Although a catastrophic failure of emergency backup systems at a US nuclear reactor may be unlikely, solid planning and preparations are in order -- and should begin with determining whether an emergency zone extends 10 or 20 miles from a nuclear power plant.
For Washington to respond effectively to a bioterrorist attack, the CDC must be allowed to help lead the investigation--no matter where the attack occurs.
The next biothreat could come from chemicals derived from the human body that can incapacitate and kill--and which skirt existing arms controls.