The Gathering Biological Warfare Storm

CML Army Chemical Review, Oct, 2004 by Valerie Hauer

The Gathering Biological Warfare Storm, Jim A. Davis and Barry R. Schneider, Praeger Publishers, 30 May 2004.

The events of 11 September 2001 were the catalyst for the United States to develop the Homeland Security Advisory System. Since the creation of this system, the Nation has spent the majority of time at an elevated threat condition. It has been said numerous times that, as a Nation, we need to be vigilant, prepared, and ready to deter terrorist attacks. The Gathering Biological Warfare Storm outlines the Nation's shortcomings in response to bioterrorism.

As a whole, Mr. Davis and Mr. Schneider do an excellent job of bringing together a book that highlights the Nation's largest threats of biological weapons and bioterrorist threats. The authors show many challenging issues that our country faces, but they also offer many recommendations and solutions to those challenges. Many authors share the same opinion: before the events of 11 September and the anthrax scare that followed, the Nation did not take bioterrorism seriously. Even congressional appropriations are not reflecting the growing threat of agroterrorism and bioterrorism that our Nation could face.

From the first chapter to the last, the book keeps you interested and fascinated. It begins with the stance of the United States following 11 September and continues with the history of agroterrorism and how our Nation can and will respond to bioterrorism. The book then covers the history of anthrax, the anthrax vaccine, and the smallpox virus. From there, the book addresses methodologies that both state and nonstate players could use to employ biological warfare agents against the United States and our allies.

The Gathering Biological Warfare Storm is a "must read" for anyone interested in the history of biological warfare, bioterrorism, or the national policy toward agroterrorism and bioterrorism and for Americans with a desire to know our Nation's state of preparedness in response to biological warfare.

Captain Hauer is the technical support operations officer at the Chemical Defense Training Facility at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology, with a minor in chemistry, from the University of Central Arkansas.