Posted on 09/15/2005 8:50:09 AM PDT by xzins
U.S. troops find chemical weapon in Tal Afar stronghold
U.S. commander derides enemy’s ‘unscrupulous’ actions
ARLINGTON, Va. — While taking down the insurgent stronghold of Tal Afar, U.S. troops discovered a crude chemical weapon, the commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment said Tuesday.
The troops had just entered a building when their ears and throats started to burn, said Army Col. H.R. McMaster in a briefing to reporters.
U.S. forces determined insurgents had rigged the chemicals to explosives, McMaster said, though he did not identify the type of chemical.
“We evacuated the civilians from the area and we demolished that building without a hazard to the people,” McMaster said.
He said several families were living near the building, suggesting insurgents intended to detonate the chemical weapon to harm them and blame it on coalition forces, he said.
McMaster hailed operations in Tal Afar as a major success against an “unscrupulous” enemy.
“They are some of the worst human beings on the face of the Earth, and there is no real greater pleasure for us than to kill or capture these individuals,” he said.
In recent operations in the Tal Afar area, U.S. forces killed and captured hundreds of terrorists who had taken over the city and ruled by terror, McMaster said.
McMaster called the insurgents “unscrupulous.” In one incident, insurgents killed a boy and then put a bomb inside his body and detonated it when his parents came along, he said.
Tal Afar’s residents recognized the insurgents for the thugs they are and provided U.S. and Iraqi forces with critical intelligence, McMaster said.
“The people are sick and tired of this violence, of this enemy, and they are very grateful for our efforts and the Iraqi efforts particularly to rid them of this enemy,” he said.
Another element in the successful operation was the Iraqi security forces, which served as a capable backup for U.S. troops, McMaster said.
“These Iraqi soldiers are brave, they’re courageous, they’re building capabilities every day and we are drawing strength from their example,” he said.
Still, the Iraqi security forces are not yet able to conduct operations on their own, and coalition forces do not have enough troops to secure Tal Afar, McMaster said.
Knock me over with a feather...
He said that they hadn't found any WMDs. Or he maybe said something else but whatever he said
IT'S BUSH'S FAULT!!!
Bears repeating.....
Interesting, I remember a news article sveral days ago about the bad guys claiming the US is using chemical weapons against them. Could they be related?
Chemical agent, chemical dirty bombs, chemical weapon: lots of different names for what was in this stronghold in Tal Afar.
Just remember, THEY'RE NOT WMDs!
Michael Moore...Eat your Beer Gut out!
In one incident, insurgents killed a boy and then put a bomb inside his body and detonated it when his parents came along, he said.
I cannot even comprehend the evil in this act.... how does a parent recover?
So why build a "crude chemical weapon" if Saddam had tons of sophisticated ones?
And people really need to get over the mystical significance of the letters "WMD."
Why is a chemical that causes your throat to burn a "WMD" and two pounds of plastic explosive not a "WMD?"
I think Col. H.R. McMaster just blew his chances for holding any office in the ACLU. I'm sure he feels bad about that.
Awesome, someone who isn't afraid of PC Bul***it. If more of our leaders listened to this guy instead of being scared of the Libs, we'd be out of Iraq in a week.
Do you think they would call a giant bomb made of Drano and acid a WMD if it killed 3000 people?
I remember that accusation, and note this is Syria's back door where "crude" attempts are the method used to kill with WMD's.
Wonder if Syria is the controller of those WMD's that the whole world believed old Saddam had?
This was a chemical weapon.
Since we don't know the chemical, we don't know the intent of the terrorists. It might have been an absolutely lethal intent but they got the formula wrong or the mixing system wrong or the explosive delivery system wrong.
At least this is from Stars and Stripes.
It sounds as if they didn't have long to recover, if I am reading that correctly, I assume they were killed as well. :( At least they are with their son again.
Good news bump.
Glad we found it before it was triggered.
Yep. When Stars & Stripes quotes an Armored Cav Regimental Commander (Colonel), you can pretty well bet that it is real and the quote is correct.
They used the explosive laden child to kill the parents...the childs body exploded.
I agree. See #14.
I hope they release info on the chemical.
But it might assist the enemy if they do give the chemical name(s) and then explain the enemy's mistakes in detonating the weapon.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.