Biodefense: Worldwide Threats and Countermeasure Efforts for the Department of Defense

Biodefense: Worldwide Threats and Countermeasure Efforts for the Department of Defense

This hearing before the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats, and Capabilities discussed the threat of biological weapons attacks from state and nonstate actors.

2013

While there are few known biological weapons proliferators, they are easily made and should not be factored out of any security situation and both terrorist and military use should be prepared for. The immediate possible capabilities of North Korea are mentioned repeatedly and it is generally agreed that they could rapidly weaponize various agents. The principle of deterrence can apply to biological weapons countermeasures and should be the preferred strategy. There is no singular agent to prioritize as everything on the Select Agents list and even pathogens unlisted could be a potential threat, especially with genetic modification. Even agents that are not as lethal or contagious can cause mass hysteria and damage a nation's political and economic stability.