A Biblical Beginning

We all know the story of David, the young shepherd boy and Goliath, the giant reputed to be the greatest warrior of his time. This Bible story is a good example of asymmetrical combat. No one thought that David, with no armor and only his primitive sling for a weapon, had a chance to win. But he found Goliath’s “Achilles Tendon.” Circling his enemy, David swung his sling and let loose a speeding stone at the only spot not protected by Goliath’s armor: the open visor of his helmet. David’s shot hit true, killing Goliath instantly. So totally surprised and shocked were Goliath’s followers that they left without a word! An “amateur” defeated the “hi-tech” warrior. Of course, in this case, David was the good guy.

We must understand that Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaida network are dedicated to destroying us. They are not nice guys. Our free and open culture is full of “chinks in the armor” for those criminals who wish to abuse our hard-earned freedoms. The most recent example is vividly illustrated by the recent deaths of two postal workers who were probably exposed to deadly anthrax spores sent through the mail. Anthrax and other biological agents have the potential for causing acute agony and discomfort to a population that has a very low pain threshold. A biological attack on the United States and The Free World is being unleashed as we speak. The decisions on how to combat this menace to our very existence must be made by our government immediately.

What is Asymmetrical Warfare?

David and Goliath’s style of fighting were out of sync. They didn’t match. Therefore, they were asymmetrical. To most of us, symmetry means that an item is in balance, making it beautiful like the matching sides of a vase. When we talk in military terms, we tend to think of our military forces lining up against the enemy’s units. In asymmetrical warfare, one side is so out of balance with the other that a normal comparison of fighting units is meaningless. Other terms perhaps more often heard, “Irregular” or “Unconventional,” describe past guerrilla warfare operations. So, you might say that we are in an era of extended irregular warfare with an enemy so ruthless that any rules previously devised by “civilized society” to make warfare more humane (if that is possible) are thrown out the window. Anything goes in asymmetrical warfare including the use of biological and other terror weapons.

Biological Weapons Throughout History

In 1632, the Tartars catapulted plague-infested corpses into the besieged city of Kaffa hoping to spread disease and pestilence. They were successful beyond their dreams. Medical historians believe that this event alone initiated the Bubonic Plague which rapidly spread across Medieval Europe killing at least 25 million people in less than ten years. During the French and Indian War, the British offered Abenaki Indians (suspected of being loyal to the French) blankets contaminated by smallpox. Since the Abenakis had no natural resistance to the disease, the tribe was almost eliminated by the ensuing epidemic.

In World War I, Chemical weapons were widely used. Thousands of Europeans died from lethal contact with mustard and nerve gas. These chemical and biological weapons were subsequently labeled as inhumane. Attempts were made to ban them forever. But their potential as deadly, effective weapons was recognized and biological research andproduction continued, nevertheless. In the late 1930’s, Japan dropped plague-infested refuse over several Chinese cities causing a widespread Bubonic Plague epidemic. At the same time, Britain dedicated their efforts to developing anthrax as a biological weapon.

Sixty years later, all attempts by Britain to decontaminate the island of Gruinard (off the coast of Scotland ) have failed. The island is still off limits - demonstrating the potency of Anthrax . It is no surprise that lesser powers, especially those labeled as “rogue” nations, have doubled their efforts to produce toxic weaponry. It gives them a low cost edge against the conventional and nuclear forces of The United States and the Coalition.

Mail Order Anthrax

The chilling truth is that whether the enemy is a “rogue” nation, a terrorist organization or a single deranged person, biological warfare is extremely effective. Especially in America, off-the shelf technology and biological agents are readily available to anyone. Few know that Saddam Hussein purchased his initial anthrax culture from a U.S. mail order house with overnight delivery. The 1995 chemical attack in the subways of Tokyo, killing 11 and injuring at least 5,500 people, is another example of how our modern societies are surprisingly vulnerable to these unimaginable assaults. All that is required to initiate these attacks are: a simple mechanism to deliver the biological agent (i.e. an envelope or an aerosol type of canister), a basic biology laboratory, access to the target (i.e. stadium, water subway system, building air conditioning system intakes, etc.) and motivation.

Why Are We Being Attacked?

It is hard to admit, but starting to become evident that hatred towards America and everything American is spouting from all levels of the Moslem world. After all, we have supported the Moslem side in many international disputes over the past few years.

However, fingers are pointing, more and more to our ally, Saudi Arabia, at the very center of Islam. A country ruled by an authoritarian and to many, a selfish, greedy regime. The Saudi clan is descended from Ibn Saud, who unified the Arabian Peninsula (with British assistance) during and after World War I. The clan has a long-standing and complicated alliance to share control of the land with the hard core, fundamentalist Wahhabi sect which controls Mecca and, for all practical purposes, Islam. Simply stated, this brand of Islam preaches that if you are not a Muslim, you are an infidel and all infidels must be destroyed, especially if they set foot in the “Holy Land”. If it sounds harsh, it is.

When the education systems in other poorly governed and economically depleted majority Islamic states such as Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Egypt failed, it was the Wahhabi Sect who financed and directed Islamic Fundamentalists to take over education from the public school systems. The Islamic Fundamentalist message to Islamic students (called Taliban) is that the American infidels are the cause of all problems because they are stealing the natural resources and oil of their “sacred”lands. For many Islamic youth and Moslems worldwide, Osama bin Laden has become the greatest Islamic hero of all times because he takes the Fundamentalist message to the greatest extreme.

Where Do We Go From Here?

We, as a nation under deadly attack, must make some very hard decisions regarding our survival. These decisions will affect our lives and those who will follow us. Now, more than ever before, we must knuckle down and meet this threat with the best possible conceived policies for governing, foreign affairs, internal security and health - in effect folks, the 21st Century is a whole, new ball game!