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Good point, I didn't think about delivery systems. Out of curiosity, where did you find that book?

With regards to NZ, ANZUS mutual defense obligations between the USA and NZ were suspended in 1984 after New Zealand banned nuclear armed ships from entering NZ ports (and since the US doesn't disclose which ships carried nukes, it meant all ships were banned). Pre-1984 NZ was firmly an ally...

Thanks, you've summarized my thoughts as well. It's an internet forum, it doesn't hurt if some threads are doubled up over time, or people discuss topics at various levels of expertise. Many of us have no formal education in history, and we're only here for fun after all.

Yet he happily used chemical weapons against defenseless civilians in the extermination camps? I'm really dubious that Hitler held off using chemical weapons for humanitarian reasons, he had no qualms about many other atrocities. I think that the main reasons were strategic- he knew that the...

Yeah, I think that this is the main issue. Iraqi scuds were pretty inaccurate, which would partly mitigate a major chemical attack. In addition, the US forces were prepared for NBC warfare, at least in paper. What about other coalition forces?

And risk condemnation from pretty much everyone if the threat was carried out? Even though they'd only be used against military targets, things would have to get really bad for the US to consider that option, I think.

What would be the effects if Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons against Coalition forces, and/ or civilian targets during the 1990-1991 Gulf War? How effective would the Scuds be at delivering chemical agents, or would the Iraqis employ alternative means (such as aircraft or artillery?)...

There are different strands of environmentalism. You have the traditionalist, 'luddite' type reactionaries who don't like industrialization. In late 19th century Germany this was tied to anti-semitism, and I guess the early origins of the Nazi Party. I don't think that its really sustainable...

Just to expand, SARS was a concern because it seemingly came from no where, and little is known about human coronoviruses because they were believed to seldom cause serious human disease and are very hard to cultivate in the lab. Coronaviruses also have some really weird internal biochemistry...

Anthrax endospores are one of the most hardy organisms on the planet. An area may be hazardous for centuries to come if sufficient spores are deposited. Cold and/or dry areas will be hazardous for the longest period. With other biological weapons, its less clear. Some types of fungi may be...

As others have said, Lamarckism wouldn't survive the advent of genetics. If it become fashionable (more likely for political, rather than scientific reasons), it would seriously retard biology, though the effects may not have been felt until the mid-20th century. I'm always skeptical when it...

With MIRV's that could theoretically be 112 nuclear weapons heading towards Russia. Newly minted President Putin could keenly retaliate. In saying that, hard to judge without closely analyzing the political situation at the time.

Environmental policies are often enacted by non-democracies as an issue of survival- China cares less about its reputation as an eco-tourism destination, than it does for feeding its population sustainability, or ensuring energy security. If you had some kind of massive environmental...

New Zealand in OTL, has had exceptionally close ties to both the USA and Australia, economically and militarily. Are these ties still close now that Australia is in the A4? While New Zealand is unlikely to be a nuclear power, and a far smaller player than Australia or Canada, I would imagine it...

Great conclusion. Btw, does this: ...put an end to the Indian space missions? I can't imagine they'd be happy with that?

It's hypothesized that the Messinian salinity crisis, around 5.5mya, triggered shifts in ocean and atmospheric circulation that ultimately led to the quaternary glaciations 3 million years later. Even disregarding the hypothesis that it was an early trigger for the ice ages, so much water was...

Europe has its own native species of Bison, found in the Bialowieza forest straddling the border of Poland and Belarus. From what I have read, the OTL Nazi's took care of this forest, so there will probably be plenty of bison left. Although in saying that, there are likely higher populations...

Wow, the Allies do not muck in sorting things out in the post-war world! Another excellent read. Is there any civilian element to the US space program? I'm sure that the USAF do a lot of applied research, but basic research, such as astrophysics, planetary exploration, and earth monitoring...

Even after 20 years of war, Germany still has engineers, electricians, civil servants, doctors, lorry drivers, a history of civil society (even if its heavily Nazi-fied) and a mostly literate population. While Germany is in a really bad shape, they are still much better off than OTL Somalia.

Thanks. I just got a bunch of hits on logistics and emergency stuff.