WEEKEND JOURNAL: "The Age of Pandemics," by Larry Brilliant, Wall Street Journal, 2-3 May 2009.

The subtitle makes the essential argument:

The threat of deadly new viruses is on the rise due to population growth, climate change and increased contact between humans and animals.

Brilliant cites all the new cooperation occurring among states but argues that the world as a whole remains woefully underprepared for the Big One that must eventually come.

Fits my thinking well that the 20th century is essentially the century of biology--both good and bad.

Compared to nukes, these threats (to include bioterror) will be far more frequent and far more deadly.

The good news, in my mind: since the frequency only picks up, we will get many, many opportunities to improve our response nets incrementally.