Terrorism, War, or Disease?
PoliticsThe use of biological warfare (BW) agents by states or terrorists is one of the world's most frightening security threats but, thus far, little attention has been devoted to understanding how to improve policies and procedures to identify and attribute BW events. Terrorism, War, or Disease? is the first book to examine the complex political, military, legal, and scientific challenges involved in determining when BW have been used and who has used them.
Through detailed analysis of the most significant and controversial allegations of BW use from the Second World War to the present, internationally recognized experts assess past attempts at attribution of unusual biological events and draw lessons to improve our ability to counter these deadly silent killers. This volume presents the most comprehensive analysis of actual and alleged BW use, and provides an up-to-date evaluation of law enforcement, forensic epidemiology, and arms control measures available to policymakers to investigate and attribute suspected attacks.
"This is a key book for anyone studying BW, WMD or public health, especially considering its highly impressive list of contributors. It is well focused, cohesive and achieves its objectives in an iformative and interesting way."—Michelle Bentley, Political Studies Review
"Terrorism, War or Disease is a genuine synthesis of scholarship, analyzing the complexity of BW events and the political, social and natural factors that influence the interpretation and handling of available information. The lessons learned from each case study apply to a number of serious global issues of increasing importance and urgency. The writers are leaders in the field, known for their individual and collaborative scholarship."—Nancy Connell, Director, the Center for Biodefense, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
"This book offers flashes of insight over the dark terrain of bioterrorism. A real contribution." —Richard Danzig, Secretary of the Navy 1998-2001
"This book provides a much-needed, detailed and authoritative examination of the issues that have to be addressed in the accurate attribution of the causes of unusual outbreaks of disease and allegations of the use of biological weapons."—Hans Blix, Executive Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission
