WSJ: Precursor WMDs Stockpiled in Iraq

Newsmax ^ | 5/18/04

[areafiftyone]

Far from being an isolated incident, yesterday's discovery in Iraq of an artillery shell filled with Sarin gas is just the tip of the iceberg of recently uncovered evidence that Saddam Hussein had a weapons of mass destruction program that was fully operational until the U.S. invaded in March 2003.

Tuesday's Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. inspectors have found within the last few months "warehouses full of commercial and agricultural chemicals," which, if mixed and packaged properly, "could quickly become chemical weapons."

U.S. forces in Karabala have also recently uncovered 55-gallon drums loaded with chemicals that were said to be "pesticide," some of which were stored in what military sources described as a "camouflaged bunker complex."

Why camouflage insect spray?

The alleged agricultural site just happened to be located alongside a military ammunition dump, reports Insight Magazine.

According to the Journal, Iraq Survey Group head Charles Duelfer recently told Congress that some of Saddam's WMD facilities were newly built and contained "stockpiled" raw materials that would have allowed him to "produce such weapons on a moment's notice."

There's more.

In early April, Jordanian authorities foiled an al Qaida plot to kill 80,000 people in chemical weapons attack in Amman.

According to one of the conspirators whose confession was broadcast on Jordanian TV, al Qaida WMD specialist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was last seen in a chilling video beheading Nick Berg, trained and outfitted the WMD attackers

in pre-war Iraq.

Like notorious terrorists Abu Nidal and Abu Abbas, Zarqawi enjoyed sanctuary in Baghdad, courtesy of Saddam.

Jordanian TV coverage of the Zarqawi plot included video footage of hundreds of gallon jugs containing chemical weapons that had been intercepted 75 miles from the border with Syria, where much of Saddam's pre-war WMD stockpile is believes to have been hidden.

The Zarqawi revelation comes on the heels of the April 26 explosion at a suspected chemical weapons factory in Baghdad, just as a U.S. weapons inspection team arrived to inspect its contents.

Disguised as a "perfume factory," investigators believe the facility was booby-trapped to destroy evidence of whatever was inside.

We won't be surprised if, in the coming weeks, more Sarin-laden shells are uncovered in Iraq. But in the meantime, the media focus on the Abu Ghraib prison scandal has obscured that fact that the WMD case against Saddam is already compelling and continues to grow.

[oceanview]

very interesting. that Jordan story has gone nowhere.

[r9etb]

the white house could send Bush to a microphone any time they wanted, they don't do it. they could have done it yesterday - not to claim some massive WMD find, but just to note that this had occurred and was being investigated. The political team is media tone deaf.

Or not. Think about it this way: would the media trumpet a story on WMDs that was broken through the WH? Not a chance. It would be spun by Kerry and the talking heads as "yet another desperate attempt by Bush to excuse his lying actions and bumbling in Iraq."

If, however, the media themselves are allowed to "break" the story, they're going to fall all over themselves to do it. It's too big to let go. The pieces seem to be falling into place now. And what's better, by letting the news come out at the hands of the media, it leaves the Democrat naysayers twisting slowly in the wind....

[oceanview]

they cannot wait too long on this, they can't pop up with an October surprise WMD find - everyone will see right through that. It can't look like a political stunt. Tell the truth, and tell it now.

[AzSteven]

Abu = 'Son of'

[Snowy]

they cannot wait too long on this, they can't pop up with an October surprise WMD find - everyone will see right through that. It can't look like a political stunt. Tell the truth, and tell it now.

Well, no matter when this news comes out, the dims will spin it as a stunt. In my opinion, they should start with an explosive announcement within a month, followed by possitive updates throughout the summer months.

[pepsionice]

Then we must assume, that Wal-Mart has WMD. I've been waiting months for this to development. I have a conspiracy theory that Wal-Mart helped Saddam acquire the Chlorine bleach and ammonia (of course, Taiwanese made...not American-made), and brought it secretly into Iraq.

[Nevermore]

You mean the Democrats LIED to us about WMD?!

[Billthedrill]

Well, there aren't any crops because the insects ate them all, because Saddam was too kind-hearted to disperse the insecticide with the artillery shells it was stored in...OK, the story's a little thin but they're professionals at the NY Times and I'm sure they'll smooth it up some...

[Adder]

"Abu = 'Son of'"

Or Son of a....

[finnigan2]

"Jordanian TV coverage of the Zarqawi plot included video footage of hundreds of gallon jugs containing chemical weapons that had been intercepted 75 miles from the border with Syria,......"

- Why havn't we seen this video since it was aired?? If this report is true, the "weak horse" media have been deliberately witholding information from the public.

[1L]

Iraq needs insect spray to combat epidemic levels of molaria in that country. Much more so than southern Asia.

[mallardx]

Abus bit@&e$...(sons of b...)!

[Sabertooth]

Tuesday's Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. inspectors have found within the last few months "warehouses full of commercial and agricultural chemicals," which, if mixed and packaged properly, "could quickly become chemical weapons."

U.S. forces in Karabala have also recently uncovered 55-gallon drums loaded with chemicals that were said to be "pesticide," some of which were stored in what military sources described as a "camouflaged bunker complex."

WMDs, Nerve Agents, and Organophosphates (about those Iraqi "pesticides"...)
Gulflink.com / Kentucky Regional Poison Center

Posted on 04/07/2003 11:54:20 AM PDT by Sabertooth

Nerve agent (excerpt)

Nerve agents are organophosphate compounds. Nerve agents are normally divided into G-agents (fluorine- or cyanide-containing organophosphates) and V-agents (sulfur-containing organophosphates). The principal nerve agents are tabun (GA), sarin (GB), soman (GD), cyclosarin (GF), and VX

Nerve agents are all viscous liquids, not gases per se. However, the vapor pressures of the G-series nerve agents are sufficiently high for the vapors to be rapidly lethal. GB is so volatile that small droplets released from a shell exploding in the air may never reach the ground. This total volatilization means that GB is largely a vapor hazard. G-agents are potent inhibitors of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which is required for the function of many nerves and muscles. People poisoned by G-agents may display the following symptoms: difficulty breathing, drooling, excessive sweating, nausea, vomiting, cramps, twitching, jerking, staggering, headache, confusion, drowsiness, coma, and convulsions. The number and severity of the symptoms depend on the quantity and route of entry of the nerve agent into the body.

When a nerve agent is inhaled, a prominent symptom is the pinpointing of the pupils (miosis) and a dimness of vision. Nerve agents are cumulative poisons. Repeated exposure to low concentrations, if not too far apart, will produce symptoms.
Gulflink

Organophosphate Pesticides - Introduction (excerpt)

The organophosphates have replaced DDT as the leading pesticides because of their rapid breakdown into environmentally safe products. However, they have far more immediate toxicity than DDT and other related products.

There are more than 40 organophosphate pesticides on the market today and all can have acute and sub-acute toxicity. They are used in agriculture, homes, gardens, and in veterinary practice. They are all inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and cause similar symptoms. In 1999, more than 13,000 cases of organophosphate poisoning were reported to US poison centers, with more than 3000 cases seen in the emergency department (ED) and 83 fatalities.

Carbamate insecticides have a similar action of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. However it is a temporary bond, usually lasting less than 12 hours. Additionally, the carbamates have less penetration across the blood-brain barrier than the organophosphates.
Kentucky Regional Poison Center

---

[Mister Baredog]

Nuclear warheads atop ballistic missiles targeted at European capitals.

That's the threshold for the media admitting Saddam had WMD. Finding anything short of that will be rationalized away as an attempt by the President at political damage control.

Sorry Jeeves, they would still blame BUSH. There is NO threshold for leftist hypocrisy. LOL!!!

[tx_eggman]

they cannot wait too long on this, they can't pop up with an October surprise WMD find - everyone will see right through that. It can't look like a political stunt. Tell the truth, and tell it now.

they're not waiting until October, they're waiting until after the Dim convention when Kerry is the official nominee. Blowing him out of the water before that makes it too easy for them to change horsefaces.

[Bon mots]

The total politicization of the media is complete. It is pathetic.

You can say that again. It is working with our enemies.

[oceanview]

I am not in favor of playing games with this stuff. Just tell the truth.

Let the Dems do whatever they want to do, they aren't going to dump Kerry when he is leading in most polls.

[Mister Baredog]

Carbamate insecticides have a similar action of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. However it is a temporary bond, usually lasting less than 12 hours. Additionally, the carbamates have less penetration across the blood-brain barrier than the organophosphates.

I guess this means the end of the Atkins diet????LOL!!!!!

[ThanhPhero]

indicates that they have a strategic plan

I remember that we waited for another Bush to fight and people said just wait, he has a secret plan. Well he never used his secret plan and he lost the election.

[jmstein7]

BUMP!