B- What issues?
Consider the relatively small costs involved with NBC attacks and huge troubles
caused: spending that generates for preventive measures - what we call in France
the "principle of precaution"- spending is out of proportion. So,
we have to be very careful.
Nevertheless, events of September 11 have created a need to assess our defence
needs and ensure that the resources we spend for security are aligned with the
most pressing security threats. The elements summarized here tend to prove that
NBC threat is quite real, quite serious, and deserves a vigorous response of
all kinds.
But I would like to make some remarks.
•
The first one is about risk management. I think you will agree that our countries
must be very careful about the traps that would come from any terrorism ant
the time seems to create good opportunities. If it's too easy to create a costly
disruption the ratio between expenses and risks will be inverse and at the
end
we'll be paralysed. Too much prevention may jeopardise our standards.
Even if we still can fly, that's already what almost happens with airline security.
Because someone had explosives in his shoes, we have now to take off our shoes
at the airport control. Then, what else?
And if some letters were containing Anthrax germs in the US last fall, how many
hoaxes have led many countries to take costly measures around mail services.
If we are completely paralysed, we are losers anyway.
So we must carefully manage the risk.
•
That's why I will suggest a second remark.
Prevention is good. But it's only good when it's made very early, with an upstream
perspective. That implies to accept reality and to acquire the necessary knowledge.
It's not obvious.
To be clear, that means that war against terrorism – NBC terrorism too
- must be based on intelligence, intelligence based actions - as long as they
comply with our belief in human rights – and has to be proactive.
That could be part of the risk management.
But terrorist groups might still find a way to use NBC weapons as their goal
is to terrorise or kill innocent people thus harassing our countries, even more
likely, we know it today, as they have no regard for their own lives an that
the chain of command is not straightforward.
So, we must face the brutal reality that no technological remedies can provide
complete confidence that we are safe from NBC attacks.
Thus, couldn't we reasonably think that NBC terrorism could become the "ultimate
terror"?