The gas may have killed more hostages than the assault. The Drudge site has a link to an article that the gas killed by knocking out the person and then if the person vomited due to nausea from the gas, they chocked to death.
An outright assault may have been the way to go or next time, choose a gas that has less nausea side affects.
An outright assault may have been the way to go or next time, choose a gas that has less nausea side affects. Tell me, if they go with outright assault next time, how are they to prevent the terrorists from blowing up the packs of plastique strapped around their waists as the soldiers come in?
And how are they to prevent the terrorists from blowing up the building and killing terrorists, hostages, rescuers, and bystanders?
The gas obviously wasn't a perfect solution, but I'm not sure they had much choice.