Cord Byrd: “the Nation's attention is focused on the threat of biological weapons. The pernicious nature of these types of weapons…”

“the Nation's attention is focused on the threat of biological weapons. The pernicious nature of these types of weapons has been shown in the anthrax-laced mailings that were sent to the office of the majority leader, Tom Daschle, NBC news in New York, and American Media in Florida, which have resulted in contamination of a number of post offices in Washington, D.C., New Jersey, Florida, and perhaps elsewhere. One question is on all American's minds: how can we defend ourselves against a threat that is literally microscopic? In the days of the Cold War, we became accustomed to being able to quantify the threats posed to the United States: we could count the number of Soviet missiles, bombers, tanks, and soldiers, and respond by increasing the capabilities of our own military. But now, the threat to our security has changed. We can not quantify this threat and we can not track its movements until it might be too late. Building up our military will not affect our security from biological weapons. We must adjust our thinking on how to deal with these abhorrent weapons of pestilence. Mr. President, remember that Jesus said: You shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes. Pestilences, that is what I am talking about; germ warfare, viral warfare, anthrax.…”