Question

the reporters, assuring them over the telephone that there really was no problem, just kind of a routine technical situation. somehow the reporters concluded that the sick monkeys had been \destroyed as a precaution\ when in fact the nightmare, and the reason for troops, was that the animals hadnt been destroyed. as to whether the operation was safe, the only way to know was to try it. peters felt that the larger danger could come from sitting back and watching the virus burn through the monkeys. there were five hundred monkeys inside that building. that was about three tons of monkey meat—a biological nuclear reactor having a core meltdown. as the core of monkeys burned, the agent would amplify itself tremendously. what was the main reason for the troops? the monkeys had not been destroyed. they were to take care of the monkeys. they set off the biological nuclear reactor. the monkeys needed to find a proper facility.

Explanation:

The text clearly states "the reason for troops, was that the animals hadn't been destroyed".

Answer:

The monkeys had not been destroyed.