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Regardless of whether or the corona virus was a lab leak several things are certain. A moderately lethal virus that is highly transmissible can be created in a

by syki 5y ago

Regardless of whether or the corona virus was a lab leak several things are certain. A moderately lethal virus that is highly transmissible can be created in a lab and those nations with this capability now know what the effect of releasing such a virus will have on a country. As biological knowledge and capabilities increase the purposeful release of a virus becomes more realistic. Warfare between advanced countries has changed the last decade or so. Cyber warfare, disinformation, fomenting dissent, and creating biological threats are much easier and more disrupting now. It does not require bombs and bullets to bring an advanced nation to its knees.

ceejayoz 5y ago
> A moderately lethal virus that is highly transmissible can be created in a lab and those nations with this capability now know what the effect of releasing such a virus will have on a country. It has also demonstrated the connectedness of the supply chain and the fundamental impossibility of safe biological warfare. Even the countries that tackled COVID effectively still saw an enormous social and economic hit. Barring pre-vaccinating your own population before releasing it, I guess, but that invites nukes lobbed your way when the rest of the world figures it out. I'm more worried about bioterrorism than nation states being dumb enough to use it.
- verve_rat 5y ago
  Yeah. My take away from all this is that New Zealand might be the only country in the world that has even a small chance of engaging in bio-warfare without foot gunning itself. It is just all round a bad idea.
- syki 5y ago
  Nuclear war is more unsafe than releasing a corona virus and yet it is a possibility. Releasing corona virus is not as bad as a nuclear strike. Where does it land in terms of how to respond. There is no threat of China invading the U.S. and vice versa but there is a threat of causing a global disruption. China is much better equipped to deal with a viral outbreak than the U.S. This is especially so given the effects of disinformation regarding vaccines has caused. The CCP is much better equipped to deal with supply chain issues than either major party in the U.S. Sometimes just the threat of releasing something is enough to change the response other nations are willing to do. If China invades Taiwan are we willing to risk dire consequences by militarily intervening? Suppose a virus is released but has less effect on people with genetic markers that East Asian people have but Europeans and Africans do not. I believe your view of how a corona virus can be used is too limited.

by syki 5y ago

ceejayoz 5y ago

> A moderately lethal virus that is highly transmissible can be created in a lab and those nations with this capability now know what the effect of releasing such a virus will have on a country. It has also demonstrated the connectedness of the supply chain and the fundamental impossibility of safe biological warfare. Even the countries that tackled COVID effectively still saw an enormous social and economic hit. Barring pre-vaccinating your own population before releasing it, I guess, but that invites nukes lobbed your way when the rest of the world figures it out. I'm more worried about bioterrorism than nation states being dumb enough to use it.

verve_rat 5y ago
Yeah. My take away from all this is that New Zealand might be the only country in the world that has even a small chance of engaging in bio-warfare without foot gunning itself. It is just all round a bad idea.
syki 5y ago
Nuclear war is more unsafe than releasing a corona virus and yet it is a possibility. Releasing corona virus is not as bad as a nuclear strike. Where does it land in terms of how to respond. There is no threat of China invading the U.S. and vice versa but there is a threat of causing a global disruption. China is much better equipped to deal with a viral outbreak than the U.S. This is especially so given the effects of disinformation regarding vaccines has caused. The CCP is much better equipped to deal with supply chain issues than either major party in the U.S. Sometimes just the threat of releasing something is enough to change the response other nations are willing to do. If China invades Taiwan are we willing to risk dire consequences by militarily intervening? Suppose a virus is released but has less effect on people with genetic markers that East Asian people have but Europeans and Africans do not. I believe your view of how a corona virus can be used is too limited.