Chicken Little and the War on Terror

Tmy · 4th February 2003, 08:05 AM

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77471,00.html

I just read a story where Bush wants to spend $6 billion on a program to develope more vaccines to fight anthrax, the plauge, smallpox and such.

Are we getting a little crazy with this terror defense. $6 billion to fight diseases that are nearly wiped out??? I know the "what if terrorist use bla bla bla" people will say we need this, but at what point does the cost outweigh the risk?

I say we keep the money and chance it! We could use the cash for more important things. Like developing a meteor defense system to protect the Earth! Am I the only one who saw Armagetton and that other movie that was just like Armagetton!

Advocate · 4th February 2003, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tmy
I say we keep the money and chance it! We could use the cash for more important things. Like developing a meteor defense system to protect the Earth! Am I the only one who saw Armagetton and that other movie that was just like Armagetton!

We are already developing a system for detecting meteors long before they get to Earth and the current information tells us there are no meteors large enough to cause such a catastrophe on a course close enough to pose a threat for the next several years. For this particular threat, IMHO the most important thing is knowing as far in advance as possible. As yet we have no way to deflect them, but once such a system is developed it will be much easier to deflect a meteor while it is a long way out then once it is "at our doorstep". I think the meteor issue is a non-problem right now, whereas biological attacks are (as we have seen) very real and very immediate.

4th February 2003, 08:05 AM	#1
Tmy Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Republic of Massachusetts Posts: 6,489	Chicken Little and the War on Terror http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77471,00.html I just read a story where Bush wants to spend $6 billion on a program to develope more vaccines to fight anthrax, the plauge, smallpox and such. Are we getting a little crazy with this terror defense. $6 billion to fight diseases that are nearly wiped out??? I know the "what if terrorist use bla bla bla" people will say we need this, but at what point does the cost outweigh the risk? I say we keep the money and chance it! We could use the cash for more important things. Like developing a meteor defense system to protect the Earth! Am I the only one who saw Armagetton and that other movie that was just like Armagetton!

4th February 2003, 09:50 AM	#2
Advocate Thinker Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 240	Re: Chicken Little and the War on Terror Quote: Originally posted by Tmy I say we keep the money and chance it! We could use the cash for more important things. Like developing a meteor defense system to protect the Earth! Am I the only one who saw Armagetton and that other movie that was just like Armagetton! We are already developing a system for detecting meteors long before they get to Earth and the current information tells us there are no meteors large enough to cause such a catastrophe on a course close enough to pose a threat for the next several years. For this particular threat, IMHO the most important thing is knowing as far in advance as possible. As yet we have no way to deflect them, but once such a system is developed it will be much easier to deflect a meteor while it is a long way out then once it is "at our doorstep". I think the meteor issue is a non-problem right now, whereas biological attacks are (as we have seen) very real and very immediate.
Advocate Thinker Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 240	__________________ John Milton: "I only set the stage. You pull your own strings." - The Devils Advocate