THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY

pro bono humani generis
1230 YORK AVENUE - NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10021-6399

Joshua Lederberg
UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR-emeritus

August 4, 2002

Dear Vartan

Thank you for responding to me about Muslims in America. I was confident that was an
issue you would pay very close attention to.

Also, thank you for Alan Rosenberg’s paper on BW/ Carnegie Challenge 2001. It is laudable
to support strengthening the verification provisions of the BWC. But it is a joke to confuse
verification with enforcement, Formal inspection procedures will do little to add to our
knowledge of violators. What hindrance have they/would they offer to Saddam’s continued
pursuit of BW? UNSCOM was all over Iraq for years, and only acquired really relevant
information after Khamel’s defection.

What’s missing is a strong international consensus to enforce the BWC against known
violators! We are being left with two dangerous and unpalatable alternatives -- to do nothing,
or for the US to wage war unilaterally against Iraq. To some degree, to put all the fuss into
enhancing the verification protocols, and to paint the US as a morally equivalent perpetrator,
may actually be a mischievous distraction. These are tough questions, and perhaps no one
can come up with answers, but I would commend your program directors to clarify their
thinking, and at least spark the effort.

As always,

    
 

ours sincerely,

oshua Lederberg

Le Geum ¢
Pore, Canney! Op