Blitz You Are Just Another Propaganda Victim

[funkedup]

"Iraq poses no threat"
Your own government knows this is false, but tries to hide it from you to bolster their anti-American stance.

http://www.faz.net/IN/Intemplates/faznet/default.asp?tpl=faz/content.asp&rub={2A936BB1-8BB4-4BBA-8134-C9AD285C8C81}&doc={007FEDEA-C7CA-405C-BED8-27B98B3E552F}

Translation of article courtesy No 6 of AGW:

Biological Terrorism : Danger Hushed Up

Secret Service: Iraq possesses smallpox pathogens / Federal Government kept the information secret for months / The text of the document

Berlin. The Federal Government has apparently concealed information that Iraq possesses biological weapons of mass destruction and is threatening Germany with them.

In a government document dated August 9 of last year, which this newspaper has in its possession, it was warned that in attacks using smallpox agents, in which up to 25 million Germans could fall victim, there was not sufficient vaccine available. Not publicizing the document has fueled suspicion that the Red-Green coalition hushed up the actual threat by Iraq a few weeks before federal elections and that it is still not informing the public completely about the extent of the threat.

The document is a copy of the text from the Federal Health Ministry that according to the FAX header information was distributed widely in the Federal Government and, among other things, was known about by the Federal Interior Ministry since August 12. Due to the acute threat by Iraq, procurement of smallpox vaccine for the entire population should be undertaken. According to the document, the "German secret service" has just not "vague indications" as the government has claimed so far, but "documented knowledge" that Iraq possesses biological weapons. The document says further that smallpox agents are stored "illegally" outside of official American and Russian laboratories, in Iraq and North Korea among other places. There are even indications that terror groups are striving to produce biological weapons. In case of an American military strike against Baghdad, there is "fear" that Iraq will retaliate with the biological weapons they have in their possession, including smallpox.

The extent of the threat is described openly for the first time. "In a - no longer safely dismissed - biological attack" the most "devastating scenario" is an attack with smallpox agents. Without vaccination one could figure on 30 to 40 percent mortality, meaning 25 million people in Germany alone. Furthermore, "In the case of an epidemic, public life would collapse on the day of the awareness of the attack, even before the deadly effects of the plague."

In the meantime the Federal Government has ordered a complete supply of vaccine that must be secured by March. Even a biological attack outside of Germany is dangerous: "A release of smallpox viruses somewhere else in the world creates an extraordinary danger for Germany due to the highly contagious nature of the agents and the mobility of the world's population."

The Ministry of Health confirms the existence of the document, but points out that such drastic language was chosen so that funds for vaccines would be quickly allocated by the Budget Committee. The number of deaths are exaggerated and would only apply if all residents were infected, which is "completely unrealistic". The minister herself used the document to use for speaking notes to the Budget Committee in November, but edited out most of the sections about Iraq and the effects of an attack. FDP Chairman Westerwelle, who has been criticizing the Federal Government for glossing over the danger for some time now, told this newspaper: "The level of danger from Iraq is a lot more serious than the government wants to admit".


The Text of the Smallpox Warning

Bonn, 9. August 2002

BMG

Ref. 329

Complete Rationale to the apl. -/apl. VE-Proposal from 08/09/2002 Re: The Procurement of Smallpox Vaccine

The immediate allocation of 10 million Euro as well as VE in the amount of 20 million Euro for the procurement of smallpox vaccine is factually irrefutable and temporally non-deferrable.

1.Probability of an Attack

The foreign policy appraisal and especially the reports of the news services indicate an acute escalation of threat levels: The German security services have at their disposal documented knowledge that smallpox agents are stored illegally outside the official laboratories in Atlanta and Koltsovo, for example in Russia, Iraq and North Korea. Likewise there are indications that terror groups are striving to produce biological weapons. Even the release of smallpox viruses somewhere else in the world creates an extraordinary danger for Germany due to the highly contagious nature of the agents and the mobility of the world?s population. The signs of a possible short notice imminent attack on Iraq by the US are increasing There is reason to fear that in such a situation Iraq will retaliate with any biological weapons in its possession, including smallpox viruses.

2. Effects of an Attack

In an - no longer safely dismissed - attack in the realm of bioterrorism the most devastating scenario by far exists in the event of an attack with smallpox agents. The population of Germany - even those persons who were inoculated until the 70?s - shows insufficient immunity. We would calculate with 30 to 40 % mortality, i.e., about 25 million people in the Federal Republic alone. In the case of an epidemic public life would collapse on the day of its knowledge, even before the deadly effects of the plague.

Smallpox vaccination can protect the spread of the plague. We must, therefore, maintain sufficient vaccine for the entire population. The army has stored 6 million doses of smallpox vaccine from an older supply in October 2001. With the procurement of these vaccines, of which no larger quantities are available at this time, we can only build an emergency reserve. It will not be sufficient in any way to stop an outbreak. For these reasons BMI, BMVg and BMG have initiated intensive efforts to introduce further stores.

Also, in comparison with other countries immediate precautions are vital:

- The USA has already stored or ordered vaccine for the entire population. The USA is preparing for the immediate immunization against smallpox of more than 500,000 people in the health services.

- Israel is actively preparing for the possibility of a terror attack with smallpox viruses and possesses vaccine for the entire population.

The degree of the supply of smallpox vaccine in individual countries is public knowledge. Because it is one of the most important industrial nations in the West and due to the insufficient provisions Germany is, as a largely unprotected country, an especially attractive target for bio-terrorist attacks.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, 16.02.2003

German officials desperately try to plug this leak:  http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1430_A_781802_1_A,00.html

[Hortlund]

Oh God I hope they are wrong on the smallpox part.

The document says further that smallpox agents are stored "illegally" outside of official American and Russian laboratories, in Iraq and North Korea among other places

Stuff to lose sleep over.

[Saurdaukar]

Dont worry about it guys - Im sure more inspectors can sort it out.  

[X2Lee]

Originally posted by Saurdaukar
Dont worry about it guys - Im sure more inspectors can sort it out.  

Iraq does not threaten Germany in any way.

[babek-]

Regarding the panic and desperation in the argumentation-line of the pro-war-writers I think it is not Blitz who has become a victim of national propaganda...

[Hangtime]

Regarding the panic and desperation in the argumentation-line of the pro-war-writers I think it is not Blitz who has become a victim of national propaganda...

We could have a poster-boy competition...

[Saurdaukar]

Originally posted by X2Lee
Iraq does not threaten Germany in any way.

ROFL!!  

[weazel]

Records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a 1994 Senate Banking Committee investigation show that during Reagan's presidency, the United States sold Iraq anthrax, bubonic plague, and botulinum toxin, all supposedly for medical research.

Over congressional opposition, Reagan sold Iraq twin-engine Bell "Huey" helicopters, which appear to have been used in his chemical attacks on the Kurds.

The Bush administration's current outrage at Saddam's crimes is bogus.

If people like Rumsfeld, Cheney, Powell, and Richard Armitage (all of whom held prominent government positions in the '80s) really cared about the Iraqi people, they wouldn't have helped Saddam brutalize them in the '80s.

And, since the US doesn't care about the Iraqi people, our real motivation for war must lay elsewhere--either in a thirst for world domination, or oil, or both."  

This is how chimpy knows Saddam has WMD - because RoNaLD RaYgUnZ and Poppy Bush sold them to Saddam.

[GRUNHERZ]

Weazel you fool Iraq has no wmd...

[Toad]

Has anyone noticed Boroda, Blitz and Babek all start with the letter "B".

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Vulcan]

Hey Weazel ... let me get your logic right...

Reagan sold this toejam to Saddam... right?

So you think Bush shouldn't fix the problem... right?

So you think America should walk away and let Saddam use his weapons coz they sold them to him and he has every right to murder and use his weapons of mass destruction... right?


Makes perfect sense.

[straffo]

Originally posted by Toad
Has anyone noticed Boroda, Blitz and Babek all start with the letter "B".

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

well you missed braffo (I was not able to find the "B" key at the time I was creating my account )

[Duedel]

And Buedel

[10Bears]

Or Bunked up

[Suave]

Originally posted by Hortlund
Oh God I hope they are wrong on the smallpox part.

 

The US Army has been vaccinating soldiers who are deployed to certain locations against smallpox since at least the 1980's .