About the threat to Washington: I think it's relatively high. A nerve gas attack on buildings or the Metro seems likely. (The Japanese AUM cult had Sarin, but was inept. A more capable, military-trained operative has had many months to get into D.C. and wait for the obvious time to attack. And he need not even be a suicide bomber. A cannister of VX with a reliable timer is child's play.Chemical weapons are legally dodgy - but under the Bush Doctorine, saddam could blow huge civilian areas of Washington away with missles, and just call it a "shock and awe" demonstration against a country that might attack it and that is known to have all three forms of WMD. I mean, that's reasonable isn't it? bush said it was....
I don't think Saddam is the likely threat to Washington, even after the War begins later this week.
I'm referring to the various groups, or individuals, waiting for the start of the War as a signal (or as we often say, a Schelling point) to strike.
And as the goal is maximum disruption and chaos, the "legality" of nerve agents is neither here nor there.
Just detonating several suicide bombs in shopping malls would paralyze a big chunk of the economy.
A Stinger missile launched from a hotel room window overlooking an airport (think of San Diego, for example, as the fllight path comes in over the downtown skyscrapers) would halt air traffic--again. Especially if several attacks happen at about the same time. Half a dozen Western airline companies have already gone into bankruptcy--another sharp falloff in bookings will likely send a dozen more into liquidation.
--Tim May, Occupied America
"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin, 1759.
