Capabilities Analysis

US military stands ready to combat biological threats

2024-05-03

The US Department of Defense is implementing reforms and early warning systems to better combat future biothreats.

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Soldiers prepare a howitzer after a simulated chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear attack during a live-fire exercise in Germany November 9, 2022. [US Army]
Soldiers prepare a howitzer after a simulated chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear attack during a live-fire exercise in Germany November 9, 2022. [US Army]

The US Department of Defense (DoD) remains vigilant in case of biological threats by pursuing internal reforms as well as significant investment in early warning systems and detection technologies.

The department stands ready to develop medical countermeasures and implement protective protocols to mitigate potential risks. This proactive stance aligns with the department's commitment to safeguarding national security against emerging hazards.

The DoD started its Chemical and Biological Defense Program (CBDP) more than 30 years ago, in the wake of the Gulf War.

The program unifies the various chemical and biological defense programs from each branch of the armed services into a single program across the department.

Since then, technological advances have escalated the threat of chemical warfare and biological warfare, making them both wider-ranging and less detectable than they were 30 years ago.

As part of its Biodefense Posture Review (BPR) published last August, the DoD is taking steps to improve biosecurity, bio-surveillance and bio-incident response -- key components of stopping biological threats.

Biosecurity refers to measures aimed at preventing the introduction and/or spread of harmful organisms, including the use of existing practices, safety equipment and specifically designed buildings to ensure all workers, the community and environment are protected.

Meanwhile, bio-surveillance involves the detection of health threats in human and animal populations, food, water, agriculture and the environment, followed by disease detection and monitoring, and diagnosis.

Bio-incident response is the response to any incident necessitating the establishment of an organizational structure specific to the management of the incident.

The BPR's reforms sought to position the department to fight and win in the face of any future biothreat and to incorporate lessons learned from prior pandemic responses.

It established broad reform initiatives, including a strategic approach to biodefense that sought to enhance early warning and understanding to counter biothreats, improve preparedness, speed up responses and bolster strategic coordination.

The BPR noted the creation of the Biodefense Council as the principal forum to advise the secretary of Defense and other DoD leadership on biodefense issues and challenges.

"The Biodefense Council will build on the intense collaboration of the DoD biodefense enterprise over the past several years and will synchronize and integrate authorities and responsibilities to provide a more empowered and collaborative approach to biodefense," the Pentagon said in a statement.

As the landscape of biological threats continues to evolve, the DoD's proactive approach underscores the importance of sustained investment and collaboration in safeguarding national security against biological hazards.

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2024-05-05

America is the source of threats in the world with chemical and biological materials. It applies all of its programmes on Arab and Muslim countries on a regular basis. The best proof of that is what’s happening in Gaza and what the US administration is doing, in terms of providing the Zionist entity with all the biological weapons it produces to strike the people of Gaza. It then takes the results and develops such weapons. After that, it returns what it produces to the Zionist entity to use it in hitting the people of Gaza, etc. This had happened in Iraq in the past, and in Afghanistan and other countries. However, this will not prevent Allah’s ability to make you taste the same cup which the Arab world has tasted. A day will definitely come, when the hearts and eyes become blind, and when they taste what they have done. God suffices us and He is the best disposer of affairs against every oppressor! Every oppressor has an end! Your end is near, Allah willing, you and the Zionist entity.

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