[Montfort]

Everyone seems to be assuming that no other government could possibly have resurrected the Spanish flu. North Korea and any number of other rogue states could have done this, and they would be less likely to talk about it than the US Army would.

In short, there could be a very good reason for pursuing this line of research.

[GluteusMax]

Everyone seems to be assuming that no other government could possibly have resurrected the Spanish flu. North Korea and any number of other rogue states could have done this, and they would be less likely to talk about it than the US Army would.

In short, there could be a very good reason for pursuing this line of research.

The problem with that line of thinking is that a bioweapon is by design not the original virus. Researchers seek to identify what made the 1918 bug so deadly and then splice that sequence in and try it on mice. They do this till they get the "results" they are looking for. (Ghoulish) If a rogue state went after the especially virulent features of the 1918 variant to incorporate into a modern influenza strain, who says our conjecture on their choice would be correct? We may be immunized against something that doesn't exist in the enemy arsenal.

[battousai]

"...In short, there could be a very good reason for pursuing this line of research. "

And further who is to say that research on a killer flu like this would not provide knowledge to combat other such outbreaks, or similar things like SARS.

Sounds like more US military baiting to me.

[Capt. Tom]

Everyone seems to be assuming that no other government could possibly have resurrected the Spanish flu.

May 8, 2002 INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"British Scientists Hope to Exhume 1918 Flu Victim" Reuters (www.reuters.com) (05/06/02)

British scientists from St. Bartholomew's hospital in London hope to exhume the body of a 20-year-old woman who died in the 1918 influenza pandemic that killed 40 million people worldwide. Researchers believe the flu virus still exists in the lead-lined coffin, and it can be used to get information to prevent future pandemics. Currently, researchers are trying to contact the woman's family for permission to exhume her body and are considering applying to the Home Office for approval.