Copyright 2003 The Washington Post

The Washington Post
April 30, 2003 Wednesday
Final Edition
SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. A22

LENGTH: 141 words

HEADLINE: How Much Do Bioweapons Cost?

BODY:


It is baffling that the FBI would refuse to pay $ 5 million (and issue immigration permits) in exchange for securing known stocks of bioweapons when we just spent billions on a war to eradicate such weapons in Iraq -- and have yet to find any ["Lethal Legacy: Bioweapons for Sale," front page, April 20].

A more cost-effective way to secure such weapons would be to offer money and citizenship to foreign weapons scientists who agree to turn in the weapons they have.

We also need to think, before developing new weapons, about whether they ever will be turned against us. Most of the weapons of mass destruction that threaten us were pioneered by the United States -- for example, the Stinger missiles that now are a threat to commercial airliners.

Once the genie is out of the bottle, who knows whom it will serve?

ILYA SHLYAKHTER

Roxbury, Mass.

LOAD-DATE: April 30, 2003