In the public imagination today, germs are primarily thought of as organisms that need to be controlled and eliminated. But germs have also been weaponized, with powerful nations like the United States justifying their disproportionate military power by pointing to imminent threat from international enemies from China, Iraq, and Russia to Iran and Yemen. Imperial germ politics have enabled the West to garner support for military actions from foreign invasions to domestic surveillance, and weapons buildup from drones to advanced missiles. Read more
