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Because if terrorists were to launch a smallpox outbreak

I realise, that. But the US and UK have not said anything about the bug being out in the "wild". Presumably the US stock is under very tight security. That implies that Putin told Bush that Russia couldn't guarantee the security of its stock. Perhaps even that Russia knew its security had been breached. Not to be alarmist, but the smallpox vaccine issue seems to have a very significant priority for the US/UK, exceeding that for Anthrax antibiotics, botulism, or any other bioagents. I'm not aware of any acquisition program in the 100 million dose range for any other vaccine, antibiotic, prophylactic, etc. Since smallpox is supposed to be the least accessible, the level of attention it gets is quite bothersome.

Not to be alarmist, but the smallpox vaccine issue seems to have a very significant priority for the US/UK, exceeding that for Anthrax antibiotics, botulism, or any other bioagents...Since smallpox is supposed to be the least accessible, the level of attention it gets is quite bothersome.

I'll agree that there does seem to a bit much dramatic press about it. However, I'm pretty certain it's a larger concern than Anthrax/Botulism and the others just because it's highly contagious, while the others aren't spread person to person. So a couple envelopes of smallpox could do far more damage (rhetorically - I don't think smallpox could survive outside the body like Anthrax spores, so I= don't think it would be launched by mail).