US anthrax scare widens to 51 labs in 17 states

I have been waiting for a report, what the US military is doing with anthrax, in the first place? So far, have not seen any explanation.

Is this still some biological warfare matter? After all, even the USA appears to be a member state in the Biological Weapons Convention.

I think they keep samples of all kinds of nasty beasts, for research purposes.

Also, article X of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction says:

The States Parties to this Convention undertake to facilitate, and have
the right to participate in, the fullest possible exchange of equipment,
materials and scientific and technological information for the use of
bacteriological (biological) agents and toxins for peaceful purposes.
Parties to the Convention in a position to do so shall also cooperate in
contributing individually or together with other States or international
organizations to the further development and application of scientific
discoveries in the field of bacteriology (biology) for prevention of
disease, or for other peaceful purposes.

So as long as its for peaceful purposes, you can have anthrax stockpiled somewhere.

So as long as its for peaceful purposes, you can have anthrax stockpiled somewhere.

Yes, but in that case, why exactly the military?

I assume for security purposes. I think most people feel that a military base is the safest place to store such things.

Of course, as this just shows, that isn't entirely true. The military is made up of humans, and they screw up from time to time as well.

I assume for security purposes. I think most people feel that a military base is the safest place to store such things.

Well, I doubt if the US military is the safest place to keep anything peaceful.

Still keep wondering, why nobody has come out and clearly stated the original purpose of all this anthrax business. I sort of feel, that any competent Public Information Officer would have done so long time ago, if everything was tickety-boo.

Well it is the USAMRIID that does all kinds of defensive research in stuff like Anthrax, with trying to develop counter measures and such. Also, if the government has stockpiles of dangerous stuff like Anthrax, who would you give control over it if not the army?

I tried: http://www.usamriid.army.mil/. Got this: "You have attempted to access a blocked website. Access to this website has been blocked for operational reasons by the DOD Enterprise-Level Protection System."

Odd, I can access the site just fine.

As for peaceful purposes, I think some university life science faculty or the like might be a good choice. But somehow, I even feel the above experience is a proof of the pudding.

Yeah but universities are private entities. I'm pretty sure that is illegal according to the previously mention convention on biological weapons.

Yeah but universities are private entities.

Nonsense. In civilised countries universities are public entities. Dunno, how it is in the Netherlands.

Hmm technically I think they are neither. They perform a public function and they receive a lot of subsidies from the government, but they are not under any direct control of a government. At least, thats what they do in the Netherlands.

I tried: http://www.usamriid.army.mil/. Got this: "You have attempted to access a blocked website. Access to this website has been blocked for operational reasons by the DOD Enterprise-Level Protection System."

Odd, I can access the site just fine.

Very odd.
I also got "You have attempted to access a blocked website. Access to this website has been blocked for operational reasons by the DOD Enterprise-Level Protection System."
So how can users in the Netherlands access the United States Cyber Command site?

Anyway.
U.S. Gov: Oops We Mailed Potentially Deadly Anthrax Around the World
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33001773

No problem accessing site from here...

The Pentagon just said its anthrax mistake is worse than previously believed: live samples of the deadly bacteria might have reached 51 different labs in 17 different states, D.C., and three foreign countries. Also, this has been going on for the past decade.
http://gawker.com/u-s-gov-oops-we-mailed-potentially-deadly-anthrax-aro-1708791464

The 3 Foreign Countries are Korea, Australia and Canada.
http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2015/0615_lab-stats/
Korea? Is it North or South Korea?

And can we have a reference to this one, too, to quit this seminar session?

Because the whole convention on biological weapons is a thing designed by states operating in a system of anarchy. Imperfect information and imperfect communication create a prisoners dilemma that ensures states are unlikely to give up complete control over their biological weapons. After all, how can they trust that other states comply. In order to mitigate the effects of a prisoners dilemma they introduced a number of transparency measures to make sure that everyone knows what the other guy is doing with their biological weapons. Even so, as a state you want easy access to your stockpiles once you believe that the other guys are backing out of the deal.

In any case, states signed the convention and that means states are responsible for what happens to their stockpiles. For each and every state, the easiest and probably best way to ensure that they know what happens to their stockpiles is if they directly control it.

Мишель, I appreciate many of your views on these fora. But on this very thread, would it not be possible that you got somehow carried away?

Carried away how? Did I say something wrong?

Very odd.
I also got "You have attempted to access a blocked website. Access to this website has been blocked for operational reasons by the DOD Enterprise-Level Protection System."
So how can users in the Netherlands access the United States Cyber Command site?

Its not their cyber command website, just the public face of USAMRIID. Seems weird that you guys are blocked, its not like the site is anything more than a PR thing. Though I have to say the whole thing looks rather amateurish. You'd think large organizations could afford better looking websites.

And maybe it has something to do with your ISP?

And maybe it has something to do with your ISP?

Nope. My ISP don't block websites.
This is the first time in 25 years that I have been blocked to a website!

You have attempted to access a blocked website. Access to this website has been blocked for operational reasons by the DOD Enterprise-Level Protection System.
APPLICATION: qos-mission-critical-pan
Contact your local Network Control Center for information on how to gain access to MISSION ESSENTIAL or otherwise authorized websites, or to report a mis-categorized website.
Use the following links for additional guidance and procedures for requesting access to blocked content:
-Army users click here.
-Navy users click here.
This is a DoD enterprise-level protection system intended to reduce risk to DoD users and protect DoD systems from intrusion. It will block access to high-risk websites and filter high-risk web content.
You are accessing a U.S. Government (USG) Information System (IS) that is provided for USG-authorized use only. By using this IS (which includes any device attached to this IS), you consent to the following conditions:
-The USG routinely intercepts and monitors communications on this IS for purposes including, but not limited to, penetration testing, COMSEC monitoring, network operations and defense, personnel misconduct (PM), law enforcement (LE), and counterintelligence (CI) investigations.-At any time, the USG may inspect and seize data stored on this IS.
-Communications using, or data stored on, this IS are not private, are subject to routine monitoring, interception, and search, and may be disclosed or used for any USG authorized purpose.
-This IS includes security measures (e.g., authentication and access controls) to protect USG interests--not for your personal benefit or privacy.
-Notwithstanding the above, using this IS does not constitute consent to PM, LE or CI investigative searching or monitoring of the content of privileged communications, or work product, related to personal representation or services by attorneys, psychotherapists, or clergy, and their assistants. Such communications and work product are private and confidential. See User Agreement for details.

'
So how can users in the Netherlands access the United States Cyber Command site?

So how can users in the Netherlands access the United States Cyber Command site?

Open VPN in the USA?

Then again http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/Decoder/2015/0604/NSA-s-secret-hunt-for-hackers-How-widespread

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So how can users in the Netherlands access the United States Cyber Command site?

Open VPN in the USA?
Then again http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/Decoder/2015/0604/NSA-s-secret-hunt-for-hackers-How-widespread

This is getting me nervous.

This site is public.
United States Department of Defense, DoD.
http://www.defense.gov/

This site is not public for obvious reasons.
United States Cyber Command
http://www.usamriid.army.mil/
So how can anybody access this website without having clearance?

USCYBERCOM is an armed forces sub-unified command subordinate to United States Strategic Command.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Cyber_Command

The Pentagon just said its anthrax mistake is worse than previously believed: live samples of the deadly bacteria might have reached 51 different labs in 17 different states, D.C., and three foreign countries.

Yes we know Janne they sent live samples here apparently the Radiation that was to kill it before they sent it went wrong and some spores where still left alive .
Anthrax i believe can be found in the soil of most country's but only becomes a problem when weaponised . And i believe that is why they still have it , incase there is a natural outbreak and they need to make a vaccine

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Apparently, only to our Friends.

With 'Friends' like the USA: Who needs...

And this is how you treat your friends !! . That's it cancel the treaty we have with you pack your things up , all your toys and bugger off then .:)

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This site is not public for obvious reasons.
United States Cyber Command
http://www.usamriid.army.mil/
So how can anybody access this website without having clearance?

USCYBERCOM is an armed forces sub-unified command subordinate to United States Strategic Command.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Cyber_Command

Again, youre not trying to access US Cyber Command. USAMRIID is a part of the army that does research in infectious diseases and biological weapons, and that site you've been trying to access is just their website. I assume its supposed to be public, given they give the whole standard talk about their mission statement, stuff they do, career opportunities, etc. It reads like every other corporate website ever made. Which is why its weird you can't access it.

Why do you keep talking about US Cyber Command?

Мишель, I appreciate many of your views on these fora. But on this very thread, would it not be possible that you got somehow carried away?

Carried away how? Did I say something wrong?

Carried away to imagining things rather than looking for and presenting evidence. No good seminar behaviour:

I'm pretty sure that is illegal according to the previously mention convention on biological weapons.

The convention is here, for all to check: http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/bwc/text.

It may be derived from this bit.

Each State Party to this Convention undertakes to destroy, or to divert to
peaceful purposes, as soon as possible but not later than nine months after
the entry into force of the Convention, all agents, toxins, weapons,
equipment and means of delivery specified in article I of the Convention,
which are in its possession or under its jurisdiction or control. In
implementing the provisions of this article all necessary safety precautions
shall be observed to protect populations and the environment.

If you start giving your biological weapon stockpiles to third parties and therefor relinquish your control over them, you can be seen as trying to avoid the restrictions set out in the convention. On top of that, I think you might make a lot of people rather nervous. At the one hand you have the rest of the world that might think you are trying to dodge the convention and retain your weapons and at the other hand, probably a lot of people would be nervous if say Harvard had a bunker filled with biological agents.

It may be derived from this bit.

No. It does not say, that peaceful purposes could not be pursued by civilians.

True, but the point is that those stockpiles remain under state control. Hence they got to remain the responsibility of some state agency. Universities are not that.

- - at the other hand, probably a lot of people would be nervous if say Harvard had a bunker filled with biological agents.

Please feel free to be nervous: http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2003/05.01/01-anthrax.html.

I said bunker with the entire anthrax stockpile, not a few carefully isolated samples used for research purposes only.

This site is not public for obvious reasons.
United States Cyber Command
http://www.usamriid.army.mil/
So how can anybody access this website without having clearance?

USCYBERCOM is an armed forces sub-unified command subordinate to United States Strategic Command.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Cyber_Command

Again, youre not trying to access US Cyber Command. USAMRIID is a part of the army that does research in infectious diseases and biological weapons, and that site you've been trying to access is just their website. I assume its supposed to be public, given they give the whole standard talk about their mission statement, stuff they do, career opportunities, etc. It reads like every other corporate website ever made. Which is why its weird you can't access it.

Why do you keep talking about US Cyber Command?

APPLICATION BLOCKED

You have attempted to access a blocked website. Access to this website has been blocked for operational reasons by the DOD Enterprise-Level Protection System.

APPLICATION: qos-mission-critical-pan

Contact your local Network Control Center for information on how to gain access to MISSION ESSENTIAL or otherwise authorized websites, or to report a mis-categorized website.

Use the following links for additional guidance and procedures for requesting access to blocked content:

-Army users click here.

-Navy users click here.

This site is not public for obvious reasons.
United States Cyber Command
http://www.usamriid.army.mil/
So how can anybody access this website without having clearance?
USCYBERCOM is an armed forces sub-unified command subordinate to United States Strategic Command.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Cyber_Command

Again, youre not trying to access US Cyber Command. USAMRIID is a part of the army that does research in infectious diseases and biological weapons, and that site you've been trying to access is just their website. I assume its supposed to be public, given they give the whole standard talk about their mission statement, stuff they do, career opportunities, etc. It reads like every other corporate website ever made. Which is why its weird you can't access it.

Why do you keep talking about US Cyber Command?

Because the website is blocked by the US Cyber Command!
Are you a US Army or US Navy personal?

APPLICATION BLOCKED

You have attempted to access a blocked website. Access to this website has been blocked for operational reasons by the DOD Enterprise-Level Protection System.

APPLICATION: qos-mission-critical-pan

Contact your local Network Control Center for information on how to gain access to MISSION ESSENTIAL or otherwise authorized websites, or to report a mis-categorized website.

Use the following links for additional guidance and procedures for requesting access to blocked content:

-Army users click here. https://esd-crm.csd.disa.mil/app/answers/detail/a_id/1628

-Navy users click here. https://usff.portal.navy.mil/sites/netwarcom/SitePages/IP_UnBlock_Msg.aspx

United States Department of Defense, DoD.