[MikeJ]

These shells were reportedly filled with some sort of liquid. Is there a credible explanation for a liquid-filled mortar shell other than WMD dispersal? Perhaps these were training rounds?

[BillF]

Maybe some liquid that generated smoke?

Still, I wonder if the test came back negative because the blister gas or other WMD had passed its shelf life and was no longer effective. Why bury the shells if they are smoke screen laying shells or anything other than WMD?

[El Gato]

Is there a credible explanation for a liquid-filled mortar shell other than WMD dispersal? Perhaps these were training rounds?

Training rounds is a possibility, but why bury those? Notice that the story did not say there was no WMD involved, just no chemicals. Biological agents are not usually referred to as chemicals. Who knows?

[Tommyjo]

It was known that Iraqi 82mm and 120mm mortars were sometimes filled with CS. Phosphorus mortars found back in October in Iraq also gave the exact same positive readings as the cache found last week. The same goes for a warhead from an air-surface-missile found at an airbase in Northern Iraq. Initial readings proved postive for chemicals, but a second test resulted in the negative.

[TheBattman]

Tajikistan

- yeah - training rounds that trigger a positive test result the first time they are tested. I personally believe there is something else going on...