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That's okay, US troops have been training for chemical war for decades and it's like second nature now. I don't think they know what they're getting themselves into. It's one thing to have the weapon and another to properly set it off, especially if in the form of ordnance. And quite something else to protect your own guys in case of a wind shift.....

Here is part of the transcript from Ridge's press conf yesterday.

Question: But were you reluctant to raise the threat level because the election is only days away?

Secretary Ridge: We will raise the -- first of all, we reserve the right to raise it. Secondly, we don't have to raise it to enhance security in certain areas. And we will always be dictated by the specific intelligence and its credibility. And, as I said before, today as we speak, we are at Yellow. Depending on, again, the process that is ongoing over the next day or two or week or two, we certainly reserve the right to go up if the information warrants us going to Orange.

Question: If I could follow on that --

Secretary Ridge: It's driven by the intelligence, it's driven by the information.

Question: If could follow on that, are you concerned because of these tapes specifically about the election? Or are you looking at other events this weekend, say the NFL football games, the Marine Corps Marathon, or are you looking even past that?

Secretary Ridge: Well, I think first of all, Americans should take some comfort that these major public events and those who sponsor those events have a good working relationship with Homeland Security, with the FBI, with the Secret Service. Again, since 9/11, there are security enhancements at these public events that a lot of Americans probably aren't even aware of.

It's one thing to have the weapon and another to properly set it off, especially if in the form of ordnance. And quite something else to protect your own guys in case of a wind shift.....

And of course we can always drop something with a middle-eastern name....MOAB.