- The New York Times newspaper reports the U.S. military
is preparing to vaccinate up to one-half-million troops for smallpox as
the White House moves closer to military action against Iraq.
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- The newspaper quotes military and Bush Administration
officials as saying the inoculations are expected to begin as soon as the
vaccine is licensed in mid-November.
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- The officials say leading military and civilian advisors
to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and top medical experts recommended
that the troops be inoculated.
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- Most of the troops would be in units that might be deployed
to the Middle East though others would be vaccinated as well.
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- Smallpox was declared eradicated more than 20 years ago,
but recently public attention has focused on the possibility of the use
of the disease as a biological weapon.
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