Chemical biological weapons (CBW) have become a startlingly real threat during the past century.html, (you might have to copy and paste this link if it does not work automatically) I found a wealth of declassified government documents relating to chemical biological warfare. This site shows how life-threatening CBW has been in the past and continues to be today. As early as World War I we have recognized the fact that poisonous gases can be used to quickly and effectively used to neutralize targeted enemies as well as civilians at large. Most recently Saddam Hussein has made apparent his ability to mobilize these agents while leaving his true intentions of their application unclear. This makes CBW a very serious issue not only to the close enemies of Iraq but to the general public of the world today. We all need to understand the consequences and repercussions that could ensue the use of these kinds of warfare. CBW is a force as lethal as a nuclear warhead and should be treated with the same kind of respect and attention. A couple of important issues to consider when thinking about biological warfare are the impact it could have directly on people such as servicemen and civilians, and the consequent wave of retaliation or continuation of the use of weapons of mass destruction. These topics are significant because they address the concerns we might have for people we know and care for involved in this conflict, including ourselves. Since so many lives are at stake, it is imperative that we take the most correct actions to prepare for such an event; there are no second chances when dealing with death.
To understand CBW, one must first appreciate the method of attack these chemical agents are capable of. For this project, we were asked to investigate weapons that pursued neuronal means of assault, affecting neurotransmitter pathways of victims. VX gas, Sarin, and Tabun were three examples of toxins given to us that do this in their own specific ways.