Biological warfare, also referred to as germ warfare is defined as the utilization of infectious agents and biological toxins including fungi, viruses and bacteria in killing, incapacitating or causing injuries to plants, animals and humans as acts of war. Biological weapons are said to be replicating entities or living organisms that are reproducing or replicating within the host victims. These weapons may be used in many ways to obtain tactical or strategic advantage over threats, deployments and adversaries.
There are several individuals who do not agree with the utilization of biological warfare because this includes the use of harmful and disease producing biological products, microorganisms and organic biocides which results to harsh effects and death of plants, animals and humans. The most common agents in biological warfare are bacteria that cause brucellosis, anthrax, typhus and viruses that result to encephalitis. Agents also include fungi like wheat smut, cereal rust, rice blast and toxins such as ricin and botulinum extracted from living things or organisms.
When you come across biological warfare, you will also likely to encounter biological warfare pros and cons. The utilization of biological weapons is prohibited by law and these are rarely utilized at present. Knowing the biological warfare pros and cons is a helpful means of gathering essential information regarding its nature, characteristics and effects to individuals.
Pros:
1. The biggest advantage of biological warfare is efficiency. Biological weapons are efficient as a matter of fact; a single gram of biological warfare agents like botulinum toxin can kill millions of individuals. Another advantage is the cheap cost. It would require higher cost if you opt to use regular nuclear and chemical weapons.
2. You can rely on biological weapons if you wanted to affect wide area and numerous individuals in a snap. Biological agents can be spread from one individual to another and these can kill effectively and affect one country or even the entire continent.
3. Biological weapons are easy to make, use and store. As long as you have a container for storage and knowledge on how to prepare and make biological weapons you are on the go. Wearing protective gears when preparing agents and weapons are necessary to ensure your safety.
4. In biological warfare scenario, you will notice that weapons are dispersed easily. Killing might be bad but there are instances that biological warfare entails benefits for the government.
Cons:
Biological warfare is associated with pros and cons. One of the biggest disadvantages of biological warfare is its nature of being unpredictable. There have been recorded incidents of infecting own troops. Another disadvantage is that biological weapons linger for longest period of time. As an example, anthrax can live for more or less 50 years in the soil. This therefore signifies that the longer it stays the more possibilities for unwanted effects.
Knowledge about biological warfare pros and cons is something that individuals should obtain so that they will be able to weight things out and make justifications. The biological warfare pros and cons can also serve as basis of deciding if biological weapon should be used or not.
