U.S. troops capture chemical warheads?

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Thursday, March 27, 2003

[JohnHuang2]

U.S. troops south of Baghdad believe they have captured Russian chemical warheads along with a launcher and a chemical warfare specialist, according to a reporter embedded with the 3rd Infantry Division.

The warheads – discovered in a confrontation with Saddam Hussein's Medina division about 60 miles south of Baghdad – have been transferred for testing, according to Paul Strand of the Christian Broadcasting Network.

A spokesman for the U.S. Army Central Command in Kuwait, Dani Burrows, told WND that her office could not confirm the report. Diane Perry said her Pentagon office had not heard the report but noted that embedded reporters often are getting stories ahead of the Defense Department.

Strand, quoting a "highly placed source," said by telephone that the American troops are not certain they found all of the Medina division's chemical weapons and fear they might be "hit by chemical shells any time now."

The captured warheads had Russian writing on them, he said.

F-16 Fighting Falcons wait on 'hot ramp' while maintenance crews ready weapons for night mission

The reporter noted a report several days ago that Saddam Hussein has pushed the level of authority for using these weapons down to the level of commanders on the front lines.

"That means young officers have the orders now that they can go ahead and use these things if they feel like they are about to be overtaken," he said.

Strand said the 3rd Infantry troops are fully equipped with gear to protect from chemical agents.

"The soldiers I have talked to seem very comfortable about getting hit with this stuff," he said. "The only thing is, nobody wants to live in those masks for weeks."

Concerns were raised Monday by a report that Saddam's Republican Guard units are authorized to use chemical weapons once American troops cross a red line the Iraqis have drawn around a map of Baghdad.

News reports Sunday indicating that U.S. forces had discovered an Iraqi chemical weapons facility have not been verified.

''It's a bit early for us to have any expectation of having found [any weapons],'' Gen. Tommy Franks said Monday at U.S. Central Command in Qatar. ''We'll wait for the days ahead.''

The Bush administration has insisted that Iraq is concealing an extensive biological and chemical weapons program. While making its case for the necessity of disarming Saddam by force, U.S. officials claimed Iraq has 1.5 tons of VX nerve gas, nearly 20,000 liters of anthrax and 30,000 artillery shells or rocket warheads capable of carrying chemical or biological agents.

[JohnHuang2]

Thursday, March 27, 2003

Quote of the Day by jwalsh07

[UCFRoadWarrior]

Its a matter of time before we were to find chem weapons....and I am sure there are some French and German made chems around, too.

I still say....if chem or bio weapons are used on our troops....Kofi Annan, Hans Blix, and some others should arrested, tried, and executed for complicity and criminal neglect for aiding and abetting Saddam's possession of WMD

[CometBaby]

I heard this on the net yesterday .. and rejected it then, due to the dubious source. None of this speculation has been confirmed by a *reliable* source and is still just *so much gossip* in my opinion.

I am hopeful they find chem/bio because it may go hard on us if they don't, but I would not put ANY faith in this story yet.

World Net Daily has become nothing more than a propoganda tabloid and is the LAST source I would take seriously. I'll give this story some serious consideration when it comes from a reliable source.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I'd say that this pretty much confirms the CBN scoop from yesterday. It's the provenance that everyone was looking for on this thread.

[XJarhead]

I'd say that this pretty much confirms the CBN scoop from yesterday.

Well, WorldNet confirming CBN is not exactly the most reliable reporting I could imagine. On top of that, it is liekly that WorldNet got its information from CBN anyway. So rather than "confirmation", its just repetition of the same initial report.

I'd be thrilled if the report were correct. But until I see CentCom announce it, I'm going to be suspicious.

[trebb]

Sean Hannity mentioned the CBN article on his radio show yesterday - I have some doubts because of some of the fuzzy info coming out, but it would not hurt our cause to find some real stuff..

[vin-one]

Like others have said, If we find and advertise the proof, SoDamn Insane will go ahead and let them loose.
I think it is irresponsible for the news org.'s to put this info out without approval.

It could be costly to our troops.

[templar]

Why would Russian writing be on Iraqi weapons? If Russia was selling them to Iraq, are they so stupid as to leave evidence on the shells? Would Iraq put Russian on them (doubt it)? If these are Russian weapons that were sold to Iraq by the Russian mafia, would they be legitimate Russian weapons or weapons that Russia should not have had? Or maybe just a false report in the first place?

[Physicist]

I'd say that this pretty much confirms the CBN scoop from yesterday.

No, they picked this up from CBN. Next Fox will pick it up from WND. Then ABC will pick it up from Fox. Soon it will be all over the networks, and CBN will say, "see, we told you so".

It's an example of what's called a media virus. There may or may not be truth behind the story; the key characteristic of a media virus is not that it's false, but that the media outlets base their stories on each other's stories, rather than on primary sources.

[11B3]

"Strand said the 3rd Infantry troops are fully equipped with gear to protect from chemical agents."

Everyone talks about how rough it would be on our forces to have to fight in a chem environment. Yes, it would require some tactical changes - keeping the vehicles buttoned up and the troops inside them. What the press gleefully overlooks is what it would do to Iraqi forces.

Chances are that the Iraqis have the good old fashioned Russian rubber suits. Yes, I said RUBBER suits. Along with a fairly bulky mask system, normally without a voice box in it. (The officers get the ones where you can talk, the troops do not.) Our chem suits are charcoal lined, so they can breathe. Yes, they're hot to wear. But I'd take our suits any day over the Russian crap, especially in hot weather.

Fighting over there at this time of year is not conducive to chemicals anyway. The heat and sunlight rapidly weaken nearly all agents. Even VX evaporates more quickly. Combine that with the fact that even the "elite" POS Republican Guards have minimal training in chem gear, plus the rubber sauna suits, plus the inferior equipment, and you have a potential rout on your hands if your an Iraqi.

Go ahead, Saddam, try it.

[gettingreal]

Worldwide investigation. We may actually find that terrorism goes pretty high, perhaps fostered by the UN under covert efforts. The cold war just came into the 21 century. Diplomacy anyone...anyone?

[templar]

Sir maybe it is just propaganda.

Time will tell, one way or the other. All will be revealed, eventually.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Well Excuuuuuse meee!

Just kidding folks!    =;^D

You are, of course, all correct.

BTW, as a side note to "I Love Bush!!!"..........I hope you're a guy.

[Dr. Luv]

World Nut Daily? Weren't these the same guys who were convinced the world was going to end because of Y2K?

When Centcom confirms this THEN I'll believe it, until then, it's just more flotsam in the water...

[Righty1]

Little hans outed himself when he came up with the excuse for the irocky che/bio suits i.e. to intimidate coalition forces! He should be snatched and moved to Gitmo the second we prove our case. Put a DNR sticker on him and give him some rope.