Reports: Iraq Could Use Chemical Weapons on U.S. (red line around Baghdad)

Reuters ^ | March 24th, 2003

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Reports: Iraq Could Use Chemical Weapons on U.S.

Mon March 24, 2003 07:13 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials say the Iraqi leadership has drawn "a red line" around the map of Baghdad and once American troops cross it Iraqi Republican Guards have been authorized to use chemical weapons, CBS reported on Monday.

The report, by National Security correspondent David Martin in Washington, did not name the U.S. officials or give any further details.

The NBC network also reported that chemical weapons would be used against U.S. troops in Baghdad.

The reports were not confirmed. Reuters was checking the Pentagon for any information on the reports.

U.S. war commander General Tommy Franks said at a news conference in central command in Qatar earlier that his forces had not found weapons of mass destruction, but that it was "a bit early" to expect them to.

American and British invasion forces hit Iraqi Republican Guards defending the approaches to Baghdad on the fifth day of the war Monday.

The Pentagon said U.S. forces had advanced more than 200 miles into Iraqi territory and were beginning to confront an elite division of the Republican Guards deployed to defend the capital.

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((((((growl)))))

[2Jedismom]

But they don't have them....</sarcasm>

[nycgal]

Does this mean France is going to join the coalition?

[My2Cents]

This is my fear as well. But, I trust our troops are ready. Use of WMD will be a major PR disaster for Iraq. Actually what I fear is that they'll use these weapons on their own people as a last-ditch act of suicide as the coalition forces close in.

[OpusatFR]

Only if they agree to sample the air first.

[Quanah]

What do you think will happen if they use them?

[Calpernia]

http://goexcelglobal.com/NJ_DefenseForce/
See Chem/Bio Warfare Link

SFC Red Thomas (Ret) Armor Master Gunner Mesa, AZ

Chemical weapons: In the mid 1990's there were a series of nerve gas attacks on crowded Japanese subway stations. Given perfect conditions for an attack less than 10% of the people there were injured (the injured were better in a few hours) and only one percent of the injured died. 60 Minutes once had a fellow telling us that one drop of nerve gas could kill a thousand people, well he didn’t tell you the thousand dead people per drop was theoretical. Drill Sergeants exaggerate how terrible this stuff was to keep the recruits awake in class (I know this because I was a Drill Sergeant too). Forget everything you’ve ever seen on TV, in the movies, or read in a novel about this stuff, it was all a lie (read this sentence again out loud!)! These weapons are about terror, if you remain calm, you will probably not die. This is far less scary than the media and their "Experts," make it sound.

Chemical weapons are categorized as Nerve, Blood, Blister, and Incapacitating agents Contrary to the hype of reporters and politicians they are not weapons of mass destruction they are "Area denial," and terror weapons that don’t destroy anything. When you leave the area you almost always leave the risk. That’s the difference; you can leave the area and the risk; soldiers may have to stay put and sit through it and that’s why they need all that spiffy gear.

These are not gasses, they are vapors and/or air borne particles. The agent must be delivered in sufficient quantity to kill/injure, and that defines when/how it’s used. Every day we have a morning and evening inversion where "stuff," suspended in the air gets pushed down. This inversion is why allergies (pollen) and air pollution are worst at these times of the day. So, a chemical attack will have it’s best effect an hour of so either side of sunrise/sunset. Also, being vapors and airborne particles they are heavier than air so they will seek low places like ditches, basements and underground garages. This stuff won’t work when it’s freezing, it doesn’t last when it’s hot, and wind spreads it too thin too fast. They’ve got to get this stuff on you, or, get you to inhale it for it to work. They also have to get the concentration of chemicals high enough to kill or wound you. Too little and it’s nothing, too much and it’s wasted. What I hope you’ve gathered by this point is that a chemical weapons attack that kills a lot of people is incredibly hard to do with military grade agents and equipment so you can imagine how hard it will be for terrorists. The more you know about this stuff the more you realize how hard it is to use.

We’ll start by talking about nerve agents. You have these in your house, plain old bug killer (like Raid) is nerve agent. All nerve agents work the same way; they are cholinesterase inhibitors that mess up the signals your nervous system uses to make your body function. It can harm you if you get it on your skin but it works best if they can get you to inhale it. If you don’t die in the first minute and you can leave the area you’re probably gonna live. The military’s antidote for all nerve agents is atropine and pralidoxime chloride Neither one of these does anything to cure the nerve agent, they send your body into overdrive to keep you alive for five minutes after that the agent is used up. Your best protection is fresh air and staying calm.

Listed below are the symptoms for nerve agent poisoning.

Sudden headache
Dimness of vision (someone you’re looking at will have pinpointed pupils)
Runny nose, Excessive saliva or drooling
Difficulty breathing, Tightness in chest, Nausea, Stomach cramps

Twitching of exposed skin where a liquid just got on you.
If you are in public and you start experiencing these symptoms, first ask yourself, did anything out of the ordinary just happen, a loud pop, did someone spray something on the crowd? Are other people getting sick too? Is there an odor of new mown hay, green corn, something fruity, or camphor where it shouldn’t be? If the answer is yes, then calmly (if you panic you breathe faster and inhale more air/poison) leave the area and head up wind, or, outside. Fresh air is the best "right now antidote". If you have a blob of liquid that looks like molasses or Kayro syrup on you; blot it or scrape it off and away from yourself with anything disposable. This stuff works based on your body weight, what a crop duster uses to kill bugs won’t hurt you unless you stand there and breathe it in real deep, then lick the residue off the ground for while. Remember they have to do all the work, they have to get the concentration up and keep it up for several minutes while all you have to do is quit getting it on you/quit breathing it by putting space between you and the attack.

Blood agents are cyanide or arsine which effect your blood’s ability to provide oxygen to your tissue. The scenario for attack would be the same as nerve agent. Look for a pop or someone splashing/spraying something and folks around there getting woozy/falling down. The telltale smells are bitter almonds or garlic where it shouldn’t be.

The symptoms are:

blue lips
blue under the fingernails
rapid breathing.

The military’s antidote is amyl nitrite and just like nerve agent antidote it just keeps your body working for five minutes till the toxins are used up. Fresh air is the your best individual chance.

Blister agents (distilled mustard) are so nasty that nobody wants to even handle it let alone use it. It’s almost impossible to handle safely and may have delayed effect of up to 12 hours. The attack scenario is also limited to the things you’d see from other chemicals. If you do get large, painful blisters for no apparent reason, don’t pop them, if you must, don’t let the liquid from the blister get on any other area, the stuff just keeps on spreading. It’s just as likely to harm the user as the target. Soap, water, sunshine, and fresh air are this stuff’s enemy.

Bottom line on chemical weapons (it’s the same if they use industrial chemical spills); they are intended to make you panic, to terrorize you, to heard you like sheep to the wolves. If there is an attack, leave the area and go upwind, or to the sides of the wind stream. They have to get the stuff to you, and on you. You’re more likely to be hurt by a drunk driver on any given day than be hurt by one of these attacks. Your odds get better if you leave the area. Soap, water, time, and fresh air really deal this stuff a knock-out-punch. Don’t let fear of an isolated attack rule your life. The odds are really on your side.

[nycgal]

You mean act as our canaries?...LOL

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[Sabertooth]

What do you think will happen if they use them?

I believe our troops are as prepared as they can be.

Iraqis in Baghdad will die from their nations use of WMDs, and there will be further atrocities by the Republican Guard, dressed in British and American uniforms.

[GOPrincess]

What chemical weapons?!? The ones they don't have?

[greydog]

Allah says the heat of a thousand suns would make these Satans (WMDs) impotent.

[DianaN]

I am confused. The report from the National Security respondent says we are 200 miles into Iraq. According to other reports we have troops 60 miles south of Baghdad. I know our troops are all spread over Iraq (hoo rah!) however a little more accuracy and precision in the writing would be appreciated. This will help clear up confusion that might ensue among the less educated.
Thank you.

[Quanah]

I know we're as prepared as we can be, but I'm wondering about strategy.

Do we pull everyone back and nuke them?.. Do we keep going as we are and fight through it?..Do we carpet bomb square miles of Baghdad's perimeter?..?

Just wondering what might happen next.

[demlosers]

Cuurently, there is blowing winds and thunderstorms around Bahgdad, which is not good for chem warfare. Blow winds blow....let it rain.

[KriegerGeist]

The Republican Guards and the paramilitary Fedayeen Saddam (Saddam's `Men of Sacrifice'), in my opinion are basically "dead men walking"

Both of these groups of butchers have zero future. If we don't kill them, and Saddam doesn't kill them, then the conscript troops or even the average citizen (when it's safe) will kill them. So, it's truly got to be "to the death" with these guys because their dead either way.

With that in mind (their mind) they will go to any and every length to inflict as much damage as possible before they assume room temprature or are turned to vulture scraps. Civilian men, women and children are of no concern to them and they would probably drape themselves with them when and if it is to their benefit. Maximum "collateral damage" and civilian deaths are probably exactly what they are counting on and our hesitance to inflict either. Otherwise, we would be sending in the B-52s and Spooky & Spectre along with KC-135s shoving Daisy Cutters and M.O.A.B.s out the back doors on their heads. The Fedayeen, from what I've read are like Al Qaeda on steroids. We can expect ambushes, traps, ruses, suicidal attacks and the dreaded WMDs before this is over. These dead men have nothing to lose.

[ganesha]

I think some of the people in the Tokyo subway attack had some long term health consequences.

[kosciuszko]

One of the questions addressed to General Franks in his first press conference was, "What will happen if the Iraqis use Chemical Weapons?

Franks replied confidently, "We win."

What did Franks mean? Besides the obvious public relations win, I think there was something else to his answer. Any ideas anyone?

[Calpernia]

My feeling is...we are ALL going to find out.