Chemical Found in Iran-Iraq War Shells (distraction update)

[Danieljay]

If this turns out to be mustard gas do you really think Bush could tout this as justifying an invasion? Did you get a look at those things? The US has stockpiles of old degrading weapons all over the place. On a positive note.. notice the "Iran/Iraq" label.

2 hours, 56 minutes ago

By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Danish and Icelandic troops have uncovered a cache of 36 shells buried in the Iraqi desert, and preliminary tests showed they contained a liquid blister agent, the Danish military said.

The 120mm mortar shells are thought to be left over from the eight-year war between Iraq (news - web sites) and neighboring Iran, which ended in 1988, U.S. Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt said Saturday.

snip

The shells were wrapped in plastic but had been damaged, and they appeared to have been buried for at least 10 years, the statement said.


It said British experts did a preliminary test and said the shells contained "blister gas," but did not elaborate.


snip

The Danish military emphasized that the tests were not definitive. In the weeks after the Iraq war, the U.S.-led coalition found several caches that tested positive for mustard gas but later turned out to contain missile fuel or other chemicals.

[joefree1]

1. Bush will look desperate

If he tries to make these old weapons the justification for war. On second thought he already looks desperate.


Images from Dean Rocks the House of Blues, Hollywood
From wtmusic http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=919849
From Joefree1 http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=921300

[saigon68]

13. SCARY SCARY STUFF !!!

This looks like something one finds on a WW II Battlefield???



These pictures are of MORTAR SHELLS for Christ sakes

Look at the fins. Someone would be an idiot to fire a mortar shell loaded with anything but maybe tear-gas with its short range.

These mortar shells probably had their high explosive break down. The one on the right is only good as a BOAT ANCHOR.

[alfredo]

2. CNN is making sure everyone knows they are very old and were from

a time the US supported Saddam. Has CNN turned on Bush?

[reprobate]

10. Has CNN turned on Bush? It seems that lately...........

It seems that lately the coverage has not been so positive for *. As more and more becomes public more and more will be made public.

This may not be a good year for the Maximum Leader.

[jayfish]

12. They Should Also Make Sure To Tell Everyone...

that a blister agent is not a weapon of mass destruction.

Jay

[Mikimouse]

3. Blister agent=mustard gas probably US manufacture)

Stuff doesn't last very long. Intersting point though: the NYT (yeah, I know!) reported what it called the truth about the Halabja gassing. In the column, it was stated that the Kurds who were gassed died of poisoning by 'blood agents' and that only the Iranians has such weapons at the time. The Iranian soldiers that were gassed, however, died of poisoning by 'blister agents' (mustard gas), which was the only type of chemical weapon the Iraqis had at the time. While it is undeniable that the Iraqis gassed the village, they gassed it AFTER the Kurds had already been killed by the Iranians, or so it would seem.

[madrchsod]

5. scott peterson

pointed this out "long ago" that the iranians were responsible for these murders.but- pay no attention ,that`s old news...

[Mikimouse]

6. You meant say Scott Ritter, I know that..

:evilgrin: Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[IndianaGreen]

11. Isn't that what the media says? Kobe, Jacko, Peterson, Britney?

Anyhoo, these mustard shells are unstable and leaking and are of no military use whatsoever. They date back to the Reagan Administration, since the Iran-Iraq War raged from 1980 to 1988.

I am curious to know if the Danes can tell the manufacturer of the shells. Do they have US serial number markings?

Mustard gas found by Iraq weapon hunters

Paul Harris in New York
Sunday January 11, 2004
The Observer

However, the find of a small amount of mortar shells is unlikely to satisfy a growing chorus of criticism that the much-touted weapons of mass destruction either never existed or were destroyed years ago. The Danish team has found only 36 mortar rounds buried in desert about 45 miles from Al Amarah, a southern town. But it added that up to a 100 more could still be hidden at the location. The rounds were in plastic bags and some were leaking. It seems they had been buried for at least 10 years.

Even coalition military spokesmen said the weapons were likely to be a leftover from the Iran-Iraq war fought during the Eighties when mustard gas was widely used. The gas blisters the skin painfully and can be lethal if it is breathed in. Victims die in excruciating agony.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1120720,00.html

[Mikimouse]

14. Be very careful. though...

Just remember that Sadaam could easily have loaded those plastic bage on one of his killer drones and flown them to NYC. :evilgrin:

[La_Serpiente]

4. related threads

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=308105

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=308767

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=308363

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=308315

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1006521

[RedSock]

7. of course

right now, they are touting those doodles printed in the washington post!!!! they'll claim anything is a WMD at this point.

[knight_of_the_star]

8. This is grasping at straws

I can't believe they released this, this doesn't prove anything.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Can anybody ask Rummy where he stashed the

receipt of sale for these tetanus booster causing relics?

[kayell]

15. It seems that at least the Iraqis buried their chem weapons in a better

place than the US has.

http://www.kcstar.com/item/pages/home.pat,local/3773c82c.820,.html

WASHINGTON -- It is a normally quiet corner of the city, an enclave of wealth and prestige whose winding leafy lanes and elegant addresses are home to several foreign ambassadors and other members of the capital's upper crust.

It is also home, however, to some worrisome ghosts from an antique age, and it's taking more than $25 million and the combined efforts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the city to exorcise them.

Beneath the green lawns and ornamental gardens of the South Korean ambassador's back yard lies a burial pit for World War I-era chemical weapons and munitions.

It's a dump, for mortars, smoke bombs and mustard gas.

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