Introduce, Discuss and Analyze the Anthrax Attacks
The anthrax attacks of Fall 2001 were especially frightening because asthey continued, it became increasingly clear they originated inside theUnited States, and there seemed little way to stop them. They wereextremely frightening not because of a huge death toll, but because theycould happen anywhere, at any time, and the implications for furtherterrorism seemed explicit. It was the first use of biological weapons inour country, and it was a frightening wake up call to national security andAmerican citizens that we really are not that immune to biological weapons What is anthrax' Anthrax is a disease that is spread by a one-celledorganism called "Bacillus anthracis." Anthrax does not spread from oneperson to another, it spreads via the bacterium, and this is a deadlydisease that can attack the lungs, intestines, or skin. The Center forDisease Control (CDC) classifies anthrax as a "Category A agent" becausethese agents are the most dangerous to people, and they can spread. TheCDC reports Category A's, "pose the greatest possible threat for a badeffect on public health, may spread across a large area or need publicawareness, and need a great deal of planning to pro
Scientist Rosenbergcontinues, "On 9 Nov. By May, 2002, the FBI had conducted numerous interviews withscientists, and had a couple of suspects, but no arrests had been made, andmembers of the media were noting it was time to "light a fire" under theFBI's investigation of the anthrax attacks (Thompson). Many people believe they"bungled" the investigation, and the American people may never know whosent the anthrax letters that killed five people. The FBIinvestigation finally centers on Steven Hatfill, a researcher who worked inthe American lab where most experts believe the anthrax was made less thantwo years before the attacks. Manyscientists begin to question the FBI's continued investigation of Hatfillwhen it seems there may be other suspects who had the ability andmotivation to author the attacks. With the dismissal of Hatfill as asuspect, the FBI has no other viable suspect, although the investigationcertainly continues. While the individual risks associated withanthrax may be low, especially in the format the attacker used, the riskfor other biological weapons of mass destruction is clearly very high ifthe right weapons are used to attack large metropolitan areas. Ultimately, theywill probably only be satisfied when and if the attacker is ever found. Theymight use it themselves, or they might sell it to terrorist organizations,but the technology and the opportunity exists, and this is a frighteningthought for most Americans. Theyshowed how susceptible America was to biological attack, and they showedhow such an attack could cripple many facts of the country and governmentoperations, too. where the anthrax could have been made, "USAMRIID in Maryland or USArmy's Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. The country learned that we were vulnerable to attacks of manydifferent types in September 2001, and we are still learning. the FBI released a profile of the perpetrator as alone, male domestic terrorist, obviously one with a scientific backgroundand laboratory experience who could handle hazardous materials"(Rosenberg). What did Americans learn from the anthrax attacks' They learned ourcountry was vulnerable to biological warfare, and that there was little thegovernment could do to protect most of the citizens if an attack occurred. Inthese times of terrorism, violence, and anger, it is difficult to thinkthat someone inside our own country could have perpetrated these attacks,but today, it is clear enemies come from all sides, and there is evil inthe world that knows no bounds.
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