Saturday Drama The Iraq Dossier

Hi all.

A re-think on the UK's involvement in the WMD debacle, on BBC radio 4. Aired today, Saturday, 2nd March 2013.

Doubt anyone in the US can hear this, but us in the UK should take the chance. It may also be relevant to the current events and also past events as it shows up the way information can be manipulated, if in fact that has happened.

Reviewing a post I made some days ago, on Sy Gunsons post regarding the Germans attempts to create an atomic bomb, ( Nazi Atomic weapons in 1943) I was surprised that even today the threat of Anthrax may still be current counter threat.

It is very scarey that the public's views can be so manipulated.

Has this been on already? If not, what time is it on?

Sorry wide eye, yes it has finished, I was a bit late in posting. To be honest I got a little engrossed listening to the story. It is a story, but based on some facts.

Expect it to be available on, listen again, shortly.

BBC4 link says it will be available soon. www.bbc.co.uk...

Enjoy.

Anthrax is very much an active thing.... Just wanted to toss that in.

Biological Hazard Map/List
(First.. Obligatory thing I say when I link that resource... It ALWAYS looks that busy for those who haven't seen it. Nothing to panic or worry about, beyond whatever was worth worrying about before seeing it. The world always has this much going on)

Anyway.. Scroll down to "Biological Incidents/ Threats/ Anthrax Hoaxes etc" and there are new ones across that, every day. You'd think it would have gotten old by now since the only weaponized release or attacks were that short burst after 9/11. A whole different thread there...

There is a different section of that for natural Anthrax outbreaks and it's quiet at the moment but usually has a couple listings at any given time. Often, within the United Kingdom, in fact. Those are the legit (xx per year) cases contracted from animals or spore contaminated soil.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Not surprised about the UK.
We have a Scottish Isle somewhere full of the stuff. Plus a research station in a lovely shallow southern valley.(Porton Down) Maybe.
What surprises is the thought that it is still thought of as a retaliatory weapon. (1940 to 2013) We must have found something better by now, haven't we?

reply to post by dowot

You would think so, huh? Anthrax is a horrible thing to consider using on any open population. It's not even about what it does to people, in my mind. Some WMD is nightmarish beyond words in that way .... but what makes Anthrax a nightmare is how it just never ..ever...ever goes away.

Sverdlovsk anthrax outbreak, 1979

It's the "gift" that keeps on giving. I think that makes it the worst idea for a Bio-Weapon, personally. After all, however evil someone wants the impact on the enemy it's used against, you'd think they WOULD want that damage to stop and the area be safe again ..someday.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Hey, don't have a go at me.

I know what it can do, and have always lived with it's effects at the back of my mind.

As I said there is an island, Scotland way, where no body is allowed onto after it was tried out there sometime in the 1940's I think. That's over 70 years ago.

The devastating effect is why I just can not understand anyone wanting to use it, but then I suppose the effect is similar to that of an atomic bomb, and that is still kept as a weapon. Destruction seems to be a built-in to the human mind.

After all this time I would have expected some much more controllable yet equally devastating chemicals to be available, but this does not seem to be the case, according to our leaders.

Anthrax is no joke, especially, I suspect, the varieties kept by the military.

reply to post by dowot

Sorry... I was agreeing with ya and just adding something interesting for more context. I didn't know about the Russian release of full weapons grade Anthrax until a few years ago, despite how long ago it happened.

No probs Wrabbit and thanks for what you are adding.

Russian anthrax, well that is a new one, this stuff is so common around the world and more scarey than many other "WMD".

Notice the lack of discussion on the subject, the destructive power of various types of atomic bomb is well known to everyone, as are its effects, problems etc etc. Apart from a few, who knows that much about Anthrax?

Although this radio play is primarily about the way facts etc are bent to fit a need, I do wish that more people listened to these radio plays as they very often open up ideas not possible in films and documentaries where the brain is lulled by the pictures.

Is this a rant? If it is, I am finished.