Chemical &  BioWeapons Review @ 2014

In Part I: Preface & Introduction

Preface

Why This Article?; and Why Now?

I was very fortunate to be born at a time of peace and in an era of hope for the world. All of these lights have gradually dimmed and we are entering into an era of considerably more uncertainty than ever before in the past 70 years.

What if Edward Snowden, for example, had been a scientist, a biogeneticist or bioengineer and had released the gene sequencing for every bioweapon known to mankind – and more – to Al Qaeda or, even worse, to a hitherto as yet unknown radical group somewhere in the world ? What if something similar has already happened but we have not been informed or the authorities are unaware? The argument might be that with such knowledge available to all we are all much safer - mutually assured destruction (MAD) it was called - a byword for an era past.

But are we? I am working on the assumption that we would not all be safer but maybe quite the opposite.

I do not have any solutions to any political issues in the world. For those things you must look to your political representatives.

What I do have is information which might enable you to think about how, in the event of an unexpected crisis, you can act to save what is precious to you – your community, your civil society, your family and friends, or just yourself. While this article is primarily geared towards those working together in the advent of a major bioterrorist attack it is by no means critical of anyone who would choose to save solely himself or just that of his or her immediate family and have their own 'contingency' plan, independent of the authorities.

Before I was born, my mother was training as a nurse. I think if I had not been born she would have stayed in some caring profession all of her life.

Beyond paying all the bills (and there were many) money was never the object of her working life. It is with my Mom Norah (and my aunt Mary) in mind and in memory that I have written this particular article.

I have drawn on the literature and expertise of numerous sources, both named and unattributable, as their input was invaluable for the research of this article. You should therefore, in the first instance, refer to those first-hand experts, rather than to myself.   All these specialists you will find in the Reference section following the article. Thanks to all those mentioned who have contributed.

Introduction

Some Definitions²⁰:

The following three descriptions, Toxin, Mass Casualty Biological (toxin) Weapon and Militarily Significant Weapon

1. A Toxin is any toxic substance that can be produced by an animal, plant or microbe. Some toxins can also be produced by molecular biologic techniques (protein toxins) or by chemical synthesis

(low molecular weight toxins).

Chemical agents, such as soman, sarin VX, cyanide and mustard agents, typically man-made for weaponization.

2. A Mass Casualty Biological (toxin) Weapon (MCBW) is any toxin weapon capable of causing death or disease on a large scale, such that

the military or civilian infrastructure of the state or organization being attacked is overwhelmed. (Note: The commonly accepted term for this category of weapons is ”Weapons of Mass Destruction,” although that term brings to mind destroyed cities, bomb craters and great loss of life; MCBWs might cause loss of life only. I do not anticipate that

”MCBW” will replace the term “Weapon of Mass Destruction” in common usage, but it is technically more descriptive of toxin weapons).

3. A Militarily Significant (or Terrorist) Weapon is any weapon capable of affecting directly or indirectly, physically or through psychological impact the outcome of a military operation.

Comparison of Chemical Agents and Toxins²⁰

     Toxins                                            Chemical Agents

Natural Origin                                 Man-made, large Scale, industrial production

difficult, small-scale

Non-volatile- many are 

more toxic                                     Many volatile-but also many less toxic than toxins

        

Non-Dermally Active                         Dermally Active

Ordorless & Tasteless                      Noticeable Odor or Taste

              Part II: What Exactly Are Biological Weapons?

                         What Are Biological Weapons?

''According to an unclassified report of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Chemical and Biological Terrorism: The Threat According to the Open Literature (en français, La Menace de Terrorisme Biologique ou Chimique Selon Les Sources Publiées): Biological warfare agents include both living microorganisms (bacteria, protozoa, rickettsia, viruses, and fungi), and toxins (chemicals) produced by microorganisms, plants, or animals. (Some authors classify toxins as chemical rather than biological agents, but most do not, and they were included within the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention-as reflected in its formal title, the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction). Writers on the subject have produced a long list of BW agents that terrorists could potentially use. Among those mentioned have been: anthrax, cryptococcosis, escherichia coli, haemophilus influenzae, brucellosis (undulant fever), coccidioidomycosis (San Joaquin Valley or desert fever), psittacosis (parrot fever), yersina pestis (the Black Death of the 14th Century), tularemia (rabbit fever), malaria, cholera, typhoid, bubonic plague, cobra venom, shellfish toxin, botulinal toxin, saxitoxin, ricin, smallpox, shigella flexneri, s. dysenteriae (Shiga bacillus), salmonella, staphylococcus enterotoxin B, hemorrhagic fever, Venezuelan

equine encephalitis, histoplasma capsulatum, pneumonic plague, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, dengue fever, Rift Valley fever, diphtheria, melioidosis, glanders, tuberculosis, infectious hepatitis, encephalitides, blastomycosis, nocardiosis, yellow fever, typhus, tricothecene mycotoxin, aflatoxin, and Q fever. Some of these agents are highly lethal; others would serve mainly in an incapacitating role. Some authors have also speculated about the possible terrorist use of new, genetically-engineered agents designed to defeat conventional methods of treatment or to attack specific ethnic groups, for example.''⁸

         Part III: The History of Biological Weapons Since Prehistory

History of the Use of Biological Weapons In Terrorism Since (Possibly) Prehistoric Times

● Prehistoric (?) Possibly the use of poison plants, berries, nettles, feces infused onto spears, wooden weapons, maybe even thrown at enemies as (infused) poisonous sharp rocks to cause abrasions and lacerations known at that time to inflict considerable pain and maybe even death. [P.E.}

● 6th Century BC -- Assyrians poisoned enemy wells with rye ergot^{1 (Part II)}

● 6th Century BC -- Solon of Athens used the purgative herb hellebore (skunk cabbage) to

poison the water supply during the siege of Krissa^{2 (Part II)}

●429 BC - The Great Peloponnessian War – Theban (Spartan) forces at the siege of Plataea attempted to burn the entire town down, poison-asphyxiate and disfigure it's inhabitants using wood soaked in a mixture of sulphur and pitch (as both a fuel and oxidizer-similar to Napalm) with the hope that the wind direction and current would do the rest. Fortunately for the Plataeans heavy rain and thunder intervened and the town did not burn down¹⁰.

If you want to know the final outcome of The Great Peloponnesian War [431-404 BC] read the references.

''During the battle of Tortona in the 12th century AD, Barbarossa used the bodies of dead and decomposing soldiers to poison wells. 

●1346 AD During the siege of Kaffa in the 14th century AD, plague broke out in the Tartar army during its siege of Kaffa (at present day Feodosiys in Crimea). The attackers hurled the plague-infected corpses  of those who died over the city walls to cause epidemic within the enemy forces; the plague epidemic that followed forced the defenders to surrender, and some infected people who left Kaffa may have started the Black Death pandemic which spread

throughout Europe.^{3(Part II)}

●Russian troops may have used the same tactic against Sweden in 1710. when the Russians besieging Swedish forces at Reval in Estonia, catapulted bodies of people who had died from plague. ¹¹

● 1797 -- Napoleon attempted to infect the inhabitants of the besieged city of Mantua with

swamp fever during his Italian campaign.

●1915 -- ...the case, dating back to 1915, of German-American physician Dr. Anton Dilger, who established a small biological agent production facility at his northwest Washington, DC home. Using cultures of Bacillus Anthracis (Anthrax) and Pseudomonas Mallei (Glanders) supplied by the Imperial German government, Dilger produced an estimated liter or more of liquid agent. Reportedly, the agent and a simple inoculation device were given to a group of dock workers in Baltimore who used them to infect a reported 3000 head of horses, mules and cattle destined for the Allied forces in Europe. Allegedly, several hundred military personnel were also affected.

There is also evidence that during World War I, German agents inoculated horses and cattle with glanders in the U.S. before the animals were shipped to France.

●1915 (December) : The German Nobel Prize Winner Fritz Harber formulates a plan to release Phosgene into the trenches at Ypres. Much more deadly than his earlier conceived Chlorine 'bombs' because of it's inflammatory effects on the respiratory tract causing death by asphyxiation.

Soon afterwards, all combatants were using chemical weapons in The First World War.

The devastating aftermath of the usage of phosgene, mustard and chlorine, the disfigurement, blinding crippling and general blight it brought on the lives of those surviving and their carers brought a reality check to the politicians - and probably guaranteed their limited use by German Nazi Forces (on the Eastern Front and in Concentration Camps) during the Second World War.

●1921 (Morocco, North Africa):Spain uses Chemical Weapons in the Riffian Berber Rebellion¹²

[Because Morocco remains a totalitarian regime, few children even today know their history as well as Europeans do (sic. about Morocco) and are therefore unable to place these actions into any coherent historical framework.]

● 1931 -- in July 1994 Prince Mikasa of Japan revealed that Japanese military officials had attempted to poison members of the League of Nations' Lytton Commission assigned to investigate Japan's seizure of Manchuria in 1931, by lacing fruit with cholera germs, but that "the investigators did not develop the disease"

● In 1937, Japan started an ambitious biological warfare program, located 40 miles south of Harbin, Manchuria, in a laboratory complex code-named “Unit 731”. Studies directed by Japanese General Ishii continued there until 1945, when the complex was burned. A post World War II investigation revealed that the Japanese researched numerous organisms and used prisoners of war as research subjects. Slightly less than 1,000 human autopsies apparently were carried out at Unit 731, mostly on victims exposed to aerosolized anthrax. Many more prisoners and Chinese nationals may have died in this facility - some have estimated up to 3,000 human deaths. Following reported overflights by Japanese planes suspected of dropping plague-infected fleas, a plague epidemic ensued in China and Manchuria. By 1945, the Japanese program had stockpiled 400 kilograms of anthrax to be used in a specially designed fragmentation bomb.

●In 1943, the United States began research into the use of biological

agents for offensive purposes. This work was started, interestingly enough, in

response to a perceived German biological warfare (BW) threat as opposed to a

Japanese one. The United States conducted this research at Camp Detrick (now

Fort Detrick), which was a small National Guard airfield prior to that time, and

produced agents at other sites until 1969, when President Nixon stopped all

offensive biological and toxin weapon research and production by executive

order. Between May 1971 and May 1972, all stockpiles of biological agents and

munitions from the now defunct U.S. program were destroyed in the presence of

monitors representing the United States Department of Agriculture, the

Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and the states of Arkansas,

Colorado, and Maryland. Included among the destroyed agents were Bacillus

anthracis, botulinum toxin, Francisella tularensis, Coxiella burnetii, Venezuelan

equine encephalitis virus, Brucella suis, and Staphylococcal enterotoxin B. The

United States began a medical defensive program in 1953 that continues today at USAMRIID¹.

●1972 -- the arrest in 1972 in Chicago of members of a US right-wing group known as the

"Order of the Rising Sun," "dedicated to creating a new master race," who possessed 30 to

40 kilograms of typhoid bacteria cultures for use against water supplies in Chicago, St.

Louis, and other Midwestern cities. According to one source, the two instigators, charged

with conspiracy to commit murder, were college students, one of whom, a 19-year-old, "had apparently developed the culture in a school laboratory, where a quantity was found". Ponte identifies the facility in question as a Chicago City College lab. According to him, the two arrested members of this "neo-Nazi" organization, one of whom was a "local hospital worker," had "in their possession detailed plans for dumping the deadly germs into the water supplies". Berkowitz et al. report that the Chicago City College student, one Steven Pera, "had worked as a volunteer at a Chicago hospital medical center, but was ordered off the premises when it was learned that he had grown bacterial cultures there and had attempted to obtain chemicals without the proper authority". After recounting this incident, Mengel noted that "the organism selected would have been readily destroyed by normal chlorination". Jenkins and Rubin, agreeing with this judgment, added that "The two had recruited six or seven members who were to be inoculated against the disease, but two of the recruits panicked and tipped off the police.")

●In 1972, the United States, UK, and USSR signed the Convention on the

Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological

(Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, commonly called the

Biological Weapons Convention. Over 140 countries have since added their

ratification. This treaty prohibits the stockpiling of biological agents for offensive

military purposes, and also forbids research into such offensive employment of

biological agents. However, despite this historic agreement among nations,

biological warfare research continued to flourish in many countries hostile to the

United States. Moreover, there have been several cases of suspected or actual

use of biological weapons. Among the most notorious of these were the “yellow

rain” incidents in Southeast Asia, the use of ricin as an assassination weapon in

London in 1978, and the accidental release of anthrax spores at Sverdlovsk in

1979.

●Testimony from the late 1970’s indicated that Laos and Kampuchea were

attacked by planes and helicopters delivering aerosols of several colors. After

being exposed, people and animals became disoriented and ill, and a small

percentage of those stricken died. Some of these clouds were thought to be

comprised of trichothecene toxins (in particular, T2 mycotoxin). These attacks

are grouped under the label “yellow rain”. There has been a great deal of

controversy about whether these clouds were truly biological warfare agents.

Some have argued that the clouds were nothing more than feces produced by

swarms of bees.

●In 1978, a Bulgarian exile named Georgi Markov was attacked in London

with a device disguised as an umbrella. The device injected a tiny pellet filled

with ricin toxin into the subcutaneous tissue of his leg while he was waiting for a

bus. He died several days later. On autopsy, the tiny pellet was found and

determined to contain the toxin. It was later revealed that the Bulgarian secret

service carried out the assassination, and the technology to commit the crime

was supplied by the former Soviet Union.

●In April, 1979, an incident occurred in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg) in

the former Soviet Union which appeared to be an accidental aerosol release of

Bacillus anthracis spores from a Soviet Military microbiology facility: Compound

19. Residents living downwind from this compound developed high fever and

difficulty breathing, and a large number died. The Soviet Ministry of Health

blamed the deaths on the consumption of contaminated meat, and for years

controversy raged in the press over the actual cause of the outbreak. All

evidence available to the United States government indicated a massive release

of aerosolized B. anthracis spores. In the summer of 1992, U.S. intelligence

officials were proven correct when the new Russian President, Boris Yeltsin,

acknowledged that the Sverdlovsk incident was in fact related to military

developments at the microbiology facility. In 1994, Meselson and colleagues

published an in-depth analysis of the Sverdlovsk incident (Science 266:1202-

1208). They documented that all of the cases from 1979 occurred within a

narrow zone extending 4 kilometers downwind in a southerly direction from

Compound 19. There were 66 fatalities of the 77 patients identified.

●1982 -- the reported arrest by Los Angeles police and FBI agents of a man "who was

preparing to poison the city's water system with a biological poison" .

●1983 -- the arrest by the FBI in the Northeastern US in 1983 of two brothers who had

succeeded in manufacturing an ounce of nearly pure ricin, stored in a 35-mm film canister (Douglass and Livingstone 1987: 31)

● 1984 -- in September 1984 the Rajneesh cult outside of Antelope, Oregon was said to have contaminated salad bars in local restaurants in The Dalles, Oregon, with Salmonella typhi (typhoid), resulting in the poisoning of 750 people, in order to "influence the outcome of a local election".

● 1984 -- the discovery in Paris, variously dated to 1980, the "mid-'80s", or 14 October

1984, of a Red Army Faction "safe house" that included a "primitive laboratory" (according

to one source, a bathtub containing quantities of botulinal toxin). Douglass and Livingstone provide the most detailed account of this incident: "The sixth-floor apartment contained typed sheets on bacterial pathology. Marginal notes were identified by graphologists as being the handwriting of Silke Maier-Witt, a medical assistant by profession, terrorist by night. Other items included medical publications dealing with the struggle against bacterial infection....In the bathroom, the French authorities found a bathtub filled with flasks containing cultures of Clostridium botulinum". This may be the same incident as that described by the US House Armed Services Committee as having occurred in 1989 (!) involving the discovery of a culture of clostridinium botulinum in a "home laboratory" in Paris of a cell of the German "Bader Mainhof gang".

● UNSCOM has discovered that Iraq produced 19,000 litres of botulinum, 8,400 litres of

anthrax, 2,000 litres of aflatoxin and clostridium.

●Russia - A defector from the former Soviet biological weapons program said in an interview on 24 February that Moscow's Cold War plans for World War III included preparing "hundreds of tons" of anthrax bacteria and scores of tons of smallpox and plague viruses for deployment on inter-continental ballistic missiles. The defector, debriefed by the CIA in 1992 after his defection, said that the Russian military was still running an offensive biological weapons program in 1991, and may still do so.

●In 1995, further information on Iraq’s offensive program was made

available to United Nations inspectors. Iraq conducted research and

development work on anthrax, botulinum toxins, Clostridium perfringens,

aflatoxins, wheat cover smut, and ricin. Field trials were conducted with Bacillus

subtilis (a simulant for anthrax), botulinum toxin, and aflatoxin. Biological agents

were tested in various delivery systems, including rockets, aerial bombs, and

spray tanks. In December 1990, the Iraqis filled 100 R400 bombs with botulinum

toxin, 50 with anthrax, and 16 with aflatoxin. In addition, 13 Al Hussein (SCUD)

warheads were filled with botulinum toxin, 10 with anthrax, and 2 with aflatoxin.

These weapons were deployed in January 1991 to four locations. In all, Iraq

produced 19,000 liters of concentrated botulinum toxin (nearly 10,000 liters filled

into munitions), 8,500 liters of concentrated anthrax (6,500 liters filled into

munitions) and 2,200 liters of aflatoxin (1,580 liters filled into munitions).

The threat of biological warfare has increased in the last two decades,

with a number of countries working on the offensive use of these agents.

●The extensive program of the former Soviet Union is now primarily under the control of Russia. Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007) stated that he would put an end to further offensive biological research; however, the degree to which the program was scaled back is not known. Recent revelations from a senior BW program manager who defected from Russia in 1992 outlined a remarkably robust biological warfare program, which included active research into genetic engineering, binary biologicals and chimeras, and industrial capacity to produce agents. There is also growing concern that the smallpox virus, now stored in only two laboratories at the CDC in Atlanta and the Institute for Viral Precautions in Moscow, may be in other countries around the globe⁹.

''Medical defense against biological warfare or terrorism is an area of

study unfamiliar to most military and civilian health care providers during

peacetime. In the aftermath of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, it

became obvious that the threat of biological attacks against our soldiers was real.

Increased incidents and threats of domestic terrorism (e.g., New York City World

Trade Center bombing, Tokyo subway sarin release, Oklahoma City federal

building bombing, Atlanta Centennial Park bombing) as well as numerous

anthrax hoaxes around the country have brought the issue home to civilians as

well. Other issues, including the disclosure of a sophisticated offensive

biological warfare program in the Former Soviet Union (FSU), have reinforced

the need for increased training and education of health care professionals on

how to prevent and treat biological warfare casualties.

Numerous measures to improve preparedness for and response to

biological warfare or terrorism are ongoing at local, state, and federal levels.

Training efforts have increased both in the military and civilian sectors. The

Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties Course taught at

both USAMRIID and USAMRICD trains over 560 military medical professionals

each year on both biological and chemical medical defense. The highly

successful 3-day USAMRIID satellite course on the Medical Management of

Biological Casualties has reached over 40,000 medical personnel over the last three years¹.''

Part IV: First Responders - What To Do In An Emergency

What To Do Immediately If A Suspected Bioweapon or Bio-engineered Agent is Released?

● Decontamination of Exposed Personnel.

●Determination of the type of Contamination:

● Primary Contamination or

● Secondary Contamination

● General Supportive Measures.

● Isolation Procedures (Barrier Nursing).

● Antibiotic Therapy. ●Antiviral Therapy.

●Antitoxin Therapy.

●PROTECTION OF HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL

● Use of Barrier Techniques.

● Potential Biological Hazards.

●SECTION V - HANDLING OF CONTAMINATED REMAINS

●SECTION VI - MASS CASUALTY MANAGEMENT

(source: Handbook on the Medical Aspects Of NBC Defensive Operations FM 8-9:

http://fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/doctrine/dod/fm8-9/2toc.htm)

Recommendation for Medical First Responders, Support Staff and Medical Volunteers:

At a time of crisis this server will be overloaded so it is best that you identify the appropriate publicly available sections (Chapter 4, Management) in the above reference, download, hard print and file save now rather than in the middle of a crisis.

Don't forget to notify the CDC and USAMRIID (!)

Part V

You Can Never Predict With 100% Certainty The Next Surprise Attack

''Generals Are Always Fighting the Last War – Especially If They Have Won It''^{6(Part II)}

I read a fascinating article by Colonel (Dr.) Jim A. Davis¹⁸ where he presents several hypothetical scenarios for an attack on the United States.

Other scenarios could equally be applied to any other country.

Dr Davis very logically covers each build up step, objective and motivational analysis. But what happens if our terrorists are not thinking 'inside the box'?

The fact is we do not know how, why nor when such an attack (if ever) will take place nor what the motives will be. It's assumed that a superpower will be the 'first strike' option for either a 'terrorist' country or group.

To be guaranteed success in a first world country however, a Third World country may well be the experimental testing ground for such a group with a particular technical strategy in mind. I mention this because there is always the inverted assumption that the superpowers develop their biological and nuclear capabilities in Third World settings (such as, for example, French nuclear tests on Moruroa Atoll – some fair distance from the Champs Elysee and the Arrondissements where such policies are formulated.) If this is so for developed nations, why should a terrorist group contemplating a bioterrorist attack not likewise seek out to test an experimental device(s) in a more remote region before launching it's main offensive in the developed world? But would this not alert the world? If it was identified as a bioterrorist attack, then yes. But what if it is misdiagnosed or misinterpreted? Or indeed what if a 'milder or 'designer'' version of the weapon is deployed – resulting in it physical symptoms and the 'outbreak' passing by unrecognized by the international community?

Some time ago I was told or read that a major Western power, as an exercise, had 'deployed' a 'relatively' harmless 'bioweapon' in secret, to test what the 'real' impact would be should 'the real' thing ever occur. The number of personnel involved were not insignificant but were all sworn to secrecy as the objective was of course to protect the entire population should the real deal ever occur. [I was not part of this deployment nor do I know anyone who was, but somewhere, at the time, I heard or read a rumor that something had taken place.]

Even for a 'designer' variation of the common cold, deployed as a binary weapon, the numbers of victims could be of epidemic proportions.

Most morbidity and mortality from BW threat agents is preventable. Immunizations, pre-exposure chemoprophylaxes, post-exposure chemoprophylaxes, and protective clothing are available to provide protection.

Personnel must have all required immunizations administered prior to entering an AO where BW agent employment is a threat. All immunizations should be administered in sufficient time to provide the initial protection before troops are deployed to the AO; when administration prior to deployment is impossible, troops must receive the immunizations as soon as the mission permits in the AO. Some immunizations are used in conjunction with pre-exposure chemoprophylaxes or post-exposure chemoprophylaxes to provide protection. The supporting PHS/PVNTMED units/staffs can assist commanders in determining which specific immunizations and chemoprophylaxes are required for the AO. The corps/division/wing/equivalent service/joint task force commander will decide whether to begin, continue, or discontinue the administration of chemoprophylaxes based on the BW threat. The intelligence officer, chemical officer, and surgeon advise the commander on appropriate courses of action. For those BW agents that a specific immunization is not available, the use of protective equipment combined with chemoprophylaxes may be employed to provide protection¹⁹.

Part VI – Ebola and Misinformation

Ebola

The spreading of Ebola beyond Central Africa was not unpredicted but the prophets of doom and gloom were brushed aside for decades in the interests of free market trade and commerce. To be more accurate, there were different professional viewpoints and as no coherent proactive strategy existed (nor exists) against the outbreak of a deadly virus it was not deemed appropriate to persuade African governments to devote considerable resources to education, hygiene and healthcare. Another issue is the philosophy of public service provision – infrastructure, healthcare and education. There is a perception in the United States that public services have a negative (non-productive) impact on economies so must therefore be consigned to the barest of minimum resource allocation while at the same time encouraging the private sector to develop ranges of chargeable services which would otherwise be the responsibility of the State. Where the provision of public services are contrary to the market economy then they must not be encouraged.

It is this misperception which, in part, has led to the present Ebola crisis and it will ultimately be that same misguided belief which will fuel future epidemics and pandemics - especially in parts of the world where such public services are either virtually non-existent or such are outsourced to the private sector.

Other than as a commercial beneficiary, the private sector has no interest whatever in healthcare infrastructures to 'save' populations.

Already we see in the stricken countries of West Africa that the best, brightest, most highly educated individuals who were 'first responders' to the crisis, that at least 50% of them are dead. The figure is probably higher. No country or region can sustain such losses without civil unrest. So the role of foreign military forces, initially deployed to assist with the medical 'mercy' missions, could very well face yet other dilemmas which they are wholly inadequately configured to manage – as recent global conflicts have so clearly demonstrated.

Other than Scare Tactics, What The Mainstream Media Is Not Addressing In Detail

What is not being addressed in the media at large is the potential to synthesize Ebola for terrorism. There are many easily obtainable items which can be synthesized to be deadly and some virtually untraceable by forensic experts  if administered under the right conditions. These are well known facts to those 'in the business'.

Fortunately there are few in any country engaged in bioweapons research who have such motivations but the potential for mass infection is steadily increasing.

As terrorists find themselves frustrated by advanced technological security systems they will seek to respond asymmetrically – by using base and crude elementary systems which completely bypass sophisticated arrays created in the developed world.

 

Part VII – What The Article Will Cover

What This Article Will Address

I want to focus on why Bioweapons are an optimal terrorist choice so that the layperson can have some insight and appreciation into the thinking behind the choice of such options on the battlefield – and indeed where the term 'battlefield' may be extended to larger conurbations in order to create maximum havoc, disruption and chaos and bring to a swift end, with minimum loss of life, a situation where the potential for protracted warfare resulting in the loss of millions of souls, is very real.

The introduction was meant to make you be 'comfortable' with the fact that biowarfare is not a 20^th nor 21^st century phenomenon.

Objectives Of This Article

The purpose of this article is therefore not to look at countermeasures nor present anything but the crudest of scenarios already in the public domain.

Neither is this article concerned with how to develop them for first strike capability but it does focus on how to identify them when they have arrived and how to respond to protect the populace. So the objective here is knowledge, protection and survival.

This article will therefore not examine the efficacy or otherwise of countermeasures to defeat such terrorism but make a few suggestions as to how would-be first responders (including volunteers) can proactively prepare for something which, hopefully, will never happen (at least not in my lifetime.)

Don't Die of Ignorance

The second purpose is to inform the general public about what is out there, being worked on, so that some may take appropriate measures to protect themselves and their families – because no government has the resources to protect entire populations from germ warfare and the only contingency measures in place are containment and martial law to (it is hoped) prevent civil unrest.

What You Need To Know

A further recommendation is that you access pictures on the internet showing diseases and symptoms of infectious diseases outlined below.

The USAMRICD¹ and CDC² are good starting points for such an exercise.

You should download these public access materials save and hard file them in appropriate folders under the relevant medical categories for pathogen symptoms.

For medical professionals, both The USAMRICD¹ and CDC² provide distance learning courses and will welcome your contact and input.

The article below is by no means comprehensive but at least it's probably more knowledge than you had before reading.

Part VIII - Bioweapons

                                      Bioweapons – A Summary & Review

                                  There are 3 distinct types of Bioweapons:

1.Respiratory

2.Bacteria-Based Weapons

3.Genetically Engineered Bioweapons

Respiratory and Dispersion

The first thing which is to be mentioned is that any medium which carries air over water has the capability to absorb toxic clouds ultimately dispersing them, through air filtration (air conditioning systems) througtals and other public buildings, decorative waterfalls and fountains in public places, even showers can all be utilized as effective mediums by biological weaponry agents.

Other mediums can create 'false flags':hout a target area.

This is how Legionnaires disease first got started. Supermarket air coolers for fruit, vegetables, other produce, air vents in hotels, hospitals and office buildings.

For example terrorists can create scenarios where members of the public unwittingly 'carry' or 'transport' lethal viruses which under certain conditions will activate and disperse.

[This could be, for example, in the form of a 'present' given to a child to 'carry' through any locus where there are major public gatherings.]

A terrorist scenario, for example, would be to 'infect' all hospitals or indeed other emergency response personnel – including police and military - in a region – thereby incapacitating if not crippling the ability of the critical emergency services to respond to the forthcoming secondary (principle or primary) biological attack as most of the response personnel are now either infected or dead.   In Third World countries the ratio of Military medical emergency parallel services is very weak if existing at all and few ever practice for such a scenario. I will not go into the reasons why as the objective here is to identify weaknesses and it's not my job to provide 'band aid' solutions for the Third World – they need to look to their respective governments to do that. Even Third World countries should have a 'backup' emergency plan in the event of such a scenario. There should be a tier of paramedicals who are not within the system but engaged (and valued) as local, district and regional volunteer helpers and who have some basics in a range of skills which could, potentially, 'hold the line' until large-scale assistance arrives on the scene.

There is no Third World country I know of which, at present, is even   contemplating having such a system as major crises, by their very nature, result in reactive and not (preparatory) proactive management actions – principally because of the time and costs involved.]

The innocent person will then, after perhaps exhaustive utilization of time, scientific and human resources, be apprehended while the real terrorists will meanwhile have implemented their real objective or objectives – overwhelming the ability of even the most advanced country to respond with the specialized resources – overstretched as they now already are. Invasive pathogens - Salmonella, Shigella, Cholera, E Coli,are examples of infective gram negative bacteria¹ which can with ease establish harmful infective human hosts.

For health professionals, how substances traverse the gastrointestinal tract are of fundamental importance.

If, like me, you are not a medical professional, please ensure that you contact the Press Office of both The USAMRICD¹ and CDC² with any enquiries.

Other Bioweapons

Sexually transmitted diseases (Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and AIDS) can be grown in cultures and incorporated into abrasion dusts (weapons which cause scratching-like symptoms.)

Once the host (victim) starts scratching, the abrasions are uploaded with the disease organisms at the contact points and under the fingernails of the targets. Once inside the tissues, the infections are dispersed through the tissues, organs, and bloodstream.

Any scenario where there is a massive build up of organisms in colonies (billions for each colony) that can be seen and the accumulation of toxins can cause very rapid infection followed by expiration (death.)

As I mentioned in an earlier article extract (U.S. Army, Fort Sam, Texas) animals, birds, and insects can be reservoirs (vectors) for a wide range of disease organisms. The vectors transmit the deadly organisms usually by biting the victim and passing the microbial into the tissues with saliva or similar liquid medium. This is only one means of transmission. Urination and death of the vector also have the potential to spread the pathogenic bacteria.

Rabies, Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever,Encephalitis, Tick Fever, Plague, Tularaemia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Typhus, Chagas, Sleeping Sickness, Malaria are passed to humans in the aforementioned ways¹⁴.

There are very special characteristics for the above for use as bioweapons.

The first is that none can survive for prolonged periods outside their host carriers or humans. If they can create a bridge or bridges to enter the victims target tissues, the respiratory tract will facilitate as the transport medium for mass dispersal inside the human body.

Direct Contact From Burns, Wounds, Chemical Injuries or Abrasions

For the medical professional knowledge of how the epidermis and dermis function as active and passive absorption layers and defenders is critical. Below the two layers lie the tissues and circulatory systems which move all the nutrients around the human body.

The same system is easily hijacked by infecting organisms in the context of our discussion.

Bacteria-Based Weapons

The thing to be cognizant about here is that bacteria which require oxygen to grow and replicate are called aerobic bacteria and those which only grow in the absence of oxygen are know as anaerobic bacteria. The mediums which can be utilized to grow bacteria and toxins for use as Bioweapons are available to the poorest countries in the Third World.

They are pretty basic and are at the core of what I have often referred to over the years as 'the poor man's nuclear bomb.'

Part IX - Anthrax

Anthrax

Identification of Anthrax as a Cause of Death

Before discussing anthrax it is worth mentioning a very unique identifying feature of the deadly infection: The blood oxygen level falls to less than 1%. from the normal 18-21% for arterial blood and 12% - 15% (v/v) for cleated erythrocytes.

In all other causes of death (including death by asphyxiation) the blood oxygen level remains above 6%.

The locus of application of any toxin and it's density (strength) together with the strain of anthrax will determine it's rate of effectiveness. Applications of different strengths and strains to different parts of the human body will dramatically affect the time taken for the the bioweapon to affect the target.

There are 4 routes to anthrax infection

1.Cutaneous Infection (an abrasion to the skin)

2.Gastrointestinal Infection (eating undercooked meat from an infected animal)

3.Inhalation (Pulmonary) Infection (where you breathe in anthrax spores)

4Injection Infection

Anthrax is aerobic, facultative anaerobe, non-motile and spore forming.

It has existed since man first started domesticating animals in the fertile region of the Tigris-Euphrates delta. It was believed to be one of the seven plagues of Egypt at the time of Moses and has been described in detail by the ancient Greeks.

It is spread exclusively from the nose, mouth, anus, faeces, tissues of infected and dead animals and humans. It forms spores which can last for decades and is highly resistant to heat, pH changes, and humidity all of which account for the almost impossible task of eradicating it from infected areas and why the import of on the hoof or cooked meat from infected zones is strictly forbidden. For example, anthrax spores were isolated from naturally infected soil one hundred years after the soil was first infected. Humans are infected with anthrax in the natural environment through dermal, respiratory and ingestion routes of entry.

To give two examples, anthrax has been isolated from the animal hide and skins covering traditional wooden drums from Africa.

Anthrax spores are highly resilient even after decades in dry ,arid climates.

The anthrax spores of Infected animals which were slaughtered and cooked were found to have survived the cooking process – and have also ended up in the bone meal which were industrially packaged and fed as meal feed to animals. Anthrax produces a toxin which requires 3 factors to be virulent.

All 3² must be present for maximum toxicity (to cause maximum harm.)

1.Protective Antigen (PA)

2.Lethal Factor (LF)

3.Edema Factor (EF)

All 3 components are serologically active, distinct, and immunogenic.

A combination of PA and LF are required for lethal infections.

PA and EF cause infection (Edema reaction.)

EF and LF together, have no effect whatsoever.

The path to infection is that PA is activated (reacts) to receptors on the host (victim) cell surface.

These produce changes on the cell surface which changes themselves act as 'keys' to 'unlock' the cell, thereby permitting EF and LF to enter the cell through these 'keyholes' created by the PA-cell surface interface. EF then reacts with a heat stable substance to produce the toxin activated swelling (or edema) reaction. The toxin alone, however, is not sufficient for virulence.

Only strains of B, anthracis¹³, that produces both a spore (capsule) and a toxin are considered virulent.

Why Anthrax is So Deadly and a 'Designer' Bioweapon of Choice?

When anthrax infects a host (victim) antibodies are produced against the capsular antigen but these antibodies are not protective against the toxin. The toxin gradually accumulates inside the host until it causes death from respiratory failure and anoxia by it's actions on the CNS (central nervous system.) On an ordinary culture medium (or media) the anthrax grows but does not produce it's exotoxin. The anthrax bacteria itself is not toxic either.

This is the reason why vaccines produced with 'dead' anthrax cells were ineffective at providing immunity. The 3 factors identified above require live animal tissue to produce the toxin. In nature, when the spores germinate and when they vegetate in incubator areas, they likewise do not produce these factors nor toxin.

Immediate Signs of Infection

When the organism gains access to living (human) tissue through a cut or abrasion, they multiply with a very dramatic inflammatory response:

2-5 days after infection a small papule develops that quickly becomes a vesicle filled with dark bluish-black fluid. Rupture of this vesicle reveals a black eschar at the base with a prominent ring of reaction around the eschar. This is called the malignant pustule.

If at this stage the carbuncle is incised and drained or surgically removed, the natural immunity system of a healthy individual will normally 'kick-start' to prevent further spread of the infection. This assumes an active, healthy, immune system and the statistics for persons of different ages would identify 21-33 year-olds as the optimal for such systems activations. 12al professionals, knowledge of the inhalation process all the way to the lungs to the draining hilar lymph nodes and identifying the initial signs of haemorrhagic necrosis is critical. Knowledge of the bloodstream flow to the spleen where the toxin multiplies in enormous numbers, together with knowledge of how alveolar phagocytes attempt to contain the infection by attacking and ingesting the spores (toxins) and then naturally carry them to the mediastinal lymph nodes – where they have not only have survived the phagocyte attack but are here actively germinating, is critical to the understanding of the spread of the infection throughout the organism. From here the cells now infect the entire organism. The symptoms are typically those of a respiratory infection with fever, malaise, myalgia, and unproductive cough. Within several days marked respiratory distress septicaemia, meningitis, and cyanosis become apparent.

Expiration (Death) usually occurs within 24 hours of this worsening. Only a very small number of spores are required to be effective by the inhalation route.

This is why health professionals may not, at first, be prepared to believe or accept or even recognize what they are seeing as symptoms of an anthrax attack.

This is not uncommon nor is it to be criticized in hindsight but most will quickly recognize that if numbers of individuals are displaying similar symptoms there must be something happening and will quickly then work out that what was a side show in their medical training has now just become mainstream. It is for these reasons that I refer health professional s to the best available sources of data on these topics in the world - USAMRICD¹ and The CDC².

Part X

I don't Want To Be Alarmist but.....

We Are [or Could Be] Under An [Unknown] BioWeapon Attack, What Should We Do?

In Third World countries, for health professionals having access to the internet, the first advice in such circumstances should always be to follow the chain of command within their country's medical structure. In addition to this however no medical or paramedical or health worker or health assistant or High School First Aid Volunteer should be without the email and Skype contact details for the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, The United States, and USAMRICD.  This they should retain in a book of international health emergency contacts.   The reason I suggest these is because local chains of command may neither have the expertise, personnel nor the resources and if the 'attack' which is occurring is over a religious festive period (during Christmas, Ramadan, Eid, Nowruz, Diwali, Wesak or Songkran as examples) the country may not have the senior political nor medical personnel in place to quickly respond to an emergency situation. Therefore assistance with some vital questions and answers may not be easily forthcoming, locally, at this time of crisis which has the potential to escalate into a national, regional and, at the very worst, potentially global, tragedy.

'Designer' Genetically Modified Bioweapons: - Weapons of First World Terrorist Choice

Genetically engineered pathogens would likely prove to be more challenging than any preceding anthrax attack to date. Their unique properties would include:

1.High transmissivity

2.Higher Communicability

3.Higher antibiotic resistance – since the strains can easily be 'intelligently' bio-engineered to 'mutate' on each new 'encounter' developing a counter-vaccine would prove very challenging.

For example, the entire DNA sequence of the smallpox genome is known and may, already, have been genetically manipulated.

Apart from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, it's counterpart in The Russian Federation is The Russian State Research Center for Virology and Biotechnology at Koltsovo, Novosibirsk.

You will find when you reference the website that it is not as 'globally' orientated as it's U.S. Counterpart as is more 'ethnocentrically' focused on it's FSU (Former Soviet Union) 'client' states than, for example, on the Third World, where it has little input nor impact on daily lives.

There have been reports that Al Qaeda have sought to financially acquire Bioweapons.

What you must appreciate here is that the vast majority of individuals involved in researching such organisms are not motivated by the desire to destroy the world but to understand the 'psychology' and bio-mechanisms of unknown structures to prevent catastrophes not to create them. Sadly it only takes one (or a few working and cooperating in consort with a range of required skills) or an intelligent 'lone wolf' - and there goes the neighborhood (!) In this regard I am not unconvinced that there are not many intelligent 'lone wolfs' worldwide. For this reason, I am predicting, there will be individuals and groups who have enough knowledge to not just create the scenarios outlined above but maybe even go further – as their programs and objectives are unknown and not subject to 'oversight' (!)

Part XI – Asymmetric Warfare

Most would-be bioterrorists are seeking to identify, cultivate, engineer and utilize viruses with the capability for  'instant kills' - usually on behalf of a political, economic, financial religious (cult) or spiritual ideology.  By their very nature, this reduces the morbidity-mortality** ratio to the bare minimum.

In the context of this article however, the 'perfect' virus is one which adaptively, sequentially, and non-sequentially will mutate, infect widely (exponentially - high transmissibility), cause general panic (fear of the unknown) kill over months or even years - and during this time be virtually undetectable - thereby ensuring the perpetrator(s) are difficult to identify and have long-since made their exit from the target area before the effects (symptoms) become apparent.  The 'perpetrator' could be a State, or a 'false flag' created by a State, group, individuals or even by the proverbial 'lone wolf'. Fortunately such a virus (known or unknown) does not (or is unlikely to) provide for 'instant gratification' - and is of limited use (if at all) for terrorists attempting to achieve objectives within timeframes as determined by circumstances on the ground.  One cannot be entirely dismissive of a State-backed group having the motivation and support to be 'encouraged' to 'pursue' a long-term strategy in this regard.

Asymmetric BioWarfare

As we develop more complex systems of deterrence what more ideal scenarios for Bioterrorists is to 'get back to basics' with such mediaeval and crude responses to completely make sophisticated systems almost obsolete. There are a myriad of ways to significantly degrade modern security systems specifically designed to detect a Bio-terror attack.

Initial Confusion – A Natural Reaction To An Unexpected Bioterror Attack

In the event of an attack with a genetically engineered pathogen likewise health professionals would, initially have some confusion as to whether this was a naturally occurring event or something more sinister. Other than in the medical textbooks or as a sideshow to their University medical course few (if any) will ever have seen the effect on humans of smallpox or the visible aftermath of an anthrax attack.

The Scenario

A genetically engineered attack could unfold unlike no other to date.

The time sequence between infection and outbreak could be days, weeks or even months.

The symptoms and progress or course of the infection, if the pathogen mutates sequentially or non-sequentially, would cause general panic.

I recall from my childhood reading about, I believe it was a French colony in the West Indies, perhaps Guadeloupe, where after a volcanic eruption the only survivors in an area were prisoners. They had survived because they were locked in dungeon cells.

You might find similar scenarios in the aftermath of such an attack where individuals and groups who, perhaps by accident, were 'isolated' from mainstream populations had initially been unaffected until contact was resumed.

As with the Black Death in Mediaeval Europe, individuals with particular genetic sequences or 'gene defects' may well prove resilient to such a bioterrorist or bioengineered attack. We cannot say with any certainty how a bioengineered agent would 'code' with an 'abnormal' genetic sequence.

As with any virus, the 'key' requires and exact 'lock' to fit in order to open the cell for exploitation.

For the health professionals and volunteers securing teams of non-infected individuals should be a priority.

Protective clothing and masks must, as a priority, be upgraded to ensure it will match the anticipated NBCR environments.

By choosing inferior quality products, Third World (and perhaps also Developed countries) countries will only learn, sadly, from bitter experience, why cost-cutting in their choice of suppliers in this area, was a bad choice.

Part XII – The Next Generation of Bioweapons

The Next Generation Of Bioweapons

6 major categories of future pathogens have been assessed:

●Binary Biological Weapons

●Designer Genes²³

●Gene Therapy As A Weapon²⁴

●Stealth Viruses²⁵

●Host-swapping Diseases²⁶

●Designer Diseases²⁷

Binary Biological Weapons

This would consist of 2 main components or parts which, when separate, would be innocuous but when combined would form the lethal pathogen. Many pathogenic bacteria contain multiple plasmids (small circular extrachromosomal DNA fragments that 'code' for virulence or other special tasks.)

To produce a binary biological weapon a host bacteria and a virulent plasmid could be independently isolated and produced in the required quantities. Just before deployment, the two or more individual components would be 'mixed' together to produce the lethal toxin. The transformation of the host organism back into a pathogen could conceivably, take place after the bioweapon is 'triggered' during whilst in transit.

Categories 2-6:

If you are a health professional, health volunteer or first responder please refer to the references below for each of the other given categories above.

It will be a very useful and worthwhile exercise for you to appreciate the references first

hand and for you to extrapolate potential scenarios from each. Such could well be used for emergency drills or other emergency planning exercises.

Part XIII – Neither Virus Nor Bacteria

BioWarfare Engineered Diseases Which Are Neither Virus nor Bacteria²¹

While there is fierce controversy (at this historical point) about the reference I am citing here, the core message is, without doubt, pointing to futureworld scenarios (already arrived) - which you ignore at your peril. I would refer you to pages 3-5 of 9 (.pdf version-not the similar version as cited below) in particular. I will not quote as fact from this article only refer you to it so you can judge it's relevance or otherwise  - If We Can Do It Then So Can The Bioterrorists - it's a 'walk in the park'.

I have a very personal reason for citing this reference which I will on this occasion share with you:

Some years ago, at a diplomatic reception an individual I don't know confronted me about something I had written about a country I had not visited (at least not recently.) He (or his superiors) were clearly irritated (or frustrated) that an insignificant 'upstart' (myself) should 'get it right' on an issue of major significance. Our conversation ended amicably but quite firmly along the lines that...well...maybe I should stick to writing about places I had visited recently rather than shoot my mouth (or pen as it was) off about places about which I had no first hand experience. Of course totally ignoring that I was factually accurate and more concerned with the fact that, in some inconvenient way, I had 'upset' the 'pecking order' of things, much to the irritation of those fat-do-nothing-chickens who just squawk and cluck and shake their feathers in all directions in the pen when anything wakes them up and they have to do something.

I assiduously try to avoid discussing anything (written article) I have worked on with people I don't know but sometimes it's unavoidable. I don't know the relevance nor significance of this article (reference 21) but I am motivated to include it because many of it's references cited are of highly respected individuals who are controversial but have significantly increased our understanding of Biowarfare as a developing tool in the Superpowers optional arsenals. If it is a developing tool in a State's arsenal, be assured the significance of this is not lost to terrorists.

Part XIV – Let Us Take An Example of State-Sponsored Bioterrorism

Chemical and Biological Agents Available To Any Developing Third World Country²²

[and, because of either the absence or lax security, likewise potentially available to terrorists]

Note that the choice of chemical and biological agents below is based on an actual real occurrence documented by the United Nations²²

I have identified and chosen this country's Program as a template because it's level of technological development at that time is currently being matched by countries in the Middle East, The Caucasuses, South East Asia and South America today.

Chemical and Biological Agents

Aldicarb is a pesticide. Its white crystals have a slightly sulphurous

odour. It is toxic. The probable oral lethal dose for humans is less than 5

milligram/kilogram (1/15th of a teaspoon for a 70-kilogram person). It is

poisonous by ingestion and skin contact. Death is caused by muscle

weakness, accumulation of fluids in the lungs, respiratory and heart failure,

epileptic fits and coma. (RRL offered aldicarb dissolved in orange juice).

Anthrax/ Bacillus anthracis is a highly infectious and virulent microorganism.

Human infection in the natural state is usually through the skin

but also follows after inhalation or ingestion. Inhaling B. anthracis spores

(dormant form) may result in pulmonary anthrax, which is often fatal.

Anthrax of the lungs follows 2-5 days after exposure and is

characterized by a mild initial phase of fever and malaise followed by

sudden onset of severe acute illness with high fever. The lymph nodes in the

chest become swollen and ulcerate, and these festering, bleeding

ulcerations spread to other important organs in the chest. Respiratory

distress develops, followed by cyanosis, shock, coma and death. Dr Mike

Odendaal told the TRC and the court that he had put anthrax spores on

cigarettes and on the gum of an envelope.

Azide (sodium azide, hydrazoic acid) salts are used industrially in the

manufacture of explosives and preservatives. It is a cell poison causing

death by a mechanism similar to that of cyanide. Sodium azide crystals are

colourless and odourless.

Azide is poisonous by ingestion, inhalation and skin contact. According

to Dr G. Muller, the medical expert who testified in the Basson trial,306 an

individual who ingested 700-800 milligrams (1/6th of a teaspoon) died three

days later as a result of failure to breathe. Death is caused by a fall in body

temperature and blood pressure, respiratory failure, epileptic fits and coma.

(RRL offered 3 doses of 1.5 grams of this substance mixed in whisky—well

over a fatal dose. RRL research reports relate that this poison was tested on

dogs, pigs and baboons.)307

Botulinum is a nerve poison produced by the micro-organism

Clostridium botulinum. It is the most poisonous biological toxin known,

about 1 million times more poisonous than arsenic. Ingestion in food causes

progressive paralysis of nerves and voluntary muscles (from half an hour to

90 

several days after ingestion) resulting in respiratory failure and death. (RRL

offered 4 beer bottles contaminated with botulinum).

Brodifacoum is classified as a superwarfarin. It prevents the clotting of

blood and is used in rat poison. It is an off-white powder. Poisonous by

ingestion, it blocks the blood clotting cascade, causing bleeding for weeks

to months. Bleeding starts 36-48 hours after ingestion. Death is caused by

blood loss and brain haemorrhage. According to an RRL report prepared by 

James Davies and André Immelman, this substance was tested on 8 blue-apes,

who all bled to death, starting with their gums, over a 24-hour period. 

The researchers suggested that a larger group of primates be tested and other 

species be included in the experiment.308 RRL offered two peppermint chocolates 

contaminated with brodifacoum.

The pathogenic micro-organism B. melitensis causes the disease

known as brucellosis (Malta Fever). This infectious disease is characterized

by an acute fever stage and a chronic stage with relapses of fever, weakness,

sweats and vague aches and pains recurring over months or years. A single

dose is listed as having been given to a security force operator in October

1989.309

Cantharadin is a biological poison derived from blister beetle (Spanish

fly). The crystals are colourless and odourless. As little as 10 milligrams of

this toxin has been fatal. Systemic poisoning can develop after ingestion or

by skin contact. Physical contact causes potent skin and mucous membrane

irritation and blistering. Oral poisonous doses cause extensive organ

damage characterized by a burning sensation of the mouth and throat,

followed eventually by kidney and respiratory failure, shock and coma.

(Immelman gave 70 milligrams, enough to kill 7 people, to a policeman in

1989).310

Colchicine is an anti-inflammatory agent used in the management of

severe gouty arthritis. It is a pale yellow nearly odourless substance which

darkens on exposure to light. As little as 7 milligrams can cause death.

Symptoms and signs of poisoning, 2 to 12 hours after ingestion, include

severe nausea and vomiting, bleeding from the gut, and shock. This

progresses to multiple organ failure, especially heart and respiratory failure,

and bleeding tendencies. Death, which may occur 7-36 hours after

91

ingestion, is usually due to respiratory failure and cardiovascular collapse.

(Immelman gave 75 milligrams of colchicine, enough to kill 10 people,

hidden in whisky, to a policeman, in September 1989.)

Digoxin is a well-known drug classified as a cardiac glycoside. It is

commonly used in the management of heart failure and abnormalities in

heart rhythm. Digoxin powder is composed of odourless, white crystals.

The therapeutic dose is close to the lethal dose. The usual therapeutic

dose ranges from 0.125 to 0.25 milligrams per day. Adult patients with

normal hearts (those not on digoxin) rarely develop life-threatening

poisoning with less than 5 milligrams in an acute ingestion. However, acute

ingestion of 2 milligrams in patients on long-term digoxin therapy may result

in potentially serious poisoning. Acute digoxin poisoning usually presents

with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fatigue, delirium,

hallucination and seizures. Death is caused by severe heart rhythm

disturbances, resulting in heart failure and cardiac arrest. Immelman gave 5

milligrams away. (The State prosecutors allege that the intention was to use

this to poison ANC leader Dullah Omar.311 Basson was acquitted on the

charge of having been involved in this incident.)

The mamba is a dangerously venomous snake. The venom is a

neurotoxin. Prodomal symptoms of neurotoxicity, including drowsiness,

vomiting, hyper salivation, increased sweating, trembling, skeletal muscle

fasciculation and circumoral sensation of pins and needles may appear

within 5-10 minutes. More specific and classical neurotoxic symptoms and

signs, which may develop within 30-120 minutes, include: blurred speech

and difficulty in swallowing. Progressive respiratory muscle paralysis,

leading to respiratory failure, is the most serious neurotoxic effect, usually

developing within one to three hours and is usually the cause of death.

(Immelman gave away an unspecified amount of mamba toxin.)312

Mercuric oxycyanide is a white crystalline powder. It contains both

mercury and cyanide. The clinical picture of acute organic mercury

poisoning includes vomiting, a bloody diarrhoea, a profound circulatory

collapse (shock) and kidney failure within 24 hours. (Immelman gave a man

he knew only as “Koos”, believed to have been a policeman, 4 grams of this

poison.)313

92

Methanol (wood alcohol) is a poisonous alcohol. It is an inherent cell

poison. At room temperature it is a colourless liquid with a slight alcoholic

odour. Methanol is converted in the human liver to formaldehyde and then

to formic acid. It is these two metabolites, rather than the methanol, that

are highly poisonous. If untreated, methanol poisoning can lead to visual

changes, severe acidosis, kidney failure, coma and finally respiratory or

heart failure and arrest. (Three doses of 30 millilitres are recorded on the

RRL Sales list.)

Paraoxon is an organophosphate pesticide. It is a potent nerve poison

which is poisonous by ingestion, by mucous membrane as well as skin

contact. Probable oral lethal dose for humans may be as low as 1/50th of a

teaspoon for a 70-kilograms person. One drop in the eye may be fatal.

Death is caused by muscle weakness, accumulation of fluids in the lungs,

respiratory and heart failure, epileptic fits and coma. (Ten doses of 2

millilitres, far more than what is needed to kill one adult, were made

available by Immelman.)314

Paraquat is a domestic and commercial herbicide. It is a potent cell

poison causing multisystem organ failure and lung damage in fatal cases.

Colourless to yellow salt, odourless to mild ammonia smell. An estimated

lethal dose of the concentrated solution is 10-15 millilitres, and 1-2 grams

of the salt. Ingestion causes chemical burning of the mouth and throat with

ulceration. Severe paraquat poisoning may result in severe toxicity and

death within 24 hours as a result of lung, heart, liver and kidney damage.

Survivors usually develop progressive fibrosis (scarring) of the lung within 5-

10 days after exposure. Patients eventually die of respiratory failure.

Paraquat poisoning is almost always fatal. (RRL offered 75 millilitres of this

poison in whisky, enough to kill 5 people.)

Phencyclidine (PCP) has become a drug of abuse since the 1970s. It

is a standardised chemical warfare agent known as agent SN. It can be

described as a psychedelic agent. It was originally developed as a general

anaesthetic agent and its effects are similar to those of ketamine. It is a white

crystalline powder, readily soluble in water and alcohol, with a bitter taste.

Catatonic posturing is produced, resembling that of schizophrenia.

Abusers may appear to be reacting to hallucinations and exhibit hostile or

dissociative behaviour. Severe psychological disturbance can be produced

93

by toxic doses. (Immelman gave 5 doses of 100 milligrams to psychologist

Johnny Koortzen in 1989.)315

Salmonella typhimurium and S. typhi are pathogenic microorganisms

which can cause various disease states, e.g. food poisoning and

typhoid fever. Salmonella typhimurium patients usually present with

vomiting, severe watery diarrhoea, colicky stomach pains, blood in the

stools. Duration varies from 1 or 2 days to weeks or longer. (RRL offered 3

bottles of deodorant contaminated with this pathogen.)

Salmonella typhi is the cause of typhoid fever. The incubation period

(3-25 days) related directly to the number of organisms ingested. Typhoid

fever is a generalized infection causing fever, headache, chills, backache

and nose bleeds. Stomach pains dominate, heart rate slows down and

diarrhoea occurs late. Delirium and confusion are common. Complications

include bleeding from the bowels. Bowel perforation is the most frequent

fatal complication.

Sodium cyanide is a white solid which may be powder, granular, egg

shaped or flake form. It is odourless when dry but may have the

characteristic bitter almond odour when wet. The ability to detect this

odour is genetically determined and 20 to 60 per cent of the population are

unable to detect its presence.

The fatal dose of cyanide salts is estimated at 200-300 milligrams for

an adult (1/25th of a teaspoon). Cyanide is absorbed by ingestion,

inhalations, through eye and intact skin. Sodium cyanide exposure may

produce death within minutes. Exposure to smaller amounts may produce

nausea, vomiting, palpitations, confusion, rapid breathing and vertigo and

dizziness. Fatal doses rapidly progress to agitation, seizures, accumulation

of fluid in lungs, coma, respiratory arrest and death. (The Sales list records

50 capsules having been given to “Koos” in August 1989. Three peppermint

chocolates contaminated with cyanide are offered by RRL.)316

Thallium acetate is a thallium salt, used as an insecticides and

rodenticide. Due to the toxicity of thallium salts these have been banned in

many countries. Thallium is a cellular toxin causing cell death.

It is colourless, odourless and tasteless and extremely toxic. The lethal

dose is 12 milligrams/kilogram of body weight based on animal data.

94

Thallium salts are well absorbed after ingestion, inhalation or skin contact.

Symptoms of acute poisoning are usually delayed for 12 to 24 hours and

may only reach their peak effect in the second or third week after exposure.

This may lead to complete paralysis and death. Nerve damage may be

permanent in survivors. (One gram of the substance is offered by RRL317—

enough to kill a large person.)

Vibrio cholerae is the causative organism of the disease known as

cholera. Cholera is an acute infection involving the entire bowel. It is

characterized by profuse watery diarrhoea, vomiting, muscular cramps,

dehydration, kidney failure and collapse. Cholera can be a fulminant,

rapidly lethal disease. The incubation period is 1-3 days. Children and the

elderly are the first and most severely affected in a cholera outbreak. (32

bottles are offered by RRL—enough to affect the health of more than one

community.)

Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) is one of the fat-soluble vitamins and is

used as a rodenticide. It is a white, odourless crystalline salt. Daily ingestions

in excess of 2000 international units in children or 1.88 milligrams in adults

may produce toxic symptoms within weeks or months. Most of the acute

toxic effects of Vitamin D overdose are due to a rise in blood calcium. In

acute overdose, patients may present with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea,

headache, itching, weakness, peripheral nerve damage, depression,

confusion, heart rhythm disturbances and myocardial infraction. Four

grams are offered by RRL.318

Other substances investigated at RRL, not on the Sales list, but

allegedly used by the operators in some cases include:

Ketalar or Ketamine can be classified as a general anaesthetic. It is also

a potent analgesic (pain reliever). It is commercially available as a solution,

under the trade name Ketalar. Because ketamine can be given

intramuscularly, it is relatively easy for a layperson to administer this drug.

General anaesthesia is induced within 4 minutes after injection. (Bothma

testified that he gave Theron Ketalar with which to anaesthetise the three

men at Dukuduku before injecting them with muscle relaxants.319 Theron

testified to having used it more than once under similar circumstances.320)

Aluminium phosphide or Phosphine is used as a fumigant/

rodenticide (for rats and moles). Upon contact with moisture, the pellets

95

release the poisonous gas phosphine. If ingested, phosphine is released

from aluminium phosphide by action of the stomach fluids. Pure aluminium

phosphide is a grey or yellowish salt. Phosphine is a colourless, flammable

gas with a decaying fish or garlic-like odour.

It is highly toxic. The normal lethal dose in a 70-kilogram person is

reported to be less than 500 milligrams. All patients who died had

consumed 3 or more aluminium phosphide tablets. Inhalation of phosphine

causes severe irritation of the airways, with cough, headache, tightness of

the chest, coma, epileptic fits, heart failure and fluid on the lungs. Death

can occur within 24 hours.

BZ (a-hydroxy-a-phenylbenzeneacetic acid, 1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-

yl ester, 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate). BZ is an incapacitating agent.

Approximately 30 minutes after exposure to BZ aerosol, symptoms appear

such as disorientation with visual and auditory hallucinations. The

symptoms peak in four to eight hours, and may take up to four days to pass.

Other symptoms can include distended pupils, dry mouth, and increased

body temperature. The action of BZ on the central and peripheral nervous

systems resembles that of atropine. Like atropine, BZ binds to muscarinic

acetylcholine receptors.321

RRL microbiologist, Adriaan Botha told the authors that he worked

with the additional following organisms, which were part of the RRL culture

collection (maintained by Odendaal and Botha):322

Escherichia coli. This was used in the cloning of the Clostridium

perfringens epsilon toxin gene for vaccine development purposes. Although

Botha’s intention was to produce a vaccine as a result of this work, he was

aware of its potential military application. If the cloned gene could be

placed in E. coli it would have been able to produce the deadly toxin at a

far higher rate than the Clostridium would have been able to do.323

Clostridium perfringens. The cloning of the epsilon toxin gene for

introduction into Escherichia coli for vaccine development purposes.324

Flavobacterium sp and Pseudomonas sp. Both used in the

development of a method for detoxification of organophosphorus

compounds for both defensive and commercial purposes.325

96

Hormoconis resinae. This organism can grow in diesel and aviation

fuel leading to problems such as engine problems in tanks and ships as a

result of clogged fuel lines. It is suspected that this organism had caused

several airplane crashes. Botha was investigating this organism for both

defensive and offensive purposes.326

Included in the RRL culture collection were the following microorganisms:

Shigella flexneri

Salmonella typhimurium

Salmonella typhi

Yersinia enterocolitica

Escherichia coli H157

Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Escherichia coli EP

Brucella melitensis

Brucella abortus (terminates pregnancy in cows)

Bacillus anthracis

(The above list of pathogens was taken from the culture collection,

these organisms were grown and freeze-dried in 10 millilitres and 25

millilitres quantities which contained a high concentration of the

organisms.)327

The Report has approximately 297 pages and I suggest that health professionals and other personnel access and read it from cover to cover.

(access reference 22 below from UNIDIR to read the full Report)

Where To Go From Here?

We are reaching ominous watersheds or crossroads - driven by excessive greed, the blood-thirst for money and power at the expense of the weak and helpless, almost on a roller-coaster ride which begins to have dynamics all of it's own - and end up being unstoppable until it simply jumps off the rails.

 

Casualties 

                            (originally omitted from the final draft)

When you start to contemplate casualties (fatalities) in the hundreds of millions (or billions*) human life and the philosophies of life lose all meaning.

The concepts of what it means to be human and humanity almost cease, at least in their present form. 

Is such thinking completely irrational?  Only if you are a politician (and by definition a hypocrite with regard to the rationale of conflict or 'the good fight'.)

Will sanity prevail?  If you are an optimist then you must work on the basis that conflicts will be resolved without bloodshed and that scenarios such as those briefly outlined here will be consigned to the dustbin of antiquated history, a bygone age of stupidity and adolescence.

I fear however, the opposite is about to unravel - hence my own wish to make available what little knowledge which might be useful in the advent of something very dark, very ancient and very familiar to come coming knocking with tidings of a very different future than the confidence, the arrogance and the certainty of victory of good over evil our religious leaders, politicians, scientists and others would have us believe is inevitable - if we trust in their judgement and follow the Piper.^{7 (Part II)}

.

*6.5-deceased

  0.5 varying/terminal injuries

  +0.125 - others -  terminal

  8 million completely unaffected

+The figure of 0.125 is not included in varying + terminal because such are dependent-living and genetically damaged beyond repair/replacement.  For those cognizant, the dilemmas and options here are painful.

Figures are based on the world population at the year 2013 (Sources include:World Bank^{8 (Part II)} )

[Percent ratios can be calculated based on increased numbers.]

**http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwr_wk.html

**http://www.diffen.com/difference/Morbidity_vs_Mortality

Patrick Emek

November 5, 2014

© Patrick Emek 2014

Permissions:

Full permission is given to reproduce any part or all of this document for educational and any non-profit purposes on condition that full acknowledgement is given to the author and any referenced material, if likewise utilized, is also acknowledged.

References (Part I)

1.http://chemdef.apgea.army.mil/

2.http://www.cdc.gov/hai/organisms/gram-negative-bacteria.html

3.http://www.pnas.org/content/102/45/16409.abstract

3.http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&ved=0CE4QFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fopus4.kobv.de%2Fopus4-tuberlin%2Ffiles%2F963%2Fkim_chun.pdf&ei=Uo9VVLt80fNqt6GC4AE&usg=AFQjCNELNLmdx0elmcDh_aaRUkkokZP3Xg&bvm=bv.78677474,d.d2s

3.http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anthrax/multimedia/cutaneous-anthrax-/img-20007265

3.http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anthrax/multimedia/inhalation-anthrax-/img-200087223..http://www.cdc.gov/anthrax/types/gastrointestinal.html

3.http://anthrax.emedtv.com/gastrointestinal-anthrax/gastrointestinal-anthrax.html

3.http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/g/gastrointestinal_anthrax/symptoms.htm#symptom_list

3.https://illinoispoisoncenter.org/ipc_media/pdf/GastroAnthrax.pdf

3.http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001325.htm

3.http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/7/6/01-0604_article

3.http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=VxSXJlVAAwUC&pg=PA385&lpg=PA385&dq=blood-oxygen+levels+with+anthrax&source=bl&ots=eNFgJFHT3G&sig=5FjHhCzB8G8XSYBc8-5TarPKsFU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=LpZVVOGbBIzW7QbM34DgCA&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=blood-oxygen%20levels%20with%20anthrax&f=false

8.Biological Warfare FAQs.

This FAQ was compiled as an adjunct to a presentation on biological weapons for the Ann

Arbor, Michigan Democratic Party April 23, 1998.

For further details email:racooncity1@inbox.com

9.Medical Defense Against Biological Warfare: Source-Unknown
contact racooncity1@inbox.com for further information on where to go

9. http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/borden/Portlet.aspx?ID=bddf382f-3ca0-44ba-bd67-fdc48bfa03de

10. http://www.livius.org/pb-pem/peloponnesian_war/war_t10.html
    10.http://www.encyclopedia.com/article-1G2-3402500521/warfare-iv-chemical-and.html
    10.http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_plataea.html
11. http://www.emedicinehealth.com/biological_warfare/article_em.htm

12.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_weapons_in_the_Rif_War

13.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_anthracis

14. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-3-infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/rickettsial-spotted-and-typhus-fevers-and-related-infections-anaplasmosis-and-ehrlichiosis

14.http://wolf.house.gov/sites/wolf.house.gov/files/documents/Lyme%20Critical%20Needs.pdf

Respiratory Bioweapons examples:
15.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthrax

16.http://www.cdc.gov/anthrax/types/inhalation.html

17.http://www.anthrax.osd.mil/documents/library/postexposure.pdf

18. The Looming Biological Warfare Storm: Misconceptions and Probable Scenarios by
    Colonel (Dr.) Jim A Davis, 2003
    http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FpIisMpA7FYC&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=The+Looming+Biological+Warfare+Storm:+Misconceptions+and+Probable+Scenarios+by++++++Colonel+%28Dr.%29+Jim+A+Davis,+2003&source=bl&ots=S_3Hb5qO5x&sig=-a2NzSlq-R7PBS1Nk41_-Pxbfl4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JxJaVIGxB4XN7Qb55ICADw&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=The%20Looming%20Biological%20Warfare%20Storm%3A%20Misconceptions%20and%20Probable%20Scenarios%20by%20%20%20%20%20%20Colonel%20%28Dr.%29%20Jim%20A%20Davis%2C%202003&f=false

19. TREATMENT OF BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENT CASUALTIES:

ARMY FM 8-284 NAVY NAVMED P-5042 AIR FORCE AFMAN (I) 44-156 MARINE CORPS MCRP 4-11.1C,
July 17, 2000
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ARMY+FM+8-284+NAVY+NAVMED+P-5042+AIR+FORCE+AFMAN+%28I%29+44-156+MARINE+CORPS+MCRP+4-11.1C%2C++July+17%2C+2000&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-beta&channel=np&source=hp&gfe_rd=cr&ei=iRJaVPybJe-q8wfR7ICwAg
20. http://www.usamriid.army.mil/education/defensetox/toxdefbook.pdf
21. http://www.whale.to/m/scott7.html
22. The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR):
    Project Coast:Apartheid's Chemical and Biological Warfare Programme, Chandré Gould and Peter Folb Edited by Robert Berold, UNIDIR/2002/12
23.http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/applied_sciences/genetically-engineered-bioweapons-a-new-breed-of-weapons-for-modern-warfare#.VFnDjsmCrdU
24.http://thayer.dartmouth.edu/ethreats/whitepapers/Lowery.html
25:Dr. John Martin: Stealth Viruses A Public Menace - CSF Radio Program Interview 11^th. April. 1999 - with Roger G. Mazlen, M.D. , as Host Presenter
25.http://www.whale.to/v/martin.html
25: What Are Stealth Viruses? Dr John Martin , M.D. , Ph.D Centre For Complex Infectious Diseases
Explore 10:17 -19,2001
http://www.ccid.org/stealth/stealthviruses.htm
26.The following is one title I highly recommend that you read:
26:The Gathering Biological Warfare Storm: Barry R. Schneider, ‎Jim A. Davis - 2004 - ‎History extracts available for preview at:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_qIcodIuIDUC&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=Host+Swapping+Diseases+as+Bioweapons&source=bl&ots=7N4aXRFbYG&sig=bS8TeaSjQQxyWMEMwxjo_WBSCLE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=BMhZVNHYFqnD7gauk4HYBw&ved=0CEIQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Host%20Swapping%20Diseases%20as%20Bioweapons&f=false
26.The Next generation Bioweapons by Michael J. Ainscough,Colonel, USAF
26.http://fas.org/irp/threat/cbw/nextgen.pdf
27.ISIS Report (extract only available on-line to non-members but useful reading for the layperson and health professional) GM & Bio-weapons in the post-Genomics Era:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/gmbiopost.php
27. Genetic Engineering and Bioweapons by Dr Mae-Wan Ho
    www.twnside.org.sg/title/jb24.doc
    [if taken off-line please contact racooncity1@inbox.com for advice on where to go]
    References (Part II)
    references and further recommended reading:
    1.USAMRIID:Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbook, 2006
    1.http://www.usamriid.army.mil/
    2.The History of Biological Warfare (Galen Press)
    https://www.galenpress.com/extras/extra24.htm
    2.Medical Defense Against Biological Warfare: USAMRIID handbook for medical professionals (first 88 pages) - contact USAMRIID
    3.USAMRIID’s MEDICAL MANAGEMENT OF BIOLOGICAL CASUALTIES HANDBOOK Fourth Edition, February 2001
    3.U.S. Army Medical Course Sub Course MD 0152 - Diseases of Military Importance
    Preventive Medicine Division, Army Medical Department Center and School, ATTN: MCCS-MP, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, 78234-6100.
    https://archive.org/stream/485285/4411_djvu.txt
    4.Emerging Viruses - Aids & Ebola - Nature, Accident or Intentional (Leonard G. Horowitz, D.M.D, M.A.,M.P.H,; Tetrahedron, Inc. 1996)
    5.September 12, 2014:
    5.WHO Emergency Notification For Health Professionals Worldwide:
    5.
    WHO:
    List of essential medicines for Ebola Treatment
    (Re-Issued November 2014)
    5.Alcohol-based hand rub Solution, 100ml bottle; 500ml bottle Disinfectant
    Ampicillin Powder for injection, 500mg. 1g (as sodium salt)in vial Antibacterials (in sceptic shocks management)
    Artesunate + Amodiaquine Tablet: 25mg + 67,5mg; 50mg + 135mg; 100mg + 270mg Antimalarial
    Arthemether + Lumefantrine Tablet: 20mg + 120mg (dispersible or not) Antimalarial
    Arthemether Oily injectable: 80mg/ml in 1ml ampoule Antimalarial
    Artesunate
    Injection, ampoules containing 60mg anhydrous artesunic acid with a
    separate ampoule of 5% sodium bicarbonate solution Antimalarial
    Ceftriaxone Powder for injection: 1g (as sodium salt) in vial Antibacterials (in sceptic shocks management)
    Ciprofloxacin Tablet: 250mg (as hydrochloride) Antibacterials (in sceptic shocks management)
    Diazepam Tablet (scored): 2mg; 5mg Anxiety and confusion In cooperative patients
    Diazepam Injection: 5mg/ml Convulsions
    Diazepam Gel or rectal solution: 5mg/ml in 0.5ml; 2ml; 4 ml tubes Convulsions
    Doxycycline Solid oral dosage form: 100mg (as hyclate) Antibacterials
    Epinephrine (adrenaline) Injection: 1mg (as hydrochloride or hydrogen tartrate) in 1 ml ampoule To manage shocks
    Ergometrine Injection: 200mcg (hydrogen maleate) in 1ml ampoule In case of pregnancy
    Furosemide Injection: 10mg/ml in 2 ml ampoule and 10mg, 20mg or 40 mg tablets In case of overload of fluids, diuretics
    Furosemide Tablet: 10mg; 20mg; 40mg In case of overload of fluids, diuretics
    Gentamicin Injection, 10mg; 40mg (as sulfate)/ml in 2ml vial Antibacterials (in sceptic shocks management)
    Glucose Injectable solution: 50% (hypertonic) Sign of hypoglycemia
    Haloperidol Injection: 5mg in 1 ml ampoule
    Confusion and aggression in non-cooperative
    patients
    Hydrocortisone Powder for inection: 100mg (as sodium succinate) in vial To manage shocks
    Insulin injection (soluble) Injection: 40IU/ml in 10ml vial; 100IU/ml in 10ml vial Antidiabetic
    Metoclopramide Injection: 5 ml (hydrochloride)/ml in 2ml ampoule Diarrhea, vomiting
    Metoclopramide Tablet: 10mg (hydrochloride) Diarrhea, vomiting
    Metronidazole Injection: 500mg in 100ml vial Antibacterials
    Metronidazole Tablet: 200mg to 500mg Antibacterials
    Morphine Tablet (immediate release): 10mg (morphine sulfate Analgesic
    Morphine
    Tablet (slow release): 10mg-200mg (morphine hydrochloride or
    morphine sulfate) Analgesic
    Omeprazole Solid oral dosage form: 10, 20, 40 mg Dyspepsia
    Ondansetron Solid oral dosage form: eq 4mg base; eq 8mg base; eq 24mg base Antiemetic
    Ondansetron Injection: 2mg base/ml in 2 ml ampoule (as hydrochloride) Antiemetic
    Oral rehydratation salts Powder in sachets for dilution in 200ml, 500ml or 1 liter Rehydratation
    Oxygen Inhalation (medicinal gas) Difficult breathing/respiratory distress
    Oxytocin Injection: 10 IU in 1ml In case of pregnancy
    Paracetamol Tablet: 100mg to 500mg Fever and analgesic
    Phenobarbital Injection: 200mg/ml (sodium) Convulsions
    Phytomenadione (Vitamin K) Injection: 10mg/ml in 5ml ampoule Bleeding
    Potassium chloride
    Solution: 11,2% in 20ml ampoule (equivalent to K+ 1,5mmol/ml,
    Cl:1,5mmol/ml Correction of electrolytes disturbances
    Quinine Injection: 300mg quinine hydrochloride/ml in 2ml ampoule Antimalarial
    Salbutamol Inhalation (aerosol): 100mcg (as sulfate) per dose Difficult breathing/respiratory distress
    Sodium bicarbonate Injection: 8.4%, 1 Meq/ml, 20ml, ampoule
    Sodium chloride
    Injectable solution: 0.9% isotonic (equivalent to Na+ 154mmol/l, Cl-
    154mmol/l) Rehydratation
    Sodium lactate, compound
    solution Injectable solution Rehydratation
    Tetracycline Eye ointment: 1% (hydrochloride) Antiinfective
    Tramadol Injection: 50mg/ml, 2ml ampoule (hydrochloride) Analgesic
    References:
    "INTERIM version 1.2 Ebola and Marburg virus disease epidemics: preparedness, alert, control, and evaluation, WHO, August 2014 (module of PPE in Annex 32 and 33)" http://www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/manual_EVD/en/
    Clinical Management of Patients with Viral Harmorrhagic Fever, WHO, March 2014 http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/clinical-managementpatients/
    en/
    Interagency Emergency Health Kit 2011, WHO, 2011 http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/emergencyhealthkit2011/en/
    Bwaka et al., Journal of Infectious Diseases 1999; 179:(Suppl 1) S1-7
    WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, 18th list (April 2013) http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/en/
    Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Care of Patients with Suspected or Confimed Filovirus Haemorrhagic Fever in Health-Care Settings, with Focus on Ebola, WHO, August 2014 http://www.who.int/csr/resources/who-ipc-guidance-ebolafinal-09082014.pdf?ua=1
    Clinical Management of Patients with Viral Harmorrhagic Fever, WHO, March 2014
    Ebola and Marburg Outbreak Control Guidance Manual Version 2.0, MSF, 2007
    Filovirus haemorrahgic fever guideline, MSF, 2008 http://www.slamviweb.org/es/ebola/FHFfinal.pdf

                    6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maginot_Line

7. http://piperbasenji.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/the-pied-piper-of-hamelin.html

8.https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=population+of+the+world&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-beta&channel=np&source=hp&gfe_rd=cr&ei=D_tcVKDCGvSq8we3lIDgBw

In  A  Land Where  Justice  Is  Still   A  Game:

The Blackwater  4

The recent Court and jury decision to convict 4 former Blackwater contractors of murder is, in my opinion, another travesty of justice.

It is a travesty of justice because the contractors were assured that they were 'protected' in the course of what was, at that time, one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet.

They were asked to undertake work which professional Armed forces personnel would find, at the best of times, stressful and where only intensive professional training could have possibly averted a tragedy on that day in Nisoor Square, Baghdad.

The truth was they (the convicted ex-Blackwater employees) were betrayed by the very politicians whose safety they were prepared (and some did) to sacrifice their lives to protect whilst visiting Iraq.

But you won't read about this in the 'hanging press', all reproducing the same storyline – that 'justice' has been 'seen' to be done. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Given public hysteria and fear of loss of electoral votes over any sensitive [vote losing] issue, all run for cover, and, to put it bluntly, hang anyone and everyone 'out to dry' to save their own political necks.

But you will never read about this in the mainstream news.

I never condone murder. Yes there is little doubt that the restraints normally in place where professional Armed Forces personnel are involved, were absent on that fateful day in 2007 at Nisoor Square, Baghdad when innocent civilians were indiscriminately shot dead. But how many of the jury or the judge, the Justice Department or FBI staffers have been in a war zone under these exceptional conditions? I have so I can speak with some confidence and knowledge in this regard.

If you have ever been in a war zone where local conditions can change in an instant and the atmosphere can go from being unhostile, to build up, general hysteria, or being 'hemmed in' to someone shouting 'kill the Infidels' or something similar or a language you do not understand but have to infer many things from gestures, actions and try to anticipate intentions, all in an instant. I can assure you there is little time to react, between you being surrounded, torn to shreds, your head on a pole, little time between being alive and dead. The only thing which may save you – and the civilians surrounding you - from carnage – is your training, or sheer luck. For myself, it was the latter, on three separate occasions in two different countries. There is no time to react logically, basic survival instinct takes over and you do what you can in an instant to save your own life [or protect your VIP as the case is.] Once the shooting starts only training and discipline can bring it to an end with minimum loss of life.

But you won't read or hear or see about this in your mainstream media. Those few who have had this experience will, on the whole, prefer to just keep quiet. Maybe for personal reasons. Maybe for professional career fears for the future. Maybe they themselves continue to be traumatized, suffering in silence rather than seeking professional help – or because they just can't afford the cost of such private psychiatric healthcare or just can't afford the cost of speaking out.  (Yes Michael Savage, PTSD does exist – and many who served their country suffer in silence rather than seek help. Only armchair critics have no knowledge of it.)

I have experienced this [operating under extremely stressful or life-threatening conditions] situation three times, in two different War zones, in two different countries, as a non-combatant civilian, in my lifetime. I would not wish it on anyone. If I had been armed, I would have instantly acted to defend myself from what were rapidly changing (in an instant) conditions. I may (or may not) have issued verbal warnings which, if ignored, I too would have had no hesitation in opening fire on hysterical or surrounding local crowds. I was unarmed and, with hindsight and surprise, used other innate survival skills, which I did not even realize I possessed until those moments, to save my own life. But I have never forgotten those events. They do not haunt me, but they were very formative in my personal evolution and development.

A judge and jury who have never experienced a combat zone close up and personal – other than the six feet between themselves and the plasma, LCD or LED in their living room, and witnesses for the prosecution, must give added weight to the innocent victims accounts by the very nature of the outcome. The jury have not just taken away the liberty but the dignity of the contractors whose only crime was that they believed in their country and were prepared to lay down their lives whilst undertaking tasks their masters would often prefer to plausibly deny and, more importantly, under extreme pressure and stress, they made fatal mistakes. Once bullets are fired, unfortunately they cannot be recalled.

For the record, the former Blackwater contractors were guilty of opening fire on an apparently defenceless crowd of civilians. But Baghdad in 2007, was not (as it is likewise today) a cakewalk.

As far as I am concerned, justice will not have been done until all these convicted Blackwater contractors are freed or pardoned for the mitigating reasons and exceptional conditions which few citizens will ever experience in their lifetimes, thankfully.

They will not even have the 'dignity' of serving out their sentences at Leavenworth [USDB/JRCF] but are now branded as common criminals, murderers to be incarcerated, keys thrown away, no chance of reprieve.

If the four individuals convicted are guilty of anything it is a lack of good judgement under exceptionally stressful conditions which resulted in a tragic loss of innocent Iraqi civilian lives.

Their indirect employer, the government, should acknowledge it's own culpability.

In my opinion, one of the last acts in Office of the incumbent President should be to acknowledge this fact and that these individuals were not the only ones who should have been in the dock but were shamelessly used, hung out to swing in the wind, thrown away as garbage, then abandoned by the country they served. One can argue with justification the issues of honor ,dignity and recompense for the innocent victims and their grieving families in their quest for some sense of justice and closure.

I will not quote much of the 'hanging press' as it is all, almost unanimously, singing from the same hymn sheet, with as many as can clammer, scramble and fight their way on board, all along for the ride, steering, cajoling on, at the top of their vocals, the wheeled wicker baskets with the (now) convicted murderers, towards their pre-prepared pyres for incineration, to satisfy the frenzied 'blood-lust' of the psyched-up masses.

Patrick Emek

Detailed description of a convoy 'hemmed in' at a very congested junction:

This very descriptive account of tragic loss also gives some sense of an environment where, at any moment, anything can happen - and this is a point where a convoy is at it's most vulnerable - and 'on edge' for such reasons:

http://www.thenation.com/article/blackwaters-youngest-victim

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/23/us/blackwater-verdict.html?_r=0

http://www.naturalnews.com/News_000595_Iraq_Blackwater_Pentagon.html

http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/lessons-blackwater-indictments

Bob Dylan:

''could not help but make me feel ashamed to live in a land where justice is a game'':

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/243119-couldn-t-help-but-make-me-feel-ashamed-to-live-in

Tennis - Serena slams "sexist" slur by Russian Federation Chief, Shamil Tarpischev

World number one Serena Williams has slammed the Russian Tennis Federation president for describing her and sister Venus as the "Williams brothers".

(title heading directly quoted from the reference give below)

The remarks by Russian Tennis Federation President, Shamil Tarpischev, show how appallingly backward and barbarian the Russian Federation is in it's perception of  Black people and other non-Russian cultures.
The undertones are, of course, violently racist, barely disguised by the Russian Tennis Federation President.
Countries would be strongly advised to monitor with great care the presence of Russian Orthodox citizens on their territory as such are likely to disrupt harmonious cultural relationships by their attitudes and lack of respect.
The above remarks about the Williams Sisters – one of the most successful 'Sister-Act' ever in the history of tennis - only confirms suspicions in the West that Russia has but merely moved snails paces from the eras of pogroms against minorities at the beck and whims of the Russian Orthodox Church (one of the most violently racist outfits in the world today – perhaps equaled by ISIS) and the neolithic-thinking Russian fascist political establishment. which props it up.
You will never hear the Russian Orthodox Church condemn such remarks because, of course, they are their inspiration and in full agreement with such statements.
I will not even give the former the title of an Orthodox 'religious order' because that would be to debase and defile other Orthodox Christian Churches worldwide.
I have yet to come across an outfit so unfit to call itself 'Christian' as The Russian Orthodox Church
and it's so-called 'priests'. They call themselves men of God but in reality they share more in common with the Dark Side of human nature than with it's Godhead
Nothing the Russian Orthodox Church has ever done for mankind outside Russia has ever been historically recorded. And that should come as no great surprise for the informed.
Best for the security of the world that they all just continue, ad-infinitum, to tend nurture and cultivate their flocks of racists and neo-nationalists rather than become a part of the civilized world.

By the way, you will be hard-pressed to find these remarks covered by 'The Bullhorn of President Putin' (Russia Today)  in it's coverage of  'newsworthy' international events.




Patrick Emek



https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/tennis-serena-slams-sexist-slur-russian-federation-chief-064034585--ten.html

http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/story/357785.html

Beyond Ebola & It's Successors:

Synthetic Viral Pandemics

[The Shape of Things To Come]

Synthetic molecules have the potential to be both blessings and curses.

There is the potential to transform even the concept of what we regard as 'human' through the creation of such structures.

Unlike my opposition to GM foods, synthetic life could have the potential to take us beyond our concepts of time, space, reality and open the potential for a new intelligent species to do things, go places and self-replicate in manners beyond our wildest of dreams and imaginations.

The very concept of what is (or constitutes) intelligent life will be altered by this Science.

Apart from everything else, synthetic life could 'go viral' in it's own right.

As with all forms of life everywhere in our known (and unknown) universe, there are always Achilles Heels. 'Other' life is no more nor less susceptible to infections than we are.

What will cause infections and how such lifeforms will react will no doubt be as dramatic as anything we can see with human pandemics.

The problem we will face is that our biology has not evolved to respond to synthetic life and such would be an 'attack' on human cellular lifeforms by an 'alien' virus. Our immune systems have been evolving over billions of years (certainly over hundreds of millions) and our existence is a unique product of the symbiotic relationship between ourselves and the millions of bacteria and organisms which happily co-exist, most of the time, within our own bodies, and do not (usually) 'trigger' immediate reactions which cause us to immediately die. Such process usually takes place when 'runaway' cell reproduction becomes unstoppable or under other traumatic circumstances which cause life to immediately cease.
Disease causing microbes (pathogens) include bacteria, viruses and fungi.

The issue for the future will be what to do when a synthetic virus crosses the species barrier*.

The scientists don't want to discuss this with you because they already know that the results could be to wipe out the entire human population as it exists since no human is configured or 'tailor designed' to 'cope' with a synthetic molecular or viral 'attack' on human cells.

There is no precedent. For example, isolation depends on the ability to contain contamination.

It assumes that 'firewalls' between the infected person and those treating the victim(s) can be maintained as configured. But what if a synthetic virus can with ease 'walk through' walls, metal, polycarbonate, graphene, and any other 'barriers' we have constructed -and on the basis of our past experience?   Such is the worst scenario – and in this case there may be no fall-back position.

Let's not assume the very worst, let's assume the ability to contain within a defined quarter or location for treatment of the patient, it is not beyond the realms of thinking that such an intelligent synthetic virus could, to save itself, go 'dormant', possibly even be undetectable to available equipment.   The dormancy might be factored by parameters we are yet to evaluate.

In such a case, again, we are in big trouble as there are no precedents on the period of dormancy (years, decades, centuries) to be able to accurately predict it's re-emergence.

I was recently discussing Ebola with a friend and gave the following scenario:

What if, in the past, whole villages of extended families in remote areas of Africa had been 'wiped out' by this virus? Has anybody stopped to consider what happened to their unburied bodies?  In such regions as Equatorial Africa they would, no doubt, be eaten by the natural wildlife. So these dead infected corpses had been ingested by scavengers, which, in turn may well have reproduced (as carriers) be subsequently caught and eaten as Bush Meat by humans.

In Africa, 'Bush Meat' is our equivalent of free-range live animals not farmed nor factory-farmed but running and living wild in the forests and, what is left of African jungle areas.  Such meat is very popular because, for example, you can just hunt wild animals in the forests, kill and eat the fresh meat, free of charge. This is a traditional practice which has kept many impoverished families alive for centuries - as they simply cannot afford to buy meat for their families in the market place nor shops.   It has also provided a lucrative living to enterprising individuals who make a living by selling 'natural' 'bush meat' in the marketplace.  I must also add that but for this 'business' (of catching Bush Meat) individuals would, together with their families, dependents, extended family members, otherwise remain impoverished .

It has also enabled the children in parts of Africa where such is widely practiced to make 'pocket money' and even money to pay for their books and school charges and, in the case of those orphaned and living with a relative or adopted 'mother', to help pay for their keep.

So we could, potentially, be talking about the onward transmission, now into generations, of potentially deadly viruses.  The good news is that from within such communities, those who have survived will also carry the antibodies from which antigens which will offer the potential for future immunization against this deadly virus will be created.

The question immediately arises 'well if a deadly virus has been transmitted, then why has the new victim (carrier) not succumbed after eating this infected Bush Meat?'  In other words, what are the incubation or dormancy periods of such viruses after they cross and/ or trans-cross the species barrier(s)?  I don't have an answer to this question but there could be many reasons.

One possible answer is that, for secondary and tertiary carriers, we do not fully understand periods of viral 'hibernation' fully and how they alter the human genetic code, perhaps in very subtle ways we are yet to discover?

The point I am making here is that dormant viruses for periods of time beyond what we hitherto thought possible, within the human body, may not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

Once we create molecules, microorganisms, or even nano-technological structures which, like an email, have the potential to travel at near half light-speed or at least, in an 'apparent' instant, then, potentially, such could also 'infect' likewise in an apparent instant, with the 'right' medium as 'host' or 'transmitter' or 'carrier'.

As a whole 'Brave New World' of technology and science emerge and fuse, the wonders for creation and good are bountiful - as are the scenarios for apocalypse.

The tragedy is, whether we are ready for this world or not, it is already in motion and all we can do is hope, work and, if you are religious, pray, that we understand it's philosophy of life better than we have understood our own.

 [  Note that I am not a trained virologist nor medical professional so please feel free to debunk anything I have said above, based on your own professional expertise.  ]

© Patrick Emek, 2014

Author & Researcher


*For example, the NPC1 protein is common to  both bats and humans.
This would be an ideal 'bridge' for crossing the species barrier as we currently understand it.
There are other proteins common to both humans and animals which virologists are currently researching and identifying. 
A constellation of  recombinaze solutions may, in part, offer some options for current challenges.

Note 1:
There is a lot of ignorance resulting in general hysteria about Ebola and infectious disease.   I am therefore including the most internationally recognized protocol terminology for disease transmission and epidemiology. 
Please refer to the credit below the terminology for further information:

DEFINITIONS¹

''In order to approach the subject of disease transmission and epidemiology in a clear and logical manner, it is necessary to establish a common ground in the use of terminology. The following terms will be used frequently throughout this subcourse.


a. Disease. Disease is an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body that affects the performance of the vital functions. The presence of disease usually results in visible signs or symptoms.


b. Communicable Disease. A communicable disease is an illness that can be transmitted person to person or from animal to person.


c. Agent. An agent is a disease-producing organism or substance.


d. Infection. Infection is the entrance and multiplication of infectious (disease-producing) agents into the body of man or animal.


e. Reservoir. A reservoir is the source of a disease, harboring the infectious agent(s). The agent either multiplies or undergoes some development with the organism or substance acting as the reservoir.


f. Mode of Transmission. The mode of transmission is the means by which a disease is transmitted from one person or animal to another.


g. Vector. A vector is an animal or arthropod that plays a part in the transmission of disease. A disease vector may be either the reservoir or the vehicle in disease transmission.


h. Host. The host is the living body upon which a parasite or infectious agent lives--the final recipient of a disease agent. The host of a disease may be either a case or a carrier.


i. Case. A case refers to a person who is actually ill with a disease.


j. Carrier. A carrier is an individual (or animal) who is infected with a disease, agent and is capable of transmitting the disease, but who usually does not exhibit clinical symptoms.


k. Incubation Period. The incubation period is the time interval between the entrance of an infectious agent into a host and the appearance of symptoms.


l. Spectrum of Infection. The spectrum of infection is the broad gradation of disease infection from no apparent symptoms (such as the carrier state) through severe illness and death.


m. Endemic. Endemic refers to the usual level of occurrence of a disease within a given geographical area.


n. Epidemic. Epidemic is the occurrence of a disease clearly in excess of the normal expectancy within a given geographical area.


o. Pandemic. Pandemic is the occurrence of disease over a wide geographical area and affecting an exceptionally high percentage of the population.


p. Epidemiology. Epidemiology is the study of the determinants and distribution of disease and injury in a given population.


q. Vehicle. A vehicle is an inanimate object that facilitates the transmission of a disease-causing agent.


1-4. COMMUNICABLE DISEASES


Although not all diseases of military importance are communicable, this lesson will focus upon the communicable diseases-those that can be transmitted from person to person or from an animal to a person. These diseases may be classified into five groups, based upon the manner in which they are spread, the area of the body that they affect, and the type of control needed to prevent their spread.


a. Intestinal Diseases. These diseases are usually transmitted by food or water that has become contaminated with feces from an infected human or animal. Examples are typhoid and paratyphoid fevers, dysentery, and cholera.


b. Respiratory Diseases. These diseases are usually transmitted from person to person by discharges from the nose, mouth, throat, or lungs of an infected person. Examples are the common cold, influenza, pneumonia, streptococcal sore throat, and tuberculosis.


c. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. These diseases are transmitted from person to person by sexual intercourse. Examples are syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes, hepatitis B, and chancroid.


d. Arthropod-Borne Diseases. These diseases are transmitted from person to person or from animal to person by insects or other arthropods. Examples are malaria, typhus, and yellow fever.


e. Miscellaneous Diseases. This group includes those communicable diseases that do not fall into any of the above groups. Examples are rabies (hydrophobia), tetanus (lockjaw), and dermatophytosis (athlete's foot).


1-5. THE CHAIN OF DISEASE TRANSMISSION


a. Each case of communicable disease is the result of an orderly progression in a series of events. This series of events may be described as a three-link chain, each link representing a factor essential to the transmission of disease. These links are:


(1) The source of the disease (reservoir)


(2) The means by which the disease may be transmitted (mode of transmission).

A susceptible person (host).''

1 I am indebted to the U.S. Army, Army Medical School, Fort Sam, Houston, Texas.

For any further information please contact:

U.S. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT CENTER AND SCHOOL, FORT SAM, HOUSTON, TEXAS 78234-6100

Note 2:

The incubation period for Ebola, is, estimated at 28-36 days and not the 22 days as is being presented.

I suspect that for commercial reasons, the arbitrary (mean or average) figure of 22 days has been chosen.

Any community which is free of the virus for 36 days can be said to have contained the virus.
© Patrick Emek, 2014

revised 18.10.2014

updated 19th October, 2014

updated 22nd October,2014 (Note 1)

updated 25th October with Press Release from the Desk of Dr. Anthony Fauci at The White House:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/ebola-response?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=email385-text1&utm_campaign=ebola#fauci
erratum: 30th October:speed of an email:near half the speed of light -light

http://www.ted.com/talks/craig_venter_unveils_synthetic_life?language=en

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_biology

*http://products.creative-biolabs.com/symbolsearch_NPC1.htm

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NPC1

http://quizlet.com/6168128/biochemistry-fun-flash-cards/

[DOC]

שיעור 4 – 31/01/08 מחלת הסכרת – Diabetes Mellitus במסגרת ...
English translation at:
http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=iw&u=http://img2.timg.co.il/CommunaFiles/26348880.doc&prev=/search%3Fq%3Drecombinaze%26start%3D10%26client%3Dfirefox-beta%26hs%3DfsH%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26channel%3Dnp%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D895

Moral Equivalence: The Fall of The Turkish-Syrian Border Town of Kobani and The Fall of The Warsaw Ghetto

Moral Equivalence:

The Fall of The Turkish-Syrian Border Town of Kobani and The Fall of The Warsaw Ghetto ⁹

Flashback

It is not now inevitable that the Syrian-Turkish border town of Kobani, mainly occupied by Syrian Kurds, will fall to ISIL forces.  

This whole event brings back memories of my childhood when I met families who were survivors of the Holocaust where I was growing up.

I was always struck by their very deep sense of emotions when talking about what life was like in Europe before, during and after the Second World War Nazi years.

All had been evacuated after the war to various parts of Europe with little but identity cards and some money by an International Relief Agency (either U.S. or Red Cross) for food and travel. Nearly all had arrived in host countries with just the clothes they and their children were wearing.

It's probably for such reasons that I have always had great sympathy for all refugees, regardless of color, race or religion who, through no fault of their own, are exiled from their birthplace and beloved country.

As I grew up and learned more, it was apparent that the Allies (Churchill and Roosevelt and Stalin) had known about the Concentration camps from the earliest times of Nazi implementation of medical extermination programs (forerunners of the Death Camps) but choose to keep silent.   Besides, they had enough of their own Jews - without wanting to offer sanctuary to any more in flight from pogroms in Russia nor from Nazi-controlled Europe.

While this is all now public knowledge nobody really seems to care that probably millions of lives could have been saved and, perhaps, even the Second World War itself prevented, if leaders had the moral courage to stand up to Nazism. All lacked the courage of true leadership. All were consumed with their own prejudices and selfish interests and saw all the minorities in Europe as expendable. 

 

For myself, Pastor Martin Niemöller got it spot on when he said:

'' First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.^''1

It's Not Just Intellectual Cowardice

It is not just cowardice of intellectuals but a general cowardice of political will because it lacks all morality and spirituality and is consumed in the selfishness of materialism and ethnocentricity which caters for the lowest common base and never for the highest common shared universal ideals and values.  It's a cowardice which wraps itself with all the legal trappings of morality and justice whilst secretly working to undermine all those very same values.

As the town of Kobani falls, should we impose any higher standards of morality on Turkey than on, say, the United States for the My Lai Massacre⁵, or Israel for Sabra and Shatila⁶ or the perpetrators of the Rwanda⁴genocide or the genocides of Serbs⁷, Croats⁷and Bosnians⁷or the murder on the streets of Paris of 200 hundred Algerians and the throwing of their bodies into the River Seine?²; or the untold stories of how every Jew has been ethnically cleansed from North Africa, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan?⁸.     How can we hold the Turks to any higher standards than we hold ourselves?   We have already failed in that regard so have lost all moral authority and credibility to condemn their failure of compassion and mercy in dealing with their refusal to allow the relief nor directly assist - thereby aiding and abetting - the ultimate fall of Kobani and inevitable massacre of it's heroic defenders by ISIL butchers?

How can we ever expect to defeat ideologies such as those of ISIL when we ourselves do not even fight to defend  those we purport to uphold and cherish - perhaps because we do not even believe in what we publicly profess?; preferring instead, appeasement, until our own, very selfish and very narrow tunnel-vision interests, are threatened ?

The Shape of Things To Come - And How Did Things Come To Where They Are?

Al Qaeda and ISIL forces and subsidiaries are all across North Africa : – you haven't heard?   You need to be better informed than the sources from where you are currently getting your news.    And who brought them there?   We (the West) did.    Through our failed policies.   Now our politicians (the ones who got us all into these messes) haven't a clue how to get us out – other than turn industrial Europe into an armaments manufacturer for the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

Have our politicians really decided that guns and bullets are more profitable than (non-GMO) seeds and plowshares for our neighbors in the Muslim world and the East?

Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil

I have many criticisms of Salafist Erdogan's government but because he will not survive politically there is little to be gained through further criticism of his policies.

What I can say in the case of the Syrian-Turkish border town of Kobani is that the Turks, as a government and as a nation, are no less nor more morally culpable of the genocide of this town and it's brave Syrian-Kurdish defenders than our own politicians are for the many times they shut their eyes, shut their ears and stayed silent, hearing no evil, seeing no evil  when all about them was evil.

Update at 20th October 2014:
A major change in policy in the past 48 hours has seen Turkey now being prepared to engage ISIL forces at Kobani.    It appears that international pressure is, in part, responsible for this development.   From Turkey's perspective to (temporarily) choose the lesser of two evils (Kurdish Separatists) is a matter of national security and the more immediate and visible danger, the Salafist Erdogan government has finally realized, is ISIL  - that very same group it was previously encouraging in it's bid to break up Syria.

Patrick Emek

updated 15/10/2014  with reference 9 (earlier omitted in error)

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Kobani,+Syria/@36.6959872,38.4008357,7z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x153138d638a91e29:0x79bd3b139eb41ccf?sa=X&ei=6h86VJLMEMqV7AaP04CoCQ&ved=0CDQQ8gEwAw

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.620245

http://news.yahoo.com/islamic-state-seizes-large-areas-syrian-town-despite-005845424.html

Hitler's Holocaust Blueprint:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314399/Hitlers-Holocaust-blueprint-Africa-concentration-camps-used-advance-racial-theories.html

South Africa History Line:Women and Children in White Concentration Camps:
http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/women-children-white-concentration-camps-during-anglo-boer-war-1900-1902
Black Concentration Camps During The Anglo-Boer War:
http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/black-concentration-camps-during-anglo-boer-war-2-1900-1902

 ''First They Came.......''

¹

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_...

³http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Niem%C3%B6ller

² http://www.fantompowa.net/Flame/algerians.htm

35 Years ago the "Battle of Paris": When the Seine was full of bodies
Hakim Sadek, Liberté, 17th October 1998

² http://www.fantompowa.net/Flame/algerians_liberte.htm

⁴

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwandan_Genocide

⁵

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_Massacre

#http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wannsee_Conference

⁶

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabra_and_Shatila_massacre

⁷Massacre of Serbs:

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region.php?yyyy=2012&mm=01&dd=05&nav_id=78148

⁷Cover Up of Serbian Organ Harvesting:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julia-gorin/coverup-on-serbian-organ_b_96272.html

⁷Massacres by Serbian Forces:

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/19/world/villagers-in-croatia-recount-massacre-by-serbian-forces.html

⁷Genocide Watch:

http://www.gendercide.org/case_bosnia.html

⁸Islamic Ethnic Cleansing of Jews:

http://www.frontpagemag.com/2011/dgreenfield/islamic-ethnic-cleansing-of-jews/

⁹

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto

⁹

http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/warsaw_ghetto_testimonies/index.asp?WT.mc_id=200960&WT.cg_n=g.en 

9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto_Uprising

Argentina: Condor Comes Full Circle

Condor Comes Full Circle

Guilty Of Torture and Murder : – The Men Behind The Masks

A recent decision to convict senior political and military figures still alive (including a former President) is hailed by Human Rights groups worldwide as a victory for equality and justice.  But is it really this?

Yes there were excesses during the years of the Argentine dictatorship years. Yes individuals were tortured and murdered. Yes babies were taken from (political prisoners, who, more often than not, were murdered) parents and given up for adoption to 'good' Christian' families in Argentina and elsewhere. But there were many excesses – on all sides – during a period of what we now call the Cold War.   It was a ruthless war worldwide, often taking no prisoners, for control of the world by either Communism or Capitalism. You were either on one side or the other.   There was no sitting on the fence. (Unless, of course, you were part of  the 'Non-Aligned Movement' - a not insignificant number of countries choosing neither capitalism nor communism, but a 'Third Way'.)  You did what you could to further the objectives of what you believed in – and there was little sympathy, on either side, for compromise.

This war transcended all others and, in some shape or form, all others, had offshoot connections (for the supply of intelligence or armaments) to one side or the other.   It was rare (but not exceptional) to find an astute political leader receiving support from both the Communist and Capitalist blocks to further his political or economic goals somewhere in the world.

Back Chat and It's Relevance To Today's Conflicts

Having said the above, it was not unusual to find the servants of bitter foes sitting down to a cup of coffee somewhere in the world to exchange possibilities - such were one of numerous 'back channels' recognized and respected throughout Christendom – and which is totally absent in dealing with fanatical Islamic religious zealots like ISIL as such  have no interest in 'Infidel' 'rules of conduct' .

So Are The Most Recent Convictions Examples of Justice?

(Or Is There Something Else Going On?)

Firstly the families of the victims deserve justice as under Argentinian law. Truth and Reconciliation are the cornerstones of such a process – and the lengthy prison sentences meted out to former Senior Officials are an example of this.  In my view, the legal process involving the victims (whose cases and grievances I am not in any way disputing nor questioning) in Argentina has been hijacked.   Let me explain why:

Argentina is currently embroiled in a very bitter dispute with the IMF and The United States over the repayment of loans.  This goes back to the Argentinian Government's decision to default on it's debts in 2001.  You can read about this in the reference section below.

The most comprehensive reference of the ones chosen below, if you only have the time to read one, I suggest you choose 'The Market Oracle'.  If you have a little more time, I refer you to 'Who Shot Argentina?'  in The Huffington Post.

So as not to appear too biased, I have selected references which are, in the main, sympathetic to the position of the Argentina Government in this dispute.

The Sub-Plot

Now the key issues here are, what the Argentine government calls U.S. 'vulture funds' which it blames for it's 2001 crises.  The Argentina government calls the actions of certain (mainly U.S.) companies 'financial terrorism'.  Despite well publicized international rulings, the government of Argentina has been unable to reach a compromise on it's outstanding debt – as litigated against for settlement in U.S. Courts of Law - and is nearing a point where such appeal channels (The U.S. Supreme Court) are exhausted.

The ruling today of the Argentine Court leaves the door open for financial actions against, yes, you guessed it, 'the vulture funds' (well some of them) or their subsidiaries or merged or re-structured successor companies as prima facie for financial restitution as the (implicit) claims made in court case against the convicted torturers and assassins were that certain multinationals were 'complicit' with the dictatorship regimes in kidnappings, assassinations, torture and murder. That such were all enacted as a process of financial-political right-wing 'terrorism' directed against the Argentinian people but that all such corporate entities have escaped both the limelight and prosecution for their heinous crimes. That such are the real terrorists and 'vultures' who fed on the blood of Argentinians for the furtherance of economic gain and, thus, they too must now publicly and financially account for their crimes against the people of Argentina and against the State.  So this is the real objective of today's verdict in Argentina.

The victims and their families are being shamelessly used as political pawns in a battle between the government of Argentina and it's financial creditors as 'retaliation' for an adverse decision which has blocked it's ability to reach a 'once and for all' financial settlement with it's creditors – mainly in the United States (or U.S. owned or controlled subsidiaries.)

They (the victims of murder and torture) will never see any real financial recompense (unless articles like this highlight the hypocrisy and double-standards.)   The next move will be to indict these 'vultures' and seek a ruling for (what is likely to be)  billions (tens or hundreds, I have no access to this data) of dollars as financial restitution both at home (in the Argentine) , in the United States (through the Courts) and through the United Nations and International Courts.
This will not be a 'chicken feed' claim but be assured crumbs will be given (perhaps after years of legal wrangling) to those victims (or their successors) in whose names compensation will be being sought by the government of Argentina.   That's the strategy folks.   The objective is to force the U.S. government to 'step in' to 'enforce' 'compliance' on those 'vultures' blocking a settlement of  Argentina's debts with it's creditors.   Are you now getting the picture?    Don't say you didn't get the news here – before it was news.

Does The Government of Argentina Have A Valid Case?

In my personal opinion it does, but to shamelessly use the victims of injustice during the dictatorship years as pawns in this dispute, in this manner, is not right.  And for these so called international  'Human Rights' groups to crow or carp about victory for justice for human rights is laughable.  In my opinion it only undermines their own credibility and shows how they 'cherry pick' cases for their own selfish financial and public relations (in terms of socially 'popular' 'Witch Hunts') agendas.

I should also add that the innocent victims of Communist violence and terror throughout the region during this period also have financial cases – which will never (or are indeed rarely) be heard or recompensed as such as seen (sadly, by most) as 'collateral' damage.  As it's not a popular cause don't expect these 'impartial'  human rights organizations to be eagerly jumping on the bandwagon to provide assistance in the highlighting of such injustices.

There were many other ways the Argentinian Government could have chosen to  resolve this pressing issue but, with it's back against the wall, this was seen as the most expeditious route.

For myself, it's like an organization using Holocaust victims as pawns to extract funds from, say, I.G. Farben
(or it's successors) solely to line the financial pockets of the litigating organization for it's activities (be they charitable, social, cultural etc.) and it's lawyers or attorneys with little recompense ever reaching the actual victims or their families or successors for the horrors of slave labor and the Nazi concentration camps experiments, tortures and mass murders. This to me, is the equivalent of the Argentinian government's intended actions with regard to the above.

It should also highlight the shortcomings in political systems where nations, in desperation, have to resort to 'guerrilla warfare' and Talibanistic-style 'hostage' tactics to obtain justice, in the absence of internationally respected individuals and institutions regarded as impartial and bona fide arbitrators by all parties to conduct informal mediation and compromise.   In the absence of common sense prevailing,  the exercise of power, for it's own sake, by the powerful, appears to be the order of the day.


Patrick Emek

erratum:foreword
'Foreword' deleted,  October 8, 2014

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/10/07/argentina-bignone-sentenced/16889395/

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article46910.html

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-weisbrot/who-shot-argentina-a-wash_b_5534174.html

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/op-eds-&-columns/op-eds-&-columns/the-courts-go-medieval-on-argentina

http://ictj.org/news/front-lines-of-justice

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2008/09/arge-s08.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Condor


 https://www.basf.com/group/corporate/en/about-basf/history/1945-1964/index 

Standard Oil is mentioned in the reference below (and you may be interested to read about it's successor companies.)  The reference below is controversial, but I am including it as there are aspects to it's (biased?;conspiracist?) analysis which will, in part, more likely than not, openly play out in the forthcoming corporate 'show trials' in Argentina:
http://spitfirelist.com/for-the-record/ftr-411-the-bayer-facts-ig-farben-and-the-politics-of-murder/




and last but not least,  The Ministry of Reconciliation:
http://www.suscopts.org/messages/lectures/sacrament16.pdf