Itec and bioterrorism

Question 1. The Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention (BWC). Please read the entire text of the BWC. It is possibly the shortest treaty ever developed. In addition to the broad prohibitions in Article I, it is important to know that Article X was strongly fought for by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) as they were concerned that the Western countries would use Article I to restrict the benefits of the advancements in science to themselves. Also note that treaties do not bind individual citizens of countries even when they are signed by that country.  So, the implementing legislation was (finally) signed into law in 1989... twenty years after the Nixon decision and 17 years after the US signed the BWC.  (Think about why that might be? What would have motivated Congress to act in 1989 when it would not previously?) 2. Numerous Biodefense policies - executive orders, international treaties, strategies, legislation - have been issued.  For an excellent overview of policies through 2009, see the LLNL US Biodefense Strategy primer.  3. Read HSPD-10: Biodefense for the 21st Century.  4. Be familiar with the National Response Framework (2016).  Discussion: How do these address (1) the threat of bioterrorism; and (2) the threat of EIDs, accidental releases and/or unintentional research results? (Yes, I agree, this is a very tough question!  Do your best as it will help inform what you write in your Senior Leader Briefing due at the end of the course. Not coincidentally, there is more on that briefing in the discussion post below...) NOTE:  Since the publication of the LLNL Primer, additional strategies have been released: the National Strategy for Countering Biological Threats, the National Biosurveillance Strategy, and the Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy.   Also note that two major national strategies that were just released: (1) The National Security Strategy issued by the White House (December 2017):  and (2) the National Defense Strategy (unclassified summary)  Question 2: The Nixon Decision Must post first. Read the National Security Decision to end the US offensive BW program.  BioWar: The Nixon Administration’s Decision to End US Biological Warfare Programs: Link: https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB58/      > See in particular Document 6a, Report to the NSC, “US Policy on Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents; Document 8 (NSDM 35); and Document 20 (NSDM-44) Discussion: Post 1-2 paragraphs stating your thoughts on the pros and cons for terminating the US offensive biological weapons program. As we think about events of recent years, is this the correct decision?