Judith Miller, New York Times journalist, best-selling author and biological warfare expert, addressed students, faculty and local residents yesterday and took questions about how the government could be more prepared for bioterrorist attacks against the United States.
Miller, the co-author of the New York Times best-selling book "Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War," described to an audience of over 200 people in the Chemistry Auditorium the history of biological warfare and the potential types of biological attacks that could occur today.
Miller's visit was particularly timely because of the recent anthrax mailings that have plagued the United States, an issue she addressed.
"The anthrax scare that we are living through will not go away," Miller said. "Germs are not just the weapon of the future, but the weapon of the present."
After her speech, Miller responded to questions from the audience. Many of the audience's questions focused on anthrax and the potential for future bioterrorist attacks against the United States.
"This is a threat about which much has been done and about which now much is being done," Miller said.
She argued that the federal government needs to stockpile supplies of antibiotics to prepare for bioterrorism. Miller also suggested doctors and other medical personnel need better training in identifying diseases such as smallpox that could be used in terrorist attacks.
Audience members raise doubts about the ability of the federal government to respond quickly to bioterrorism in the question-and-answer session. Audience members echoed the concerns of some political and military figures who have questioned the capability of the recently created Office of Homeland Security to respond to terrorist attacks.
"We have 40 agencies that are involved in bio-defense, each of which is searching for funds," Miller said.
She claimed that even post-Sept. 11 levels of funding for bioterrorism defense are insufficient to counteract the threat.
Miller listed Russia, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Syria, Libya and Israel as nations that may have biological weapons programs but downplayed the likelihood that the recent anthrax mailings had an international source.
"The more I think about it, the more I think it is domestic in origin," she said.
Miller's appearance was sponsored by the University's Miller Center of Public Affairs. History Professor Philip Zelikow, the Miller Center's president, said afterward that he was impressed by Miller's speech and agreed with her support for stronger anti-bioterrorism measures.
"The United States needs to have a major program for developing vaccines and cures for the most dreadful diseases," Zelikow said.
Miller has been a reporter with the New York Times since 1977. "Germs," published in September, discusses the truth about biological weapons and shows why bio-warfare and bioterrorism are fast becoming America's worst national nightmare. It is the fourth book she has written.
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