WMD Attack on the U.S.: What Threats do we Face?

Here is a blog I wrote elsewhere about a month ago.
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We all know what kind of world we are living in. This is a world of sinful desires such as adultery, fornification, homosexuality, and other sexual sins. Also, it is a world where lieing is not only thought of as "ok" in some circumstances, but it is actually recommended. A world where violence is often times chosen as the answer. Where the strong attack and take advantage of the weak. Above all, this is a world suffering from sin. A world suffering from sin can NEVER be at peace. All promises of peace are nothing except lies and illusions to take our trust off of God. By making us think that we can achieve peace, we see no need for a God that will judge us. A God that says the world will end in turmoil. We would be decieved if we believe these plans for middle-east peace can actually work. But that is not why I'm writting this. I am writting this because of the threat of one thing: WMD's (Weapon's of Mass Destruction).
Weapon's of Mass Destruction (WMD's) come in different types. They are Chemical Weapons (a weapon using chemicals to kill or injure a person), Biological Weapons (a weapon using a virus or bacteria to spread a disease that will kill or injure people) or Nuclear Weapons (a weapon using a radioactive substance to either produce a nuclear explosion or to produce contaminated material to injure or kill people). In today's world, these are not hard to come across. A Chemical Weapon can be made by someone with the money to buy chemicals or the know-how to create it themselves. A Biological Weapon can be made by someone buying a pre-made one or by someone simply producing a type of bacteria or virus. A Nucelar Weapon can be made by someone with the money to buy one or the materials, or by someone who can mine and purify Uranium. I will take a look at each one of these in greater detail.
***********Chemical Weapons These are weapons or "agents" that cause a variety of symptons in the human body. They can do everything from shutting down bodily functions like breathing to actually burning your skin upon contact. The easiest way to spread these is by gas form, which can drift around. The most common chemical agent is Tear Gas, which is primarily used by Law Enforcement; it irratates your eyes and can induce vomitting. There is a variety of chemical agents. In traditional warfare, they have shaped battle fields. Almost all chemical agents can be avoided by simply locking yourself in an enclosed space, such as an interior room or a car, covering all air passages, and for extreme measures you could cover your face with a damp cloth to breath out of. The worst case scenario would be a terrorist attacks. These are usually inpredictable and can strike in heavily populated civilian areas. The most likely agents used by a terrorist are as follows:
************Sarin*********
Sarin is an oddorless and colorless vapor. It is known as a nerve agent. It's initial symptons are: runny nose, tightness in chest and contriction of pupils. Soon after, the vicitm has difficulty breathing and will experience nausea and drooling. As the victim continues to lose control of bodily functions, the victim vomits, defecates and urinates. This phase is followed by twitching and jerking. Ultimately, the victim becomes comatose and suffocates in a series of convulsive spasms. Sarin can be abosribed through the skin when it is present in high doses, but is usually inhaled in. A victim who recieves a non-lethal dose to Sarin, but does not get immediate medical attention, will suffer permanent neurological problems.Even in low doses, it can be FATAL. Death may follow in one minute after direct ingestion of about 0.01 milligram per kilogram of body weight if an antidote is not immediately administered.
************Chlorine-Gas*******
Chlorine Gas is simple to make. It is able to be made with common household appliances in a matter of seconds. Symptons include irratation of eyes, skin, and lungs. It reacts with water in the lungs and form hydrochloric acid, which will in effect, burn the lungs. Also, it will irrate the back of the throat and mouth. Because it is heavier than air, it will condense at the bottom of poorly ventillated areas.It can be lethal if the vicitm does not get fresh air. Also, if too much is inhaled, it can cause damage to the throat, lungs, and eyes, which would need medical attention. It isn't too farfetched to think that terrorists could attack a populated area with a Chemical Agent and cause casualties and injuries. Chemical attacks are the simplest and easiest of all WMD's.
**********Biological Weapons*******
A Biological Weapon is a weapon using pathogens (viruses or bacteria) to injure or kill people or agriculture. Ideal characteristics of a biological weapon are: high infectivity, high potency, non-availability of vaccines, and delivery as an aerosol. Anthrax is one biological weapon that could be used in future attacks. Terrorists already used it to perform small scale attacks on government offices, but they were not too effective. If they were to perfect the disease and the delivery, it could be catastrophic. You can be infected by Anthrax in 3 ways:1.) Pulmonary (respiratory or inhalation) anthrax.The symptoms are cold or flu-like symptoms for several days followed by severe (and often times fatal) respiratory collapse. Even if the disease is spotted, it can rarely be stopped, even if in the early stages. Mortality is nearly 100%.2.) Gastrointestinal (eating) anthrax.This is most often caused by eating anthrax infected meat. Symptoms include: vomitting of blood, severe diarrhea, inflamation of the intestinal tract, loss of appetite, and sometimes sores or lesions on the intestines, mouth or throat. After the bacteria has reached the bowels, it spreads throughout the blood-system. The mortality rate is 25%-60%, depending on how soon medical help is reached.3.) Cutaneous (skin) anthrax.This usually shows up 2-5 days after exposure. It starts as a boil-like skin lesionand progress to a large, painless ulcer, usually black or concentrated as a dark spot (resembling break mold). They usually are not fatal, especially if medical attention is reached. But if left uncared for, 20% of the time it will progress to infections and death. It is hard to say what the ideal biological weapon would be, but there are a few. The flu strand that killed 40-50 million people in 1918 has been recreated in labrotories. It is not hard for a group of terrorists to infect themselves, and then set out to make contact with as many people as possible. Touching every door handle, hand rail, and every other item that contact is made with commonly as possible. Or, it could be created in an aersol form and sprayed over large amounts of people. This is one of the hardest to protect yourself against. If the pathogen is transfered by human-human contact, lock yourself indoors and do not venture outside except for emergencies. Wear gloves and do not let exposed skin touch anything. Wash your hands regularly. If it is air-borne, then do not venture outside at all, except for extreme emergencies. If you have a gas-mask, use it. If not, use a damp cloth and stay indoors as much as possible. if it is water-borne, boil ALL water, whether you think it came in contact with it or not. Bottled water is ideal. Do not come in contact with any stagnent water or untreated water.
*******Nuclear Weapons********
These come in 3 basic categories: Thermo-nuclear, EMP, and "Dirty Bomb". ***********Thermo-Nuclear***********
This is your traditional nuclear bomb. It's effects are an initital flash, which can burn and blind you, followed by a shock wave, which can level buildings, followed by thermal heat, which can set things on fire spontaneously, regardless of is they are in contact with the fireball, followed by nuclear fallout, which is contaminated material thrown into the upper atmosphere that rains down on surrounding areas. Let's examine the effects:1.) Initial Flash: this WILL blind you. Do NOT look at it. Also, if you are too close, the light could burn your skin. If you see the flash, you are generally too close. Take immediate cover in ANYTHING, such as a building or even a ditch.2.) Shock Wave: this is like wind, or an earth-quake. It can destroy buildings, blow cars and people away, and hurle projectiles great distances. This is one of the main reasons why you must seek shelter after seeing the flash. It can cause severe injury if caught in it.3.) Thermal Heat: this is the fireball seen at the explosion. It will set EVERYTHING on fire inside of it. Also, if you are simply too close to it, you will catch on fire also. It will cause burns if you are too close to it. Another reason to seek shelter.4.) Nuclear Fallout: this is radioactive material that rains down on surrounding areas. Also, it can rain down far from the blast site if it is caught going down wind. It doesn't take much exposure to cause serious injury or death if the radiation is concentrated. Symptoms of Radiation Sickness in small doses include: nausea and vomitting within 24 hours. Symptoms of medium doses include: nausea and vomitting withing 24 hours for several days. Then, they will suffer not further symptoms for a couple of weeks. Next, they will esperience hair loss and will have blood cell damage. This will usually require medical attention, but only in half of the cases. High Doses of Radiation include the following symptoms: nausea and vomitting for a week within 24 hours. Next, they have no symptoms for about a week, then they have hair loss and bleeding from mouth, throat and skin. They are also vulnerable to sickness. People in this state need immediate medical care and will usually not survive without it.
*********EMP********
This attack has no immediate effects on humans.It is created by an EMP bomb or a traditional nuclear bomb. It is an invisible Electro-Magnetic Pulse that effects nearly all electronics. It permanently fries their circuits, rendering them utterly useless. If an electronic is plugged into an outlet, or has an atenna, it will almost definitly be destroyed by an EMP. Cars and other vehicles may still work, but gas pumps will not. Unfortunately, not much is known about what will be effected by an EMP. But expect ALL electronics to be rendered useless.
*************"Dirty Bombs"***********
This is an explosive laced with radioactive material. Symptoms include radiation sickness, as discussed above. It is easily spotted if when a bomb goes off, either in the air or on the ground, a large plume of dust starts to drift. Get indoors, preferible underground and away from the "drift zone" (the direction the wind is blowing the plume) and seal off air holes. Follow the directions given to you by emergency officials and get far away from the blast zone if possible.
_____ As you can see, a terrorist with any one of these can do MASSIVE damage both to infanstructure and people. It is not hard to see why awareness is needed.
A recent report (found here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/01/national/main4641534.shtml?tag=topStory;topStoryHeadline ) stated that an attack on the U.S. is expected by 2013. That's just 5 years! In a nutshell, it says that terrorists are getting to eager to attack the U.S., weapons are to readily available, and the country is to open, to last much longer without a major attack. Our officials know this, that is why they are deploying 20,000 troops state-side to help local law-enforcement in dealing with "terrorism". (article found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/30/AR2008113002217_pf.html ) Question is: what will they define as terrorism? Sure, it will start out as how we define it today, but what could it progress to? If anything, it sounds like a violation of the "Posse Comitatus Act" (found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act ).
Are you ready?