We were just watching the national news on T.V., and ABC reported that the Pentagon is selling off equipment that can be used to create biological weapons, such as incubators, and centrifuges. Equipment that the government purchased for $46,000 was sold for $4,100.....less than one tenth of the value.
The issue of cost burns me, but another issue sent me up in flames. It seems that they sold to anyone who contacted them on the Pentagon website. NO background checks were made. NO attempt was made to see where the equipment was going, despite the fact that it has been determined that some of the equipment has been resold in countries that harbor terrorists.
I MIND that my government is making such poor decisions in matters that affect my tax dollar and my safety. We count on the Pentagon to be there to protect us, and it seems our trust is unfounded.
Our Homeland Defense needs a bigger think tank. We not only have to work against threats from outside our borders, we have to work against stupidity within our ranks.
UPDATE 10/6/03, From CNN.Com:
"The GAO investigation was requested by the House Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, which is a unit of the Government Reform Committee."
"The subcommittee will hold a hearing on the matter Tuesday with testimony from Pentagon officials, GAO investigators and a chemical-biological weapons expert."
It seems a large quantity of protective suits were sold, some of which were defective. These suits had been distributed to state and local law enforcement agencies and had been returned when they were found to be defective. THe suits should have been destroyed.
Comments (10)
Gee, Buffy. I wonder how many plain, dark blue, sedans would be driving down your block after bidding on the net finished if you had bid? I'm guessing, the people that bid on that equipment, now have a file somewhere that didn't exist a week ago. Whether they got the equipment or not.
Posted by Wichi Dude | October 6, 2003 8:01 PM
Posted on October 6, 2003 20:01
WD has a good point. I hope my faith in the government isn't misplaced.
Posted by Sgt Hook | October 7, 2003 1:11 AM
Posted on October 7, 2003 01:11
I don't know... sees a strange way for a government of one of the most affluent countries in the world to be operating.
Posted by Desiree | October 7, 2003 1:59 AM
Posted on October 7, 2003 01:59
Those items are common in many different industries, so it's not like the government is selling anything that can't be gotten elsewhere very easily.
The original cost of these items was $46,000 but the news story never said how old the items were (I'm betting really old). In that case, the amount recieved might have been fair market value (you would be amazed at how much our 15 year old, $50,000 machines are worth - about the price of scrap metal).
Posted by bogie | October 7, 2003 6:41 AM
Posted on October 7, 2003 06:41
I'm willing to concede that I should have waited to write this entry to my blog until I had cooled off. WichiDude, you're probably right, and Bogie, the equipment COULD be old.
I believe it was the GAO that set up a trial purchase to determine what controls the Pentagon had in place, so it seems that I am not the only one worried about this. We'll have to wait to see how it plays out.
Posted by Buffy | October 7, 2003 10:20 AM
Posted on October 7, 2003 10:20
I forgot to add though, that if it turns out the equipment wasn't old - then I will be very upset indeed.
Posted by bogie | October 7, 2003 1:09 PM
Posted on October 7, 2003 13:09
...errrrr...most things in life can be used for making wmd...if these things are for the 'sole' purpose of making biological weapons - could I ask why the pentagon had them in the first place??.....
Posted by billy | October 7, 2003 1:12 PM
Posted on October 7, 2003 13:12
Billy, as Bogie pointed out, the uses for the items sold are not restricted to the making of biological weapons.
Bogie....I'll do some more reading to see if they disclosed the age or condition of the equipment.
Posted by Buffy | October 7, 2003 1:26 PM
Posted on October 7, 2003 13:26
It's unbelievable
Posted by Pob | October 7, 2003 2:54 PM
Posted on October 7, 2003 14:54
listening to the radio the other day... I learned that the humble chicken's egg is a key part to making the annual flu vaccine. Seems the egg has the right combination of donor protein, cost effective one shot hermetically sealed container etc to make it a key part in a few vaccine production programes. Apparently a tiny qty of virus is injected into the egg. Kept in an incubator, this then gives the virus the perfect conditions to breed, feed and multiply, still contained inside the egg. The thought struck me that... if it works with the flu virus... what's to stop it workin with ANY virus...
Then the paranoid streak in me went into overtime... I mean... of all the eggs in circulation on the planet at any one time... how do you spot the one that MIGHT be a GENUINE WMD... ???
Does this put the humble chicken at the top of the planet's most wanted terrorist list...???
Posted by Midnight | October 7, 2003 5:37 PM
Posted on October 7, 2003 17:37