Most likely readers and likeminded observers with The Agile Strategist have been following the worsening Ebola epidemic in Western Africa. All of us need to stay informed about this situation. It is very serious and may, tragically, spread to historic fatality levels.
This past week, POTUS ordered the US military into the international fight against the disease. This is no small development. There is no force on earth like the US military in their mastery of strategic airlift, long-haul logistics, and expeditionary response capacity. That said, this is a daunting challenge. Building a sustainable air bridge in multiple distant countries, constructing large field medical facilities, providing tons of supplies, and training the deploying force for this new mission will all require innovation and determination at the heroic level.
The Agile Strategist recommends following the writings and tweets of Laurie Garrett at the Council of Foreign Relations. Ms. Garrett is a leading authority on epidemics, and her summaries of the unfolding crisis are the best I've found. Also, if you are a medical professional, the USAID website is soliciting volunteers to deploy to Africa.
Readers, if the Ebola virus becomes widespread in an African mega-city like Lagos, we may witness death tolls such as we've never seen in our lifetimes. Ms. Garrett has written that she hopes her predictions for such potential outcomes do not materialize. But, she notes, the world is behind the power curve in curbing this epidemic. Getting it under control may become the pressing challenge of our present age.
