Hijacker Activities Uncovered in Fla., N.J./ Witness: Hijack suspect visited crop dusting airfield.

Chemical and biological weapons require a significant research....

OK, I'll be more specific: Even I could make chemical and biological weapons. Fifty million people, who are very determined to inflict harm on US citizens, can do the same. Perhaps you prefer to underestimate enemies?

Two hundred pounds of glassware, a house-hold heating/air-conditioner system, some pumps, and some compressors does not constitute "significant infrastructure". All of this stuff is dirt cheap and easily available.

"The research personnel come from where?", you might ask. They are trained right here in our own schools. Books can be found all over the internet and in every bookstore.

I think you don't grasp how easy it is to manufacture these weapons .... much easier than conventional arms. If this were not the case, why ground the crop dusters?

You misunderstand my point. I'll go item by item here.

OK, I'll be more specific: Even I could make chemical and biological weapons. Fifty million people, who are very determined to inflict harm on US citizens, can do the same. Perhaps you prefer to underestimate enemies?

No I do not wish to underestimate anyone, but for nearly a year now we've been talking about complicate scenarios involving rogue state terrorist attack ("We need missile defense"), and the terrorist went for an incredibly simplistic attack that we never anticipated. It is in fact those focused on complicated methods of attack that are underestimating our enemy.

Two hundred pounds of glassware, a house-hold heating/air-conditioner system, some pumps, and some compressors does not constitute "significant infrastructure". All of this stuff is dirt cheap and easily available.

I would disagree, in that in total the education, research (you have to practice growing the stuff to get it right), and processing materials necessary are complicated. It does not fit this particular group's modus operendi (Latin sp?). I have never said that it is impossible, but rather that the puzzle piece doesn't fit here.

"The research personnel come from where?", you might ask. They are trained right here in our own schools. Books can be found all over the internet and in every bookstore.

Time, time, time, time. Although these people are obviously patient, I don't think the years (4 for the BS degree, 8 for the PhD) would be considered worthwhile.

I think you don't grasp how easy it is to manufacture these weapons .... much easier than conventional arms. If this were not the case, why ground the crop dusters?

I don't think you have considered how complex the scenario you have laid out is. I don't think it is something we should ignore. If we can conceive it, they can probably do it. But these particular people used a brilliantly simple plan to destroy the WTC and kill 6000+ Americans. It is far more conceivable to obtain 500 gallons of gasoline and a crop duster than it is to go through any of the gyrations that you describe.

Please don't misunderstand me. We must be vigilant on all fronts. However, I think the focus on complicated methods of attack is severely misguided.

"Things like anthrax spores are easily transported, easily put into a solution that could be dispensed out of a crop duster," author and U.S. Navy (news - web sites) Commander Ward Carroll said.

From what I've read, this isn't as easy as this guy is making it sound. Then again, I've heard a lot of conflicting reports on this....I'm really not sure what to believe anymore. My only thought is that if this is so easy to do (some people here make it sound like anyone can go in their basement, make a bunch of anthrax, and kill hundreds of thousands of people with it), how come it hasn't been done in the past by some pissed off American who hates the world and wants to go out with a bang?

"we're being told that Atta, the perceived ringleader of the hijackers, applied for a GOVERNMENT LOAN to buy a cropduster"

Using American resources to kill Americans. That part of the puzzle fits perfectly.

I think you don't grasp how easy it is to manufacture these weapons .... much easier than conventional arms. If this were not the case, why ground the crop dusters?

From what I've read, making anthrax and making anthrax into an aresol solution to kill mass amounts of people from a crop duster are two very different things. The latter requires a lot of money and specialized equipment.

btttttttt

...making anthrax...

Smallpox, ebola, plauge, etc. Biology is the only weapon that is universally available.

I don't think the years (4 for the BS degree, 8 for the PhD) would be considered worthwhile....

This recent plan was 5 years in the making. Those countries don't have anything but time. They do have enough money. Besides, you don't have to get a diploma to get the knowledge. You just need the books. If I bore the sort of grudge those people maintain, an entire lifetime would not be too long. This is the level of thier anger and conviction.

Furthermore, it is accepted in the defense community that Iraq has extensive biological and chemical weapons already. I presume that to be a source against the US.

I don't, in general, disagree with you except that it would be very foolish to overlook a biological attack. Most of the articles stemming from the intellegence community support this notion.

Furthermore, it is accepted in the defense community that Iraq has extensive biological and chemical weapons already. I presume that to be a source against the US.

If bio weapons are used, you could almost guarantee Iraq's involvement. They have the everything in place to make these weapons. The problem for them is delivery. And to complicate matters, smuggling the completed agents into the US would be difficult, so a short range aircraft like a crop duster would be unlikely. Setting up to manufacture in this country would seem be more likely but carries the risk of detection. Rather than crop dusters though something along the lines of a mosquito control disguise (as has already been discussed on the news here in Houston) would be a more likely delivery method. We could probably think of a few more, but no loose lips here.

I don't, in general, disagree with you except that it would be very foolish to overlook a biological attack. Most of the articles stemming from the intelligence community support this notion.

I am in full agreement with you that we must consider every possibility. But what we have been overlooking are the confoundingly simple means of attack, which is why 6000+ Americans have perished.

But what we have been overlooking are the confoundingly simple means of attack, which is why 6000+ Americans have perished.

This is digustingly clear. I think a "grand constriction" of our borders is one of the most meaninful responses. Expidited expulsion anyone who seemed happy about that attack would be another wise move.

There will always be a simple means of attack, unless Americans wish to exchange much of thier freedom for security. I'd rather pack heat and shoulder the responsibilities and risks associated with freedom. It is fairly obvious that you'd be there beside me.