Iraq takes delivery of powder used in chemical arms

Washington Times ^ | 11/18/02 | AP

[kattracks]

Iraqi scientists know how to make chemical weapons that can penetrate military protective clothing, and Iraq imported up to 25 metric tons last month of a powder that is a crucial ingredient to such "dusty" weapons.

Iraq told the United Nations the powder was destined for a pharmaceutical company. A former weapons inspector says that company was ordered by President Saddam Hussein before the 1991 Persian Gulf war to work on chemical and biological weapons.

[Mr. Mojo]

to = too

time for sleep ...lol

[Dan Day]

Iraq told the United Nations the powder was destined for a pharmaceutical company.

Shhh... Don't tell Saddam about the tracking device buried in the 47th barrel from the left, second row from the bottom.

[xm177e2]

such missile could destroy 10 different Iraqi targets (including cities). Just one. Saddam might want to think twice about using WMD against us.

Why would Saddam care about losing a city?

[Mr. Mojo]

Because he just might be in one of those cities. We both know Saddam doesn't give a chit about others, but he's near fanatical about his own survival.

[Lockbox]

Keep in mind that thermo-nuclear technology just turned 50 years old on October 31st. I think it's a plausible assumption that we've got something even more strategically effective now.

Yes we do. This is TOP SECRET, but I can give you a little insight.

Our most feared weapon is a Gulfstream V, with Bill and Hillary. We send them to another country and they destroy it from inside out.

We also have a ‘low’ yield version with just Jimmy Carter. We just send him and he sucks up the country’s resources by building homes for their poor. After a few hundred homes for the poor most countries will be broke.

[aristeides]

Yes, I was wondering why this article is all about chemical weapons, and makes no mention of bioweapons.

[Tunehead54]

So, if these nano particles are coated with a deadly chemical that is then transported to who knows where, will a smallpox vaccination help?

---

Not if he uses VX. 25 metric tons! "Luckily" he's only had it for a month. Hope Blix has this at the top of his list.

[thirst4truth]

In the Navy department, we also have 18 Balistic submarines. Each submarine has 24 missiles. On each missile are mounted from 8 to 14 ICBM city busters. There is so much fire power on one of these, and we have 18 of them!
All this comes from a Seattle Times article about the Bangor submarine base in Seattle, where my son serves on the USS Alaska!!

[Mitchell]

Richard Spertzel is quoted in both articles.

The first article, in the Washington Post, is just about anthrax. Here's a short excerpt from the Washington Post article:

Several sources agreed that the most likely way to build the coated spores would be to use the fine glass particles, known generically as "fumed silica" or "solid smoke," and mix them with the spores in a spray dryer. "I know of no other technique that might give you that finished product," Spertzel said.

In contrast, the Washington Times article that this thread is about is only about dusty VX. This article says that Spertzel was "stunned" when informed of Iraq's recent purchase. It doesn't say whether he was stunned because of the prospect of dusty VX, as the article implies, or because of the prospect of weaponized anthrax, as would be suggested by the earlier article.

So did Iraq purchase the fumed silica for VX, or for anthrax, or even conceivably for some other weapon (it's clearly of general applicability)?

[Mr. Mojo]

In the Navy department, we also have 18 Balistic submarines. Each submarine has 24 missiles

I know...I mentioned the SLBMs (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles) in my post. I live on Whidbey Island, and I saw that exact same Seattle Times article a few months ago. I saved it, in fact. Great piece.

God bless your son and everyone else who has ever made personal sacrifices to keep our country safe.

[Tree of Liberty]

There is so much fire power on one of these, and we have 18 of them!

Yep. I've read stats that say that one boomer contains more explosive power than all the ordinance dropped by the Allies in WWII.

[Tree of Liberty]

Why would Saddam care about losing a city?

He might care about losing a city that has him as an occupant. Also, consider the officers that control the WMD triggers that could be in such a city, or who has family there. Such repercussions might serve to be a, oh what's the word... deterrent.

[tacticalogic]

where my son serves on the USS Alaska!!

My son reports for basic traing on 6/30/03. He's going to be a glow worm.

[xm177e2]

True, the officers might care. You do have a point there.

But Israel shouldn't make threats it isn't willing to carry out.

[piasa]

My very first FReep, back before there was such a thing as freeping, featured a sign that said 'speak softly and build MX.'

[Mr. Mojo]

I love it.

In addition to building more MXs (and keeping the 10 MIRVS per missile payload), today I'd like us to speak softly and keep the F-14 Tomcat, build the F-22 Raptor, and engineer a space-based laser "Star Wars" ABM system.....

.....and invade the whole of the Arabian peninsula, annex ALL the oil fields, install American puppet regimes, ban the teaching of radical Islam, and build a giant (and permanent) military base to ensure that neither dictatorships nor Islamic theocracies ever take hold in the region again.

All while speaking very softly ;)