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Department/Unit: Public and International Affairs
Course Subject/Number: BIOD 725
Submitted by: Gregory Koblentz, Deputy Director
Ext: 3-1266
Email: gkoblent@gmu.edu
Course Title: Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Effective Term (New/Modified Courses only): fall 2008
Credit Hours: (Fixed) 3:3:0
(Var.)
to
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Total Number of Hours Allowed:
Schedule Type Code(s): 1. LEC LEC=Lecture SEM=Seminar STU=Studio INT=Internship
IND=Independent Study 2.
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Prereq X Coreq
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BIOD 604 and BIOD 605; or permission of instructor.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Note: Modified courses - review prereq or coreq for necessary changes; Deleted courses - review other courses to correct prereqs that list the deleted course.
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College of Humanities and Social Sciences
COURSE CATALOG COPY FORM
For the revision of catalog copy for new or modified courses
A. Subject code number, course title, and credit hours.
Subject code and number: BIOD 725
Title: Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Credit code: 3:3:0
B. Prerequisites needed prior to registration in the course or co-requisites:
Prerequisites:
BIOD 604 and BIOD 605; or permission of instructor
Co-requisites:
N/A
C. Description of the course as it will appear in the catalog
Examines the capabilities and intentions of terrorists to acquire and use chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. The course provides an in-depth understanding of the
history of CBRN terrorism, the current challenges posed by this threat, and the range of national
and international policy tools available to address this threat.
Office of the Dean Use Only
Entered By:
Date:
George Mason University
Department of Public and International Affairs
Course Number: BIOD 725
Course Title: Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Course Description: Examines the capabilities and intentions of terrorists to acquire and use chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. The course provides an in-depth understanding of the history of CBRN
terrorism, the current challenges posed by this threat, and the range of national and international policy tools
available to address this threat.
Instructor: Gregory Koblentz
Course Overview:
Since September 11, the United States has viewed terrorist acquisition and use of chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons as one of the gravest threats to national security. The course provides an
in-depth understanding of the history of CBRN terrorism, the current challenges posed by this threat, and the range
of national and international policy tools available to address this threat. The goal of the course is to familiarize
students with the influence of strategy, technology, organizations, psychology, ideology, and economics on the
nature of this threat and the strategies for managing this danger.
The course is organized into three parts. The first part of the course provides theoretical, historical and
methodological frameworks for analyzing the threat of CBRN terrorism. This section will examine methodologies
for assessing risk and the ongoing debate about the capabilities and motives of terrorists to acquire and use weapons
of mass destruction (WMD). Case studies of terrorists groups that have sought these weapons, as well as those
which have not, will be studied.
The second part examines how terrorists could acquire and use nuclear, biological, chemical, and
radiological weapons. The incentives for and obstacles to terrorist acquisition and use of each of these types of
weapons will be considered in turn.
The third part of the course covers the range of policy tools available to national and international authorities
to manage the threat of CBRN terrorism such as intelligence and law enforcement, prevention and deterrence, and
crisis and consequence management. Special consideration will be given to how political and economic factors
influence homeland security programs. International perspectives on preventing and preparing for CBRN terrorism
will also be examined. This section will include a simulated Homeland Security Council (HSC) meeting to respond
to a CBRN terrorism scenario.
Requirements
Readings
The reading load for this course is heavy. Students are expected to read the assigned readings before coming
to class and be prepared to discuss the various discussion questions. Student participation in class discussions will
have a major impact on final course grades.
All course materials, aside from the books recommended for purchase, will be available on WebCT, George
Mason University’s electronic course management system. You can log onto WebCT at https://webct41.gmu.edu.
Given the dynamic nature of this subject, additional readings may be assigned during the semester.
Attendance and Participation
Attendance at all classes is required. Since this is a small class, you are expected to be prepared to discuss
the readings and actively participate in discussion.
Students are not expected to have an extensive background in terrorism or weapons of mass destruction.
However, students are expected to share their thoughts and insights with the class. Those students with direct
professional and related knowledge of these subjects are especially encouraged to participate actively in
discussion.
Participation will be evaluated in terms of contributions to class discussion. Attendance and class
participation will account for 10% of the final grade.
Simulation and Briefing Paper
Students will participate in a mock Homeland Security Council meeting to discuss options and develop a
course of action for dealing with a CBRN terrorist threat. In preparation for the simulation, students will write a 1015 page briefing paper. The briefing paper will be due on November 21. Due to the Thanksgiving break, there will
be no class that day. Please submit the briefing paper to me by email by 4:30 PM. You should send the paper to the
following email addresses: gkoblent@gmu.edu and gregory_koblentz@yahoo.com. Details about the simulation
and briefing paper will be distributed during the semester.
Major Assignments: Exams or Research Paper
Students can either take a mid-term and final exam or write a research paper. Both assignments are worth a
total of 60% of the grade and the total length of both assignments is equivalent.
Examinations
A mid-term exam will be distributed during class on October 10. The exam will be due at the beginning of
class on October 24.
A take-home final exam will be distributed during class on November 28. The exam will be due in Professor
Koblentz’s office, Robinson Hall A242, by noon on December 12. Students are strongly encouraged to submit a
hard copy of their final exam. Alternatively, the final can be emailed to me at gkoblent@gmu.edu AND
gregory_koblentz@yahoo.com. The deadline for the final exam is strict and extensions will not be permitted in the
absence of a genuine emergency or documented illness.
Research Paper
Students may write a 20-24 page (6,000 word maximum) research paper on an approved topic. A 2-page
proposal is due by October 10. Students are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with Professor Koblentz
prior to submitting the proposal to discuss the proposed research topic. The research paper is due in Professor
Koblentz’s office, Robinson Hall A242, by noon on December 12. Alternatively, the final can be emailed to
Professor Koblentz at gkoblent@gmu.edu AND gregory_koblentz@yahoo.com. The deadline for the research paper
is strict and extensions will not be permitted in the absence of a genuine emergency or documented illness.
Grading
Your final grade will be calculated as follows:
Research Paper or Mid-Term and Final
Simulation and Briefing Paper
Attendance and Participation
60%
30%
10%
A late exam or paper will be penalized a full letter grade (for example, from A to B) for every 24 hour period that it
is late.
Books Recommended for Purchase
The following books are recommended for purchase. These books will also be placed on reserve at Fenwick
library:
Russell D. Howard and James J.F. Forest, eds., Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism (McGraw-Hill,
2008).
Jonathan B. Tucker, ed., Toxic Terror: Assessing Terrorist Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons
(Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2000).
In addition to the recommended books, there are numerous journal articles and book chapters that are
required reading for this class. To simplify the process of finding these readings, I have created a folder on WebCT
for this class. WebCT is a university system that enables professors to create websites for their classes. On WebCT,
you will find all of the readings for the course that do not appear in one of the books recommended for purchase.
You can log on to WebCT at https://webct41.gmu.edu/
SYALLBUS
WEEK 1 (August 29): Assessing the Risk of CBRN Terrorism
Risk Assessment
M. Granger Morgan, “Risk Assessment and Management,” Scientific American, July 1993, pp. 32-41.
George Gray and David Ropeik, “What, Me Worry?” Boston Globe, November 11, 2001, p. E8.
Risk Assessment and CBRN Terrorism
Eric Lipton, “U.S. Lists Possible Terror Attacks and Likely Tolls,” New York Times, March 16, 2005, p. A1.
Summary of DHS Planning Scenarios, July 2004
Sydney J. Freedberg, Jr., “Surviving a Nuclear Attack on Washington, D.C.,” National Journal, June 24,
2005.
Jessica Stern, “Dreaded Risks and the Control of Biological Weapons,” International Security, Vol. 27, No.
3 (Winter 2002/03), pp. 89-123.
WEEK 2 (September 5): Terrorist Acquisition and Use of CBRN Weapons: Capabilities and Intentions
Richard Falkenrath, “Confronting Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Terrorism,” Survival, Vol. 40, No. 3
(Autumn 1998), pp. 43-65.
Jessica Stern, “Terrorist Motivations and Unconventional Weapons,” in Peter Lavoy, Scott Sagan, and
James Wirtz, eds., Planning the Unthinkable: How New Powers Will Use Nuclear, Biological and Chemical
Weapons (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2000), pp. 202-229.
Jerrold M. Post, “Psychological and Motivational Factors in Terrorist Decision-Making: Implications for
CBW Terrorism,” in Jonathan B. Tucker, ed., Toxic Terror: Assessing Terrorist Use of Chemical and Biological
Weapons (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2000), pp. 271-289.
Ehud Spriznak, “The Great Superterrorism Scare,” Foreign Policy, Fall 1998, pp. 110-124.
Jonathan B. Tucker and Amy Sands, “An Unlikely Threat,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Vol. 54, No. 5
(July/August 1999), pp. 46-52.
Andrew O’Neil, “Terrorist Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction: How Serious Is the Threat?” in Howard
and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 65-76.
WEEK 3 (September 12): Terrorist Acquisition and Use of CBRN Weapons: Case Studies
Rajneeshees
W. Seth Carus, “The Rajneeshees (1984),” in Jonathan B. Tucker, ed., Toxic Terror: Assessing Terrorist
Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2000), pp. 115-137.
Aum Shinrikyo
David E. Kaplan, “Aum Shinrikyo (1995),” in Tucker, Toxic Terror, pp. 207-226.
Robert Jay Lifton, Destroying the World to Save It: Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence and the New
Global Terrorism (New York: Metropolitan Books, 1999), pp. 202-213.
William Rosenau, “Aum Shinrikyo’s Biological Weapons Program: Why Did It Fail?” Studies in Conflict
and Terrorism, Vol. 24, No. 4 (2001), pp. 289-301.
Al-Qaeda and Its Allies
Read one of the following:
Sammy Salama and Lydia Hansell, “Does Intent Equal Capability? Al-Qaeda and Weapons of Mass
Destruction,” Nonproliferation Review, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Fall-Winter 2005), pp. 615-653.
Adam Dolnik and Rohan Gunaratna, “Jemaah Islamiyah and the Threat of Chemical and Biological
Terrorism,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp.
280-294.
Domestic Terrorists
Read one of the following:
Jessica E. Stern, “Larry Wayne Harris (1998),” in Tucker, Toxic Terror, pp. 227-246.
Jonathan B. Tucker and Jason Pate, “Minnesota Patriots Council (1991),” in Tucker, Toxic Terror, pp. 159184.
Anthrax Letters
Leonard Cole, The Anthrax Letters: A Medical Detective Story (Washington, D.C.: National Academies
Press, 2003), chapter 9, pp. 185-211.
The Dogs That Didn’t Bark: Hamas and Palestinian Terrorist Groups
Read one of the following:
Adam Dolnik and Anjali Bhattacharjee, “Hamas: Suicide Bombings, Rockets, or WMD?” Terrorism and
Political Violence, Vol. 14, No. 3 (Autumn 2002), pp. 109-128.
Ehud Sprinzak and Ely Karmon, “Why So Little? The Palestinian Terrorist Organizations and
Unconventional Terrorism,” June 2007, http://www.ict.org.il/apage/13472.php
WEEK 4 (September 19): Nuclear Terrorism
“Nuclear Attack,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, p. 552-559.
Morton Bremer Maerli, Anette Schaper, and Frank Barnaby, “The Characteristics of Nuclear Terrorist
Weapons,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 110-124.
Matthew Bunn and Anthony Weir, “The Seven Myths of Nuclear Terrorism,” in Howard and Forest,
Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 125-137.
Robin Frost, Nuclear Terrorism After 9/11, Adelphi Paper No. 378 (London: International Institute for
Strategic Studies, December 2005).
WEEK 5 (September 26): Radiological Terrorism
“Radiological Attack,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, p. 546-551.
Gavin Cameron, “Nuclear Terrorism: Reactors & Radiological Attacks After September 11,” in Howard and
Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 148-166.
Peter Zimmerman with Cheryl Loeb, “Dirty Bombs: The Threat Revisited,” Defense Horizons, No. 38
(January 2004).
George Bunn and Chaim Braun, “Terrorism Potential for Research Reactors Compared with Power
Reactors,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 167-178.
Douglas M Chapin, et al., “Nuclear Power Plants and Their Fuel as Terrorist Targets,” in Howard and
Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 179-182.
Igor Khripunov, “The Social and Psychological Impact of Radiological Terrorism,” Nonproliferation
Review, Vol. 13, No. 2 (July 2006), pp. 275-316.
WEEK 6 (October 3): Biological Terrorism
Background
“Biological Attack,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 560-569.
C.J. Peters, Richard Spertzel, and William Patrick III, “Aerosol Technology and Biological Weapons,” in
Institute of Medicine, Biological Threats and Terrorism: Assessing the Science and Response Capabilities
(Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002), pp. 66-77.
W. Seth Carus, Bioterrorism and Biocrimes: the Illicit Use of Biological Agents in the 20th Century
(Washington, DC: National Defense University, April 2001), pp. 1-32.
Threat Assessments
Lisa D. Rotz, Ali S. Khan, Scott R. Lillibridge, Stephen M. Ostroff, and James M. Hughes, “Public Health
Assessment of Potential Biological Terrorism Agents,” Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 8, No. 2 (February
2002), pp. 225-230.
Milton Leitenberg, Assessing the Biological Weapons and Bioterrorism Threat (Carlisle, Penn.: Strategic
Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, December 2005), pp. 21-28.
Reynolds Salerno, et al, “A BW Risk Assessment: Historical and Technical Perspectives,” Nonproliferation
Review (Fall/Winter 2004), pp. 25-55.
Raymond Zilinskas, “Possible Terrorist Use of Modern Biotechnology Techniques,” Prepared for
Conference on Biosecurity, Istituto Diplomatico, Rome, Italy, September 18-19, 2000.
Agroterrorism
Mark Wheelis, Rocco Casagrande, and Laurence V. Madden, “Biological Attack on Agriculture: Low-Tech,
High-Impact Bioterrorism,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 228-241.
Gavin Cameron, Jason Pate, and Kathleen Vogel, “Planting Fear: How Real Is the Threat of Agricultural
Terrorism?” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 242-249.
WEEK 7 (October 10): Chemical Terrorism
***TAKE-HOME MID-TERM DISTRIBUTED-DUE OCTOBER 24***
***RESEARCH PAPER PROPOSAL DUE***
“Chemical Attack,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 539-545.
Jonathan B. Tucker, “Chemical Terrorism: Assessing Threats and Responses,” in Howard and Forest,
Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 213-226.
Dana A. Shea, High-Threat Chemical Agents: Characteristics, Effects and Policy Implications (Washington,
D.C.: Congressional Research Service, September 9, 2003).
James Tour, “Do-It-Yourself Chemical Weapons,” Chemical and Engineering News, July 10, 2000, pp. 4245.
Joby Warrick, “An Easier, but Less Deadly, Recipe for Terror,” Washington Post, December 31, 2004, p.
A1.
Robyn Pangi, “Consequence Management in the 1995 Sarin Attacks on the Japanese Subway System,” in
Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 429-457.
WEEK 8 (October 17): The Role of States in CBRN Terrorism
Daniel Byman, Deadly Connections: States That Sponsor Terrorism (New York: Cambridge University
Press, 2005), pp. 21-52, 75-78.
Jason Ellis, “The Gravest Danger: Proliferation, Terrorism and the Bush Doctrine,” The Monitor, Vol. 9, No.
1 (Winter 2003), pp. 5-9.
Michael R. Eastman and Robert B. Brown, “Security Strategy in the Gray Zone: Alternatives for Preventing
WMD Handoff to Non-State Actors,” in Russell D. Howard and Reid L. Sawyer, eds., Terrorism and
Counterterrorism: Understanding the New Security Environment, Second Edition (New York: McGraw Hill, 2006),
pp. 298-312.
Andrew J. Coe, “North Korea’s New Cash Crop,” Washington Quarterly, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Summer 2005),
pp. 73-84.
Jasen J. Castillo, “Nuclear Terrorism: Why Deterrence Still Matters,” Current History, December 2003, pp.
426-431.
John Parachini, “Collapsing States and Abrupt Regime Changes: Implications for NBC Terrorism,” in Brad
Roberts., ed., Hype or Reality? The “New Terrorism” and Mass Casualty Attacks (Alexandria, VA: Chemical and
Biological Arms Control Institute, 2000), pp. 83-108.
WEEK 9 (October 24): Intelligence and Attribution
***MID-TERM EXAM DUE***
Intelligence: Theory and Practice
Richard Betts, “Analysis, War and Decision: Why Intelligence Failures are Inevitable,” World Politics, Vol.
31, No. 1 (October 1978), pp. 61-89.
Francis H. Marlo, “WMD Terrorism and US Intelligence Collection,” Terrorism and Political Violence,
Vol. 11, No. 3 (Autumn 1999), pp. 53-71.
Micah Zenko, “Intelligence Estimates of Nuclear Terrorism,” The Annals of the American Academy of
Political and Social Science, Vol. 607, No. 1 (September 2006), pp. 87-102.
Central Intelligence Agency, Terrorist CBRN: Materials and Effects (Langley, VA: CIA, May 2003).
Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction,
Report to the President (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2005), pp. 267-303. Available at
http://www.wmd.gov.
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks on the United States, “Foresight – And Hindsight,” in The 9/11
Commission Report (New York: W.W. Norton, 2004), pp. 339-360.
Nuclear Attribution
Michael Miller, “Nuclear Attribution as Deterrence,” Nonproliferation Review, Vol. 14, No. 1 (March
2007), pp. 33-60.
Microbial Forensics
Randall S. Murch, “Microbial Forensics: Building a National Capacity to Investigate Bioterrorism,”
Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, Vol. 1, No. 2 (2003), pp. 1-6.
Bruce Budowle, et al., “Building Microbial Forensics as a Response to Bioterrorism,” Science, Vol. 301
(September 26, 2003), pp. 1852-1853.
Lois Ember, “Anthrax Sleuthing,” Chemical and Engineering News, Volume 894, No. 49 (December 4,
2006).
WEEK 10 (October 31): Preventing Nuclear Terrorism
Deterrence
Lewis A. Dunn, “Can Al Qaeda Be Deterred From Using Nuclear Weapons?” in Howard and Forest,
Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 295-316.
Daniel Whiteneck, “Deterring Terrorists: Thoughts on a Framework,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of
Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 336-345.
Prevention
Graham Allison, “How to Stop Nuclear Terror,” Foreign Affairs, January/February 2004, pp. 64-74.
Matthew Bunn, “Cooperation to Secure Nuclear Stockpiles,” Innovations, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Winter 2006), pp.
115-137.
David Albright and Holly Higgins, “A Bomb for the Ummah,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Vol. 59,
No. 2 (March/April 2003), pp. 49-55.
Stephen P. Cohen, “The Jihadist Threat to Pakistan,” The Washington Quarterly, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Summer
2003), pp. 7-25.
Detection and Interdiction
Gary W. Philips, David J. Nagel, and Timothy Coffey, A Primer on the Detection of Nuclear and
Radiological Weapons (Washington, D.C.: Center for Technology and National Security Policy, National Defense
University, July 2005), pp. 1-31, 46-47, 50-54.
Jeffrey Richelson, “Defusing Nuclear Terror,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Vol. 58, No. 2 (March/April
2002), pp. 38-43.
WEEK 11 (November 7): Countering Homegrown Threats
The Political Economy of Homeland Security
Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Homeland Security and the Private Sector (Washington, D.C.:
Congressional Budget Office, December 2004), pp. ix-8.
Eric Pianin and Bill Miller, “Businesses Draw Line on Security,” Washington Post, September 5, 2002, p.
A1.
Angie C. Marek, “Security At Any Price?” US News and World Report, May 30, 2005, pp. 24-30.
Chemical Industry
CBO, Homeland Security and the Private Sector, pp. 21-28.
Government Accountability Office, Homeland Security: DHS is Addressing Security at Chemical Facilities,
but Additional Authority is Needed, GAO-006-899T, June 21, 2006.
Testimony of Martin J. Durbin, Managing Director, Security and Operations, American Chemistry Council
Before Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, Hearing on Chemical Facility Security:
What is the Appropriate Federal Role?, July 13, 2005.
Robert Block, “Chemical Plants Still Have Few Terror Controls,” Wall Street Journal, August 20, 2004, p.
B-1.
David Kocieniewski, “Potential Targets Near New York Rely on a Patchwork of Security,” New York Times,
May 9, 2005, p. A1.
Spencer S. Hu, “Chertoff Seeks to Improve Chemical Plants’ Security,” Washington Post, March 22, 2006,
p. A7.
Nuclear Industry
CBO, Homeland Security and the Private Sector, pp. 9-20.
Mark Thompson, “Are These Towers Safe?” Time, June 20, 2005, pp. 35-38, 43-48.
GAO, Nuclear Power: Plants Have Upgraded Security, But the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Needs to
Improve Its Process for Revising the Design Basis Threat, GAO-06-555T (Washington, D.C.: GAO, April 4, 2006).
Testimony of The Honorable Nils Diaz, Chairman, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Before House
Government Reform Committee, Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International
Relations, Hearing on Nuclear Security: Has the NRC Strengthened Facility Standards Since 9/11?, April 4, 2006.
Testimony of Marvin Fertel, Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Nuclear Energy Institute
Before House Government Reform Committee, Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and
International Relations, Hearing on Nuclear Security: Has the NRC Strengthened Facility Standards Since 9/11?,
April 4, 2006.
Testimony of Danielle Brian, Executive Director, Project on Government Oversight Before House
Government Reform Committee, Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International
Relations, Hearing on Nuclear Security: Has the NRC Strengthened Facility Standards Since 9/11?, April 4, 2006.
Scott Sagan, “The Problem of Redundancy Problem: Why More Nuclear Security Forces May Mean Less
Nuclear Security,” Risk Analysis, Vol. 24, No. 4 (2004), pp. 935-946.
WEEK 12 (November 14): Enhancing Biosecurity
Background
David Franz, “Bioterrorism Defense: Controlling the Unknown,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass
Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 184-197.
Elin Gursky, Thomas V. Inglesby, and Tara O’Toole, “Anthrax 2001: Observations on the Medical and
Public Health Response,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 391-411.
Biodefense for the 21st Century, Homeland Security Presidential Directive 10 (Washington, DC: White
House, April 28, 2004), http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/nspd/hspd-10.html.
Strengthening Defenses
Rebecca Katz, “Public Health Preparedness: The Best Defense Against Biological Weapons,” The
Washington Quarterly, Vol. 25, No. 3 (Summer 2002), pp. 69-82.
Bradley T. Smith, Thomas V. Inglesby, and Tara O’Toole, “Biodefense R&D: Anticipating Future Threats,
Establishing a Strategic Environment,” Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, Vol. 1, No. 3 (2003), pp. 193-202.
Congressional Research Service, Project BioShield (Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service,
September 27, 2006).
Renae Merle, “Bioterror Antidote: Prescription Unfilled,” Washington Post, January 16, 2007, p. D1.
Regulating Dual-Use Research
James B. Petro and David A. Relman, “Understanding Threats to Scientific Openness,” Science, Vol. 302
(December 12, 2003), p. 1898 plus supplemental material.
Raymond A. Zilinskas and Jonathan B. Tucker, “Limiting the Contribution of the Open Scientific Literature
to the Biological Weapons Threat,” Journal of Homeland Security, December 2002.
National Research Council, Biotechnology Research in an Age of Terrorism (Washington, D.C.: National
Academies Press, 2004), pp. 15-40, 107-129.
Christopher F. Chyba and Alex L. Greninger, “Biotechnology and Bioterrorism,” An Unprecedented
World,” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 198-211.
Ray Kurzweil and Bill Joy, “Recipe for Destruction,” New York Times, October 17, 2005, p. A19.
Philip Sharp, “1918 Flu and Responsible Science,” Science, Vol. 310 (October 5, 2005), p. 17.
Threat Assessment
James B. Petro and W. Seth Carus, “Biological Threat Characterization Research: A Critical Component of
National Biodefense,” Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, Vol. 3, No. 4 (2005), pp. 295-308.
Jonathan Tucker, “Biological Threat Assessment: Is the Cure Worse Than the Disease?” Arms Control
Today, October 2004.
Managing Biosecurity Risk Trade-offs
Re-read Jessica Stern, “Dreaded Risks and the Control of Biological Weapons,” International Security, Vol.
27, No. 3 (Winter 2002/03), pp. 89-123.
Hillel W. Cohen, Robert M. Gould, and Victor W. Sidel, “Bioterrorism “Preparedness”: Dual Use or Poor
Excuse?” Public Health Reports, Vol. 115 (September/October 2000), pp. 403-405.
Martin Enserink and Jocelyn Kaiser,” Has Biodefense Gone Overboard?” Science, Vol. 307 (March 4,
2005), pp. 1396-1398.
Eileen Choffnes, “Biological Weapons: New Labs, More Terror?” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Vol. 58,
No. 5 (September/October 2002), pp. 28-32.
November 21: NO CLASS-THANKSGIVING BREAK
****BRIEFING PAPER DUE****
Email it to gkoblent@gmu.edu AND gregory_koblentz@yahoo.com by 4:30 PM
WEEK 13 (November 28): International Perspectives on CBRN Terrorism
****FINAL EXAM DISTRIBUTED****
United States
Marc Ostfield, “Bioterrorism as a Foreign Policy Issue,” SAIS Review, Vol. 24, No. 1 (Winter-Spring 2004),
pp. 131-146.
Europe
Gustav Lindstrom, Protecting the European Homeland: The CBR Dimension, Chaillot Paper No. 69 (Paris:
Institute for Security Studies, July 2004), pp. 39-74. Skim 75-125.
Bengt Sundelius and Jesper Grönvall, “Strategic Dilemmas of Biosecurity in the European Union,”
Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, Vol. 2, No. 1 (January 2004), pp. 17–23.
Daniel S. Hamilton and Bradley T. Smith, “Atlantic Storm,” EMBO Reports, Vol. 7, No. 1 (2006), pp. 4-9.
Japan
Naofumi Miyasaka, “Bioterrorism and Japan: A Security Studies Point of View,” in Bioterrorism and
Consequence Management: New Approaches to U.S.-Japan Security Cooperation (New York: Japan Society,
2003), pp. 11-30.
International Organizations
Natasha E. Bajema, “Assessing the Role of the Nonproliferation Regimes: Are They Relevant Tools for
Countering WMD Terrorism?” in Howard and Forest, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, pp. 363-378.
Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, A More Secure World: Our
Shared Responsibility (New York: United Nations, 2004), pp. 39-52.
Gabriel H. Oosthuizen and Elizabeth Wilmshurst, Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction: United
Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (London: Royal Institute of International Affairs, September 2004).
WEEK 14 (December 5): Homeland Security Council Simulation
Details on Homeland Security Council Simulation to be announced.
December 12: Take-Home Final or Research Paper Due in Professor Koblentz’s office, Robinson A242 by noon.
Alternatively, the final or paper can be emailed to me at gkoblent@gmu.edu AND gregory_koblentz@yahoo.com.