Now, that is not true. They do not have '100s of thousands of tons of biological' weapons. The ironic thing is that there is no need to exaggerate what they have. Russia has the most advanced bio-weapons program in the globe (and probably the largest ...although there is no telling what nations like North Korea, Pakistan, Israel, Libya, Iran, and in particular, China, have ....but definitely the Russian program is the most advanced). Unlike other types of weapons, one does not need '100s of thousands of tons' when it comes to advanced bio-weaponry. One just needs enough for a specific number of warheads. These are not the 50s where Anthrax was the big boogieman wiggling in the attic! Some of the babies that have been churned up in vats are true Gehenna-causing-scenarios. As the character in Training Day (Denzel Washington's character) would say, they are 'walking Apocalypses.'
A recombinant virus, say the work that Alibek claimed was been done on Ebola and Marburg virii, which are a nasty set of hemmorhagic fevers that, in essence, turn you into an oozing sack of bio-matter where you bleed from every orifice, would do havoc if it struck a major city. With global transport being how it is (I am in Nairobi Kenya now ....I can eat dinner in New York TODAY) the spread-effects would be huge.
Then there is the dread granddaddy of all ...Smallpox, in particular the weaponized blackpox variants Vektor in Russia was working on. Considering the last time mass immunizations were done was 30 years ago (and that immunity is either negated, or at least degraded), then even normal smallpox would be bad. Weaponized 'enhanced' is a killer scenario.
Unlike nuclear weapons (and chemical weapons), biological weaponry is a true monster. It cannot be controlled. It can spread FAR beyond the target locus (please google and read 'Demon in the Freezer ....it is about how hard it was to eradicate smallpox, as well as the weaponized versions of it. If you cannot find it I will send it to you once I get home). A nuclear weapon, even a 'dirty' cobalt bomb with enhanced radioactive fallout, and even with strong prevalent winds, does not have the potential spread radius of a simple teaspoon of virulent smallpox released in a commercial hub (e.g. Tokyo, Dallas, Cairo, Cape Town ...a release in Nairobi would be affecting the States, Western Europe, and Asia in 30 hours. A release in Tokyo even faster ....you do know most flu virii start in China and spread globally).
Anyways, Russia has a formidable bio-weapons program. But it is not 100,000s of tons.
Furthermore, if the US re-started its biological program, that would be the most stupid act in decades! You do not harbor such a monster on native soil. Furthermore, the nuclear weapons the US has are more than sufficient to handle any Russian threat (although, Russia will be an ally to the US in the near future. The main foe nations for the US are China and Pakistan. Not even Iran ...China and Pakistan. Any nuke that goes off in the US will be Pakistani in origin, not Russian. It will be smuggled in, not shot via ICBM. Pakistani, not Ruskie). If more is needed, then more nuclear warheads can be brought to bear. However ...restarting the bio-weapons program. Pure anathema! If chemical weapons are a capable imp, and nuclear weapons a powerful genie, then bio weapons are a powerful but insanely rabid genie with its nads on fire! You do not want a bio-weapons facility that is working on recombinant virii or the like (e.g. the Ebola/Marburg work, work on superflu super-combinants, or ofcourse Mr Dreadgrandaddy Smallpox) in the same CONTINENT that you are in. And even then, with modern travel, you'd better be isolated in the Gobi or kalahari deserts!
I wish I was exaggerating.
please see my response (159) to Kabud on the US having bio weapons. Thanks
Well said.
Are our nuclear weapons levels adequate? Russians have hidden and cheated before, in just about every treaty. Of course that doesn’t stop our moronic POTUS from signing even more treaties that just end up being self limiting.
We seem to be willing to accept, with the latest nuclear weapons treaty Obama signed with Russia, inferiority in tactical nuclear weapons, on about a 5 Ruskie to 1 US ratio.
I just hope our weapons inspectors are being thorough enough in the former USSR given the cheating history. We still don’t know what is going on in Yamantau Mountain. (Big, secret excavation/nuclear hardened facility on incredible level)
I may be wrong with figures
but i referred to Ken Alibek
and here:
Russia signed the Chemical Weapons Convention on January 13, 1993 and ratified it on November 5, 1997. Russia declared an arsenal of 40,000 tons of chemical weapons in 1997
thats chemical
i cant find sources for biological right away- but it is in the open
O Man THANKS for all details!
I read Demon in the Freezer, I have it in my book list here
http://books.google.com/books?uid=5652302884137400206&as_coll=0&source=gbs_lp_bookshelf_list
great read.
I was told by someone who saw bio weapons stored: he said CANISTERS, MANY, like THOUSANDS
it was from early 80s. may be still antrax?
pakistan: i dont think so.
Unless ruski are there.
USA is not going to be able to respond with nukes after a ruski surprise attack:
our strategic posture is very weak
We have NO mobile ICBMS
Ruski have a vast territory with around 5000 known fortified bunkers and fortified silos to withstand direct nuclear hit
The (if it happens of course ) will attack our silos and submarines that carry nukes
There are days i read when most of our subs are in repair or something
And our nukes are badly concentrated in known areas to them
Our bombers are also in like not many places and targeted.
We have a strategic posture INVITING ruski attack
Just one thing: mobile ICBM
If we only get THAT here and put them in disguise as a truck of some kind
Also we must figure how to put something like Pershings close to ruski targets.
Also their real leaders will not be present in Russia at the time of attack: they most likely be hiding in Western Europe or even further away
So we must figure them first. real leaders not the clowns on TV