Media Tip Sheet: America in Crisis

For more information or to contact a CSU expert on any of the following topics, call the University Relations office at 970.491.6432 and ask for the public information officer handling the story.

Asymmetrical Warfare, also called Fourth Generational Warfare, is the term used to describe today’s modern, total war. Unlike previous forms of conflict, 4GW is based less on hardware intensive weapons and state-run professional armies and more on guerrilla tactics targeting population, infrastructure, culture, institutions and society and the use of weapons of mass destruction and urban terrorism all within the a primarily civilian battlefield. Terrorism, although a key component, as one CSU expert points out, it not a new phenomenon. All generations of war have included it in some form. Recent examples would be Lincoln’s targeting the farms, homes and civilian factories of Southern civilians during the Civil War in the U.S; the Rape of Nanking, the London Blitz and the firebombing of Dresden during World War II. Americans should prepare themselves for a war in which many previously defined lines will become blurred. Not only will our adversaries not wear uniforms, or appear on battlefields, but also they will not be deterred by traditional methods.
Contact: Karen Wheeler, Karen.Wheeler@colostate.edu

Anthrax and Agro-Terrorism. Agricultural scientists, veterinary epidemiologists and terrorism experts have worked together for more than a decade on possible terrorism scenarios and how to thwart them. Although recent events have brought anthrax to center stage, CSU experts agree with officials at the USDA and the CDC that assaults on agriculture (crops and livestock) could be far more crippling to a country by affecting both the food supply and the economy. Veterinary epidemiologists in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the College of Natural Resources are available to discuss various aspects of agro-terrorism. "An aware, educated public is one of our best defenses," said Dr. John Reif, Director the Dept. of Environmental Health at Colorado State.
Contact: Karen Wheeler, Karen.Wheeler@colostate.edu or Dell Rae Moellenberg, DellRae.Moellenberg@colostate.edu

Ciprofloxacin and Other Antibiotics for Treatment of Anthrax. In the public uproar over combating anthrax attacks, attention has been focused on Ciprofloxacin as the gold standard for treatment. But "Cipro" is just one drug in a class of antibiotics called the quinolones, which were put into clinical use in the 1960s. These drugs possess an extremely broad spectrum of antibiotic activity and have been used to treat a host of difficult pathogenic bacterial infections. One of Colorado State’s most respected organic chemists can explain how the fluoroquinolones work and how they kill bacteria.
Contact: Karen Wheeler

National Security and U.S. Foreign Policy. Robert (Bob) Lawrence Professor of Political Science, Colorado State University, a former Air Force intelligence officer and expert in national security and U.S. foreign policy, can discuss the history of U.S. relations with Muslim and Middle Eastern countries, national security and military strategies and how they might impact foreign relationships. He also can shed light on what kind of information might be classified and how the decision to withhold information from the public might be affected by the controversial classified policies during the Vietnam War. Lawrence has been involved in several national security think tanks including the Stanford Research Institute and Hudson Institute. He has written several books about national security and foreign policy and teaches national security policy at Colorado State.
Contact: Dell Rae Moellenberg, DellRae.Moellenberg@colostate.edu

Veterinary M.A.S.H. Unit. VMAT 4 is one of four 14-member teams of volunteer veterinary professionals in the United States. The teams include veterinarians, technicians and assistants and work much alike a mobile animal hospital unit in the same way a M.A.S.H. unit cares for soldiers on the front lines. VMAT 4 is the only team located west of the Mississippi and Dr. Wayne Wingfield of Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital is the only veterinarian in Colorado to be included in a VMAT team. These units have to be prepared to travel at a moment’s notice once a disaster has been declared, and each member must be able to carry two packs-one with personal gear and one with veterinary medical gear-loaded with essentials for three days. Three of the units have been called to assist in New York and Washington, D.C. VMAT 4 continues to be on high alert.
Contact: Karen Wheeler, Karen.Wheeler@colostate.edu

Ways to Handle Stress and Anxiety in These Stressful Times. Constant worry and anxiety about potential danger with no clear idea on what action to take can be debilitating. Although Colorado is a long way from New York and the daily routine may not be noticeably changed, many people may feel anxious, depressed and stressed by current events and thoughts about the future. Sleep, work and daily interaction with family and colleagues may become affected. Colorado State experts offer a couple of recommendations to help Americans handle the emotional turmoil brought on by recent events.
Contact: June Greist, June.Greist@colostate.edu

Pets as Healers. In the last 20 years, after a 1980 study indicating that pet owners live longer than other people, research on the therapeutic benefits of animals has been on the rise. The connection between spiritual healing and animals goes back to the days of hunter-gatherers. In the 19th century, Florence Nightingale recommended small pets for the chronically ill. Pet owners have long known about the special emotional benefits of animals, but since the events of Sept. 11, crisis workers and grief counselors are becoming increasingly aware of the very special therapeutic value of pets. CSU experts with Human Animal Bond In Colorado (HABIC) and with the College of Veterinary Medicine are available.
Contact: Karen Wheeler, Karen.Wheeler@colostate.edu

War and the global economy. Lynn Turner is the Director of the Center for Quality Financial Reporting at Colorado State University Turner and recent former chief accountant for the Security Exchange Commission. As the chief accountant, Turner advised the Commission on and managed a number of important accounting and financial reporting issues. He can provide insight on how the U.S. and global stock markets and the overall economy will react to this new type of war and what we can expect in the future.
Contact: Jennifer Dimas, Jennifer.Dimas@colostate.edu

War and the national and Colorado economy. Ron Phillips, Professor of Economics, Colorado State University, can discuss potential challenges the U.S. economy will face in the coming year. As consumer confidence declines and uncertainty increases, Phillips says that the U.S. government’s attempts to introduce traditional economic stimuli will not be effective. He notes that in contrast to other wars, government spending for this war is not creating many new jobs. Since many people are hesitant to make new purchases and are afraid to travel, tax cuts and interest rate cuts will not give the economy the boost that could be expected in the past. Phillips predicts no good news for the economy until there are some political solutions to the war in Afghanistan. He also notes that while the nation’s economy continues to falter, U.S. financial systems continue to work very well, and surprisingly suffered only minor disruption since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Stephan Weiler, a specialist on Colorado’s economy, says that while the state continues to outperform the national economy, it is being negatively impacted as a major hub for United Airlines, but will see a positive impact from increased dollars funneled into the defense and high-tech sectors. Spending also may decrease in other areas important to Colorado, including agriculture.
Contact: June Greist, June.Greist@colostate.edu

Personal investment decisions in a time of uncertainty. Vickie Bajtelsmit, Associate Professor of Finance, Colorado State University can discuss retirement planning and pensions. She can discuss what investors should be doing with their 401K, IRA, and other pension plans in an uncertain market. Rick Johnson, Associate Professor of Finance, Colorado State University, is an investment expert who can discuss all aspects of the stock market including treasury and agency markets, municipal market, corporate bond market and markets for mortgage related securities. He can discuss how individual investors should manage fixed income portfolios and how investors should handle their investments during this time of war.
Contact: Jennifer Dimas, Jennifer.Dimas@colostate.edu

Middle-Eastern Cultures. Colorado State University’s experts can discuss Middle Eastern countries, history, cultures, languages and religions, including the history and beliefs of Islam. Experts can also discuss Afghanistan’s history and weather patterns, which may affect the U.S. war effort.
Contact: June Greist, June.Greist@colostate.edu