botulinum toxin in Iraq. |
| Smallpox | In the 1980s, smallpox was considered no longer a threat, with no cases worldwide for decades.
smallpox is a virulent, highly infectious disease, which if untreated quickly
is extremely deadly. However, since there are essentially no natural occuring
strains of the disesase left, it is believed only cultured samples from
health or older biological weapons laboratories exist and can be harvested. It would be
difficult for any nation other than the U.S. or Russia to create a biological
weapon using smallpox -- nearly impossible in fact -- unless a laboratory
sample were stolen. For this reason the existing cultures are well
guarded, with the U.S. helping Russian labs with funding for security in order
to prevent theft.
Smallpox symptoms are similar to many childhood diseases, with fever and lesions indicating the disease is well on its way to conclusion. The lesions occur with 30 days of infection, and resemble a large number of blisters on the skin, filled with pus. The pus is highly contagious as is any body fluid of an infected person, with even secondary contact from bed linens spreading the disease. Once infected, about 30% of those infected died, however modern anti-biotics would reduce that figure if prompt diagnosis and treatment occurs. The fever may indicate the disease has already progressed to the point where rapid injection of anti-biotics is required immediately. The onset of lesions indicates fatality in 50% of cases, and if untreated in 72 hours the patient is most certainly not going to recover. Persons infected must immediately be isolated as they are highly contagiuos, since any form of body fluid exchange included sneezes, coughs, etc. will transfer the disease to a new host. Treatment consists of a range of anti-biotics, however pre-ventitive innoculation is of course the best means to controlling the disease. The innoculation consists of a round device with needlees that puncture the skin and serves the dual purpose of innoculation and providing a telltale if the disease has already been contracted. Most persons 50 years are older were innoculated in elementary school, but anyone attending elementary school after the 1980s most likely did not receive an innoculation. The innoculation has an extremely low case of side effects and it is rare anyone gets ill from it. However, anyone recently innoculated should be watched carefully for the telltale to insure they have not caught the disease. As mentioned before, an innoculation was administered to early age school children, irradicating the natural form of the disease. The last outbreaks occurred in undeveloped countries, and the World Heath Organization quickly responded in each occurance to limit deaths and ensure more than adequate anti-biotics were available, thus eliminating spread of and re-introduction of the disease into the world's population. Bio-terror experts are concerned with smallpox because of its virility as well as the waning immunity of those who were innoculated as children. The fact that only a handful of innoculations have occurred since the 1980s, the population 30 years and younger is totally unprotected. Production of Smallpox is quite simple once the agent is in hand, however, since there are no natural occuring agents remaining, the source must be one of a handful of stored samples; either in germ warfare facilities or communicatable disease centers, all of which are thought to be well protected. Exception are some germ warfare laboratories from the era of the former Soviet Union. The U.S. has provided and continues to help states of the former Soveit Union to cleanup and eliminate unused, and unfortunately unprotected bio-warfare sites. Several other nations may have a sample culture of smallpox, either derived from the Soviet samples or from indigenous samples. Iran, Iraq and North Korea had well defined bio-warfare programs before the extinction of the natural occuring agent, and therefore may have collected and preserved such samples. This may also hold true for nations without regular inspection regimes, such as China. The delivery mechanism for smallpox is quite simple. One infected person can become the source for dozens of new vectors in minutes thus allowing a suicide attacker to spread the disease quite easily and quickly with little if any overt activity. |