Just last summer, the US government refused to cooperate on the verification agreement that would give some teeth to the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention. The Bioweapons Convention is the world's best treaty protection against development of biological weapons. Without a verification agreement and an enforcement mechanism, the Bioweapons Convention the world will remain a more dangerous place.

Following September 11th, the US has put forward its own proposal. But the US proposal exempts US pharmaceutical companies from having their labs inspected to ensure they are not developing biological weapons. The US has been - and continues to be - a major producer of biological weapons.

So far, international diplomatic protests have not been effective. Public pressure is urgently needed to bring the Bush administration to its senses.

A new e-mail action at the Sunshine Project website enables anyone to write US Secretary of State Colin Powell and members of the US Congress to urge them to immediately send diplomats back to the bioweapons negotiating table with clear orders to quickly complete the Verification Protocol.

To send your letter, visit the home page of the Sunshine Project:
www.sunshine-project.org/action/powell.nclk