Biological weapons and strategies are as old as warfare itself. However, the potential for use of these weapons and strategies have never been greater than they are today. Exponential advances in technology, globalization, the international community’s gradual shift from military to economic themes, the proliferation of Internet access and other forms of communication, and asymmetric reactions to U.S. conventional military capabilities all contribute to the likely emergence of a dangerous strategy—the use of biological weapons against economic targets. Hence, the purpose of this thesis is to familiarize the reader with the potential of biological weapons, explain how they may be acquired, recount historical trends associated with their acquisition and/or use, and hypothesize what a potential future biological strike against the U.S. would be in the 21st century. Additionally, Appendix A of this thesis provides the reader with a well-sourced timeline of biological weapons and tactics use throughout history. Important historical events are also included in the timeline to better orient the reader to global affairs occurring around the time of each incident of biological weapons and tactics use.
