War Game Simulates Biological Attack on Turkey

Turkey was one of the countries where biological attacks occurred in the scenario. "Atlantic Storm" was prepared by Johns Hopkins University and Pittsburgh University where presidents and prime ministers of different countries gathered for a summit in the US capital. In "Atlantic Storm," 51 cases of variola disease occur at the same time in Turkey, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. A previously unknown group calling itself the "New Jihad" claims responsibility for the attacks and announces that the attacks are revenge for pressure put on Muslim nations by the Western world. In one hour, 240 variola cases emerge in six countries, and within a short time this figure increases to 3,000, including hundreds of Americans. The stock exchange collapses and thousands of people try to leave the cities. Chaos reigns. Turkey does not have enough variola vaccines and demands additional vaccines from North Atlantic Tracy Organization (NATO).

Participants were asked to react to the scene laid out before them in real time and produce solutions. Many of the European presidents in the simulation offered to put NATO in circuit. The necessity of a United Nations (UN) Security Council resolution was raised, but some leaders felt this would take too long. All of the leaders participating in the scenario decided that the World Heath Organization (WHO) should gather vaccines from countries with more than they need and distribute them to countries in need.

In the role of US president, Albright said she agreed to the plan reluctantly because of pressure by constituents that didn’t trust the UN. Former French Health Minister Bernard Kouchner, former Dutch Interior Ministry Klaas de Vries, and European Parliament member Erika Mann also participated in the simulation.