Ebola Terrorism, Comming? After the initial US Ebola scare in Texas, the country and markets breathed a sigh of relief, when things appeared to be getting better. In Texas one man died and another two healthcare workers succumbed to the Ebola virus, but later recovered. Two West African countries, Senegal and Nigeria, were also declared Ebola free. Things were looking up.
Then the shock of yet another case in New York appeared, and once again panic has broken out. Even before this incident, there were cries of an all out travel ban from the “hot” zones of West Africa. The bans are controversial because of the logistical issues on their feasibility and whether it would make the situation worse. The travel bans have gotten political and are having a material effect on the US 2014 mid-term elections. The travel bans are popular, which will favor Republicans, and could be the last minute swing issue. At stake is the Congress turning all Republican, to which will be a thorn in Obama’s side for his remaining two years as President – another story.
In an half-way effort, Obama has already forced a small travel ban, by forcing West African travelers to arrive at five Ebola ready cities. Several US states have already issued 21 day quarantines for people returning from Ebola “hot” zones. There are calls to make this nationwide. Obama has been reluctant to issue full travel bans or quarantines, but events are spinning out of control, and due to healthcare and political reasons, they are inevitable.
While all this has been going on, there is a new development on the Ebola front, that is even more troubling. Ebola now has been detected in Mali and there are fears that it could spread to nearby Ivory Coast. These two countries are already in war “hot” zones, and if adding them to the mix of Ebola “hot” zones, this becomes a real problem. With potential travel bans and quarantines already making Ebola treatment difficult, how eager will healthcare workers be, going into war zones?
The French have been fighting al-Qaeda and/or ISIS linked terrorists in Mali for some time now. Ebola makes the ultimate terror weapon for these groups. A suicide Ebola terrorist now becomes a real possibility. Putting in travel bands on a few smaller West African nations could be feasible, but to extend this globally may not. One now can begin to see why the US military is setting up camp in West Africa, when Obama sent 4K troops there this past month. One also can begin to understand why the pharmaceutical industry is gearing up for vaccines and treatment cures at lighting pace. Do they know something we don’t?
When the news broke last week on the new New York Ebola case, the S&P500 futures dropped a quick 20 points. Perhaps a bit irrational, but markets run on greed and fear. Imagine a world if an Ebola terrorist attack occurred, and countries began to shut down borders globally, bringing global trade to a screeching halt? The 20 S&P500 points could turn quickly into 200 points or more. We are one or two Ebola cases away from this unthinkable event.
Blue Point Trading, William Thompson