For or Against? - The destruction of the last known stocks of the small pox virus.

For my latest assignment I am simply asked to prepare a group discussion which will focus on the following statement.

"One of the longest and most contentious international policy debates has swirled around the question of whether to destroy the last known stocks of the smallpox (variola) virus which are preserved at two World Health Organization (WHO) - authorised repositories in Russia and the United States. Although smallpox was eradicated from nature more than three decades ago, concerns surfaced in the early 1990's that a few countries might have retained undeclared samples of the virus for biological warfare purposes. Because a smallpox outbreak would be a global public health emergency of major proportions, in 1999 the WHO approved a research program at the two authorized repositories to develop imporved medical defences against the disease."

From recent research I have undertaken I must decide whether I am for or against the destruction of the stocks. Following posts will show my decision, and how I came to it.