U.S. Funnels Billions to Science to Defend Against Terrorism

On the drawing boards is one of the most ambitious and far-reaching U.S. research projects in recent history, involving more than a dozen federal agencies that are managing work by thousands of scientists at hundreds of institutions and laboratories across the nation.

At least $7 billion this year is slated for high-tech efforts to shore up defenses against a terrorist attack using biological, chemical or nuclear weapons. Federal agencies are investing $3.5 billion in research and development and as much as $3.4 billion in high-tech spending for vaccine supplies and improvements to the public health system, an analysis of the federal budget shows.

"Science is the big advantage the West has over these people who would throw us back to the Stone Age," said Dr. Penrose "Parney" Albright, assistant secretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security. "We will have a research establishment devoted to our priorities

Scientists envision far more sophisticated sensors at the nation's ports that would detect attempts to smuggle nuclear weapons. They see major population centers continuously monitored by remote detectors for evidence of a biological or chemical attack, and the nation's healthcare system equipped to handle mass epidemics spread by terrorists. Advanced research would deal with threats that don't even exist yet, such as biologically engineered diseases.

Some terrorism experts, however, are questioning the Bush administration's approach, saying the technology effort is poorly organized and may ultimately result in a massive waste of money -- "a huge new public trough" in the words of one defense official.

Other critics say that the investment is needed, but that scientists have promised too much.

"I am not convinced that technology is the solution to many of these problems," said Mark Gerencser, who leads the global security practice at the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. "The current research is very important, but in and of itself the technology is not going to solve the problem."

Dennis J. Reimer, former Army chief of staff who now runs the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism headquartered in Oklahoma City, said so far the effort's priorities remain unclear. But Reimer added, "It is unfair to say they have had ample time to do their work."