Experts: Valium Gas Used in Raid

A.P. Via ABCNEWS ^ | 10/26/02 | Staff

[He Rides A White Horse]

Experts said the Russians may have released a gas concentration of a powerful sedative like Valium

I doubt it was something like Valium.......so many other agents could have been used that would have been much faster.

[LibWhacker]

The pics I saw on another thread were interesting because it looked like some of the terrorists were overcome on the spot. Or at least overcome before they realized what was happening. But obviously, at least one of them did realize. That's too bad: It was almost a perfect operation.

Did you see the claims that the perps were shot dead even though they were already unconscious from the gas? I kind of like that: No fooling around . . . Just rid yourself of the cockroaches.

[He Rides A White Horse]

The Russian Special Ops forces deserve our congratulations.

Congratulations extended.

[monday]

"Of course, if it was something else, I suppose we will discover what it was on some battlefield someday."

Why would they bother using this on a battlefield when they have perfectly good chemical agents that will kill people instead of putting them to sleep?

[monday]

"Yes, I'm sure everyone would have thought it was perfectly acceptable if the Clinton/Reno FBI had used chemical weapons that are illegal for military use against unarmed babies. "

Are you saying that tear gas was an acceptable chemical weapon to use against unarmed babies?

[Bobalu]

Yup... I think it's hard to OD on Valium... that is unless you have a few drinks in you... a lethal combination those Valium Cocktails.

[Aracelis]

I suspect no one died from the gas.

According to another article I read, the terrorists were "liquidated". I am assuming this was after the theater was stormed, and as you said, not a result of the introduced gas.

[Rodney King]

They should have done something similar to what happend to Cheech and Chong at the end of "Up In Smoke".

[templar]

Why would they bother using this on a battlefield when they have perfectly good chemical agents that will kill people instead of putting them to sleep?

I'm not cetain, but I think this would be legal under Geneva rules. Like tear gas (CS/CN)was used by us in Viet Nam. Poison gasses would be illegal.

[templar]

The one good thing you can say about countries other than the US is the lack of lawyers.

I hadn't thought about that. I wonder if lawsuits by citizens are even allowed in Russia.

[templar]

I guess oxygen tanks will become standard for well-equipped invasion kidnappers.

Or dead man switches on the bombs.

[ItsJeff]

The question is how long is valium gas effective?

Pretty well, I'd say. It worked in the '92 AND '96 presidential elections...

[Looking for Diogenes]

Let's hope criminals and terrorists aren't very smart.

[muggs]

Yeah, right, much better to kill them.

[krb]

More "experts". Well, I'll wait and see on this one.

[Grampa Dave]

The ld 50 of Valium and other benzodiazepines is so high that it is basically impossible to kill yourself with an oral overdose.

Patients in hospitals with severe pain like with cancer and burns receive continuous infusion iv Versed for days and will wake up days later when the dose is cancelled.

If a benzodiapine gas was used, it would probably be Versed due to its faster and more potent action than Valium. The spec ops troops could be injected with Romazicon, flumazenil, the potent benzodiazepine antagonist/reversal agent before storming the theatre. They would be unaffected if the gas was a benzodiazepine.

Any druggie who dosed themself with a narcotic before the gas attack could be at risk.

[gcruse]

From seeing pictures if the 9/11 victim's families who are pressing for an immediate investigation into why the attacks were not prevented, I was reminded of vultures waiting for something to die. It is sickening.

[piasa]

Or dead man switches on the bombs

Yipes. I'm surprised they didn't use such a tactic. I guess we need to come up with a gas that makes people tense up but still incapacitates them mentally.

Nag gas...

[piasa]

Russian authorities didn't identify the gas used in the operation, which freed hundreds of hostages but also resulted in the deaths of more than 100 captives and rebels. Officials claimed none of the hostages were killed by the gas.

OK, so on what evidence are they saying the gas was the cause of the death of 100 hostages? Have the journalists participated in any autopsies to see if the injuries were from gas or from the terrorists' weapons? By most accounts the terrorists had already started killing hostages.

Of course, it wouldn't matter to me. I'd prefer to take my chances with the gas rather than endure being kept captive by a bunch of lunatics.