It was a long time ago and my memory is hazy, but I thought the evidence (eventually) did point to the anthrax having come from a US government lab, and that was why Hatfill was suspected. When exactly did they start going after Hatfill? And didn't that take the attention away from Iraq? Now I'm really confused.

I wonder when we will know the whole story.... (I can hear you all shouting.... when hell freezes over.)

I haven't had time to read all 22 pages of posts, so maybe this has already been addressed.

I agree. I assume the facts of this matter, however, can be investigated within a reasonably narrow set of bounds without bringing in speculation not based on fact. If the investigation should uncover hard data that leads into other areas, then I see no problem in addressing them. My thought was that if this should turn out to be a "dirty trick" it will generate enormous public pressure to take this to wherever it may go.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0801081anthrax1.html

This may be helpful.

Glenn,

May I suggest that if you go after this story with teeth bared, that we do some analysis about how to get better coverage/answers than we did with the Military Analyst scandal. I believed that to be an utter outrage and dereliction of duty by the MSM, as well as patent illegality inside BushCo, but our efforts to expose this did not yield any meaningful arrests, changes or answers (IMO).

Maybe it is the time, and maybe this IS the story to call in some favors and get to those sources like you said. I don't know. Is this the thread which might open the floodgates to much more, or is it something not worth using a lot of capital just to wind up hearing more indistinguishable, muffled sounds on a dead end road?

a coworker apparently filed a restraining order ...

He was previously described as an eccentric, but harmless...

It's amazing how scary a harmless eccesntric can appear when you know the FBI and a grand jury think he's a mass murderer, etc.

We need to slow down on jumping to conclusions. Having worked with several borderline crazy professionals in my life, including a couple who had career ending breakdown, all I can say is "shit happens" ... no one's immune....

Celebrate (and protect) the Eccentric, Please... America needs them.

May I suggest that if you go after this story with teeth bared, that we do some analysis about how to get better coverage/answers than we did with the Military Analyst scandal.

We're working on a campaign now to petition some Congressional Committee to hold hearings on the ABC issue and the whole anthrax matter generally. Hope to have details shortly.

'Someone ought to ask McCain what "indication" he was referencing that the anthrax "may have come from Iraq."'

Other than the fact that he will claim to have forgotten, could it be that Richard Perle or Doug Feith told him?

More background.

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=76902

Cynicalor's post makes me think - perhaps this was not 'suicide.' How convenient, right? Again, a convenient death. Who declared this guy a suicide and was there a double check review?

Let me try this one more time:

Please -- Google "Ivins" "squalene" and make the connections.

Squalene was used in anthrax vaccines given to US (and other nations') troops in Desert Storm and again in the War on Iraq. US troops were guinea pigs. There was overwhelming evidence that squalene did and does cause crippling permanent autoimmune diseases, but by pumping the autoimmune system it also dramatically improves the effectiveness of the vaccine in the short term. The man who fought to have squalene tested on US troops anyway was -- Bruce Ivins.

Imagine you're an unhinged scientist trying to get your dream vaccine cocktail tested on humans when everyone else is saying it's too dangerous, and you're a Christian fanatic. What better way to do it than to send anthrax (that you have access to) through the mails to incite panic and a war against Iraq?

He had method and opportunity -- this was his motive. And it's a motive the US Government never wanted the public to hear about. That's why they didn't arrest him. His suicide lets them try to bury the story.

Don't let them.

Thanks for those links, especially the one at thesmokinggun. If I'm reading this correctly, it looks like the restraining order was to prevent further contact between Ivins and the therapist assigned to him when he was committed in early July. This seems pretty suspicious to me. Was Ivins reacting (violently, as almost anyone would) to a net being constructed around him to frame him or was he truly whacked out? We will never know...

Asking the Journalists to pop Cipro would have created both fear and a sense of reliance upon the government officials advising them to do this. A very good way to ensure the cooperation of anyone, especially a journalist working the "inner circles of power." Such individuals, generally speaking, wouldn't want to do anything to offend those upon whom they relied for their safety and well-being, especially in a time of trouble, and especially if they felt they were getting special dispensation because of their closeness to the halls of power. I can't really fault them for this -- when we believe we're in danger we could any of us do unexpected and irrational things. But, if not then, now is certainly the time to come clean. So much in our history (recent and stretching back to the civil war) needs to be "aired out" and openly reconciled with our fundamental ideals as given by the Founders. Do we even now have the courage required to give life to their/our profound philosophy?

Are we supposed to believe that a man that worked for 38 years at the top bio-weapons lab in the US was sociopathic for most of his life? And within the last two weeks he was committed to psychiatric hospital for making threats to a social worker? Something smells bad on this one guys!

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0801081anthrax1.html