This might seem a little flippant, but do you think a country might treat a medical epidemic like a WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction)?
Could SARS lead to a new way of treating world health problems caused by the ever-travelling global community and the rapid spreading of highly infectious diseases?
Could the next “terrorist†a country encounters be an unwitting “Suicide bomber†who isn’t even aware they’re carrying death?
popular topic this I see! In short, Maybe, Yes, and Yes.
The idea that ethiopia could be expecting American troops to start arriving with a view to destroying famine and aids is somewhat far fetched i must admitt. In order for countries to recognise these as wmd’s they would have to achknowledge the effect that they themselves are having on the country under attack’s situation. This would mean acknowledging the effects of debt, and the arms trading occuring with these countries. These are so to speakthe nuts and bolts of the wmd’s. Not the uranium but certainly a contributing factor. It will take a long time, a change in international politics, and governmental leaders willing to blame their predessessors for the deaths of millions. This may not go down well with the voters suprisingly enough. But yes, with radical enough leaders of the world willing to work together in politics (in the traditional sense of the word) this could happen.
We’ve all seen the effects that september eleventh has had on the travel industry, and should the sars epidemic continue to grow as it is at the moment I would consider rapid reform inevitable.
Yes. em… I don’t see why not. Terrorists are capable of biological warfare and if infecting a traveller so as to distance themselves from an attack is quite probable. Could we consider the deaths in toronto as a accidental attack seeing as sars was apparently started in Bejing???
I think SARS is interesting from a political point of view more than a scientific one. The virus itself is fairly run of the mill unpleasant, but this is the first potential epidemic of the post-genomic era - this may be treated as a test of the scientific community to respond to a real situation that they could resolve. They are unlikely to be allowed years, as there will be immediate pressure for progress.
America threw lots of research money at the anthrax scare - can vietnam afford to do the same? Must the West step in here, or leave Asia to the same fate as Africa with AIDS?