Biological Warfare: Opposing Viewpoints

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Grade 9 Up-Biological warfare is an ancient practice, almost universally condemned but sometimes justified as a deterrent or as a "poor man's weapon." Topics in this volume include the seriousness of the threat, which nations and groups constitute the most serious threat, and measures to prepare for and/or prevent biological warfare. Pairs of previously published position papers joust for readers' credence on a series of subtopics. Commentators include arms-control experts, scientists, government officials, and journalists. The most recent article is dated November 2002. Illustrations consist of a few black-and-white political cartoons. Each viewpoint is accompanied by a few discussion questions, each chapter has a periodical bibliography, and more discussion questions are posed at the end. Probably the most valuable inclusion is an annotated list of organizations concerned with the issues, complete with Web sites, addresses, and telephone numbers. This book will best serve students as a supplement to any of several excellent overviews of the problem: Kathlyn Gay's Silent Death: The Threat of Chemical and Biological Terrorism (21st Century, 2001), Herbert M. Levine's Chemical and Biological Weapons in Our Times (Watts, 2000), or Laurence Pringle's Chemical and Biological Warfare (Enslow, 2000).
Jonathan Betz-Zall, City University Library, Everett, WA
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