U.N. allowed Iraqi purchase of agent usable for weapons
Posted by kattracks
On 11/06/2002 0:10 AM PST with 12 comments
Washington Times ^ | 11/06/02 | Bill Gertz
The United Nations overruled U.S. government objections and allowed Iraq to buy a specialty chemical that U.S. intelligence officials say will boost Baghdad's chemical and biological warfare agents. Top Stories • GOP regains control of Senate• Democrats can't avenge 2000 result• Vote watchers get wish but not results• Sharon dissolves parliament A large quantity of a chemical known as colloidal silicon dioxide was ordered by the Iraqis in August 2001 and held up by the U.S. government because of concerns about its use. However, the United Nations approved the sale and it was shipped to Iraq last month, said Hasmik Egin, a U.N. spokeswoman. Colloidal silicon dioxide...
Anthrax, One Year Later
Posted by Allan
On 01/01/2003 2:46 PM PST with 42 comments
The Washington Post ^ | 01-01-03 | Editorial
SINCE THE DEADLY anthrax mailings more than a year ago, the government's public focus has shifted from the crime to measures necessary to combat bioterrorism and make such attacks more difficult in the future. .... This record is all the more disturbing because more than a year after the anthrax was let loose through the mail, U.S. authorities have made no arrests.In all, said Niro's Lancos, "you would need [a] chemist who is familiar with colloidal [fumed] silica, and a material science person to put it all together, and then some mechanical engineers to make this work . . . probably some containment people, if you don't want to kill anybody. You need half a dozen, I think, really smart people."
