MICROBES ON THE BEACH
Military research goes to a higher level
By
Hillel Cohen
Military penetration of civilian science is going to a
higher level. An agricultural research laboratory on Plum
Island--just off the eastern tip of New York's Long Island near
Orient Point--is scheduled to become a major center for
studying biological-warfare agents that can be used against
animals and plants.
To do so, it will be "upgraded" from a Level 3 facility to
Level 4. This means the lab will be used to study the most
dangerous and deadly microorganisms known.
The change will be part of the Clinton administration's $2.8
billion program against "unconventional terrorism," including
so-called bio-terrorism.
The Plum Island lab had been run by the Agricultural
Department to study insects and microbes that could threaten
crops and animal herds in the United States. The lab was
created as a military research unit long ago. It probably was
involved in biological and chemical warfare research. It was
turned over to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1952 and
presumably switched over to civilian research.
Equipped with air locks and containment chambers, it is
supposed to be able to safely handle dangerous pathogens.
Some observers have noted that Plum Island is just across
the bay from the area where the encephalitis outbreak began in
New York.
At first the virus was thought to be of a "St. Louis" strain
that is rare in the Northeast but somewhat more common in
Florida and other states in the South and Southwest. Now the
virus has been re-identified as an Upper Nile strain--the names
are based on where a virus is first identified--which had not
been seen before in North America.
Such a rare occurrence near a facility that studies rare
pathogens might be just a coincidence. Plum Island officials
have made no comment about the outbreak.
Nonetheless, Plum Island will now be outfitted to handle
even more dangerous pathogens--those known to be able to infect
humans as well as plants and animals. For example, the known
U.S. stocks of the smallpox virus are kept at a Level 4
facility.
The supposed purpose is to study defenses against
bio-terrorist attacks on U.S. agriculture. No such attacks have
ever been reported. Nor has any group or country ever
threatened such an attack on the United States.
So why is defense needed?
Recall that the biggest, most aggressive military machine in
the world, headquartered in the Pentagon, is officially called
the Department of Defense.
Is it possible that under the guise of defense, Plum Island
will be studying pathogens to be used against crops and animals
in other countries? Or will it study antidotes and defenses so
that the military and CIA can feel secure that using such
agents wouldn't boomerang back and hurt U.S. farm products?
Or, like the so-called Star Wars--Strategic Defense
Initiative--anti-missile shield, is it part of a strategy that
aims to deflect retaliation after a first strike?
The U.S. government has signed treaties banning producing
and storing biological and chemical weapons. However, many tons
of such agents are still "waiting for destruction," and no one
knows what agents are being held in secret.
The treaties also allow "defensive" research. Critics have
long suspected that offensive biological and chemical research
work has been carried out in the name of defense.
Interestingly, the state of Florida, with federal support,
is about to introduce a genetically engineered fungus that is
supposed to attack marijuana plants. The fungus will be sprayed
by air on areas where marijuana crops are suspected but have
not been observed.
Area farmers and environmentalists are concerned that the
fungus might mutate naturally and attack other crops as
well.
While state and federal officials are "confident" that such
a thing couldn't happen, peasants in Peru are charging that
similar agents the United States provided to attack coca and
marijuana plants have done extensive damage to banana, yucca
and tangerine crops.
Other "backfires" have taken place. Decades ago, scientists
introduced kudzu vines to stop erosions and Melaleuca trees to
drain excess water. These plants now grow out of control and
create havoc in many areas.
If the government has used biological weapons in Peru, an
ally, and is about to use them in Florida, is it really
inconceivable that Plum Island will be working on weapons to be
used against "enemies"?
The CIA, the Pentagon and Agriculture Department officials
of Plum Island have assured the public that the new facility
will be safe and for "defense" purposes only. But the smart
money stopped investing in Orient Point tourism.
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