- Pacific
President Obama has authorized the United States Postal Service to deliver self-administered antidotes in the event of a large-scale biological attack. He has also asked for a plan that would use federal guns to protect postguys and postgals while on their delivery route.
Obama issued on December 30, 2009, Executive Order 13528: "Establishing Federal Capability for the Timely Provision of Medical Countermeasures Following a Biological Attack."
Here's the heart of it:
Sec. 2. United States Postal Service Delivery of Medical Countermeasures.
(a) The U.S. Postal Service has the capacity for rapid residential delivery of medical countermeasures for self administration across all communities in the United States. The Federal Government shall pursue a national U.S. Postal Service medical countermeasures dispensing model to respond to a large-scale biological attack.
(b) The Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security, in coordination with the U.S. Postal Service, within 180 days of the date of this order, shall establish a national U.S. Postal Service medical countermeasures dispensing model for U.S. cities to respond to a large-scale biological attack, with anthrax as the primary threat consideration.
(c) In support of the national U.S. Postal Service model, the Secretaries of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and Defense, and the Attorney General, in coordination with the U.S. Postal Service, and in consultation with State and local public health, emergency management, and law enforcement officials, within 180 days of the date of this order, shall develop an accompanying plan for supplementing local law enforcement personnel, as necessary and appropriate, with local Federal law enforcement, as well as other appropriate personnel, to escort U.S. Postal workers delivering medical countermeasures.
Let's imagine a situation where this EO kicks in. First, the primary-threat consideration is anthrax. That suggests that the target zone is limited. In fact, I can't imagine a biological attack that would send the entire country into lock-down. So let's presume NYC immediately following, say, KLM's opening statement at his faux trial. Mode of delivery: Cropduster planes supplemented on the ground by exploding jihadists.
The feds determine some ground zero and because of prevailing winds declare the affected areas to be 20 miles in all directions. That's an area of 1,256.8 miles. They would have to over-estimate the possibly affected area, right? What if they said Paramus, NJ was fine (about 15 miles) , and then someone dies of apparent anthrax poisoning?
How many people in the 20-mile circle? There's over eight million in the boroughs alone, and 20 miles would include Paterson, Newark, the Oranges, and Yonkers. Let's just round it to 10 million.
Next step: We're talking about delivering antidotes. The federal government will bring the antidote to you. They must know where you are. We will not be allowed to go to a distribution point. Answer: Martial law. Full restriction on movement.
How many postal-delivery folks? We have 3% of the US population. Three percent of all USPS workers would be about 20,000 people. Assume one in four actually deliver (yes, I made that up), that gives us 5,000 folks needing protection. That number seems low since we are delivering to 10 million people - about 5 million homes. That's 1,000 homes per mailguy/gal. But it's better to under-estimate for now.
Enter armed escorts to supplement "local law enforcement personnel, as necessary and appropriate, with local Federal law enforcement, as well as other appropriate personnel." If we are talking complete local lock-down, then local cops are maxed out. We have two alternatives: Federal personnel or state personnel. The state's have the National Guard. Obama seems to be saying that he will protect his own - the USPS folks being federal personnel. He has the military. He has ICE (which just ordered 200 million rounds of hollow-point ammunition, btw). Barry's got options.
Here is where I find it interesting. The black market for antidote dosages is going to be profitable. If a mailguy/guyette is going to have thousands of dosages on their person, then security had better be more than one additional person riding along. We may also need to revisit the vehicle being used. It doesn't seem too far to envision using National Guard or other military vehicles with 3 or 4 "escorts" accompanying the postaldude/dudess. Hunh. Where does the USPS end and the military begin? It seems as if the USPS is merely the guide on this trip.
Is any of this a problem, or it is all just good planning? Imagine a liberal's reaction if President Bush did this exact same thing. He/she/it would be distrustful. Well, count me as distrustful. Barry has earned the title of "He whose words and actions travel different paths."
I don't trust him not to exploit a crisis - any crisis. And remember, those are Rahm's words, not mine.
Finally, how do you give a postal person a direct order to delivery? The compliance alternative is being fired - at worst - and is not a court martial. So the posties say, "No way am I entering a war zone." Then what? Do we call UPS? (Philadelphia Conservative Examiner, 1.03.2010, Clyde Middleton) http://www.examiner.com/x-3132-Philadelphia-Conservative-Examiner~y2010m1d3-Obama-In-case-of-anthrax-attack-your-postman-will-deliver-antidote
"The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Conastitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first." Thomas Jefferson