Third Infantry Chemical Weapon Find Unconfirmed

"Today what we're hearing is that those Russian warheads that they thought had chemical markings, 1-22 rounds they're called, intelligence sources now say it's unconfirmed that these warheads were found."

CBN.com – CBN News War Correspondent Paul Strand reported yesterday that U.S. forces had found unconfirmed evidence of chemical weapons. Paul spoke to Pat Robertson today from his assignment with the Third Infantry Division with an update on that evidence. PAT ROBERTSON: We'll take you now to our CBN News War Correspondent Paul Strand who is embedded with the Army's Third Infantry Division, that’s the spearhead that’s going into Iraq. Paul, yesterday you indicated some intelligence sources in your division indicated you had found maybe the smoking gun with chemical weapons, now there’s a back up on that. Tell us about it.

PAUL STRAND: Yes, Pat, and I'm not going to say they were intelligence sources in our division, and in fact I don't really want to talk about the sources. Today what we're hearing is that those Russian warheads that they thought had chemical markings, 1-22 rounds they're called, intelligence sources now say it's unconfirmed that these warheads were found. So, that's what we're hearing today. Yesterday it was the other way around.

One thing though that I can confirm, the U.S. did capture a launcher called a BM-21 east of An Najaf, which is pretty close to us. And there were munitions found on it, and it's not confirmed what kind of munitions those were, but this launcher can fire chemical munitions. So we're still waiting to hear what kind of munitions those were on that launcher to see if we do have that smoking gun yet.

ROBERTSON: I understand it was sort of a turkey shoot earlier this morning as a column of the Republican Guard came down. And I understand some of the troops were dressed in United States military uniforms, and yet the B-52’s bombed them and they were strafed, and I don't know exactly who went after them, but the column was destroyed. Do you have information about that?

STRAND: Well, here’s what I’ve heard, that there were 1,500 — there's lots of different convoys that have been destroyed in the last day or two — but the one that I’ve heard about, that the artillery division I’m assigned to was involved in, there were 1,500 SUV's filled with suicide Iraqis. These guys were going on suicide missions against us, and B-52’s hit them and destroyed about half of them. And then our artillery hit them and destroyed the other half. Out of 1,500, only 40 survived.

STRAND: No, Pat, we’re not. And it’s a sunny day here, the sandstorm is completely gone and there were a lot of munitions fired this morning, a lot of helicopters have been flying past us, I’ve seen tanks moving towards the front. But I’m being told that, well, I haven't heard anything about any progress yet today, and there is certainly no movement… [satellite connection breaking up]

By the way, I do want to say one thing about this thing with the Russian warheads. You know in the fog of war, I understand this often happens, first reports get taken back. I understand there were reports from the U.S. about a big chemical plant where they were pretty sure they found chemical munitions here in Iraq, and that’s been taken back. So in a way it’s not surprising that we’re hearing this on the second day, after something was told to us yesterday, that it’s being taken back. I guess that happens all the time in the fog of war.

ROBERTSON: Well you keep reporting, and you’re exactly right. Paul Strand, embedded with the Third Infantry Division, the spearhead of our attack as the Marines are joining them against Baghdad.

Out of 1,500, only 40 survived.

Awesome, now to get those 40...

Ugh...I hope it's true....I mean, 1) that would mean we found what we know existed before they used them on our troops and 2) we would be able to throw it back in the peaceniks' faces....HOWEVER....it seems to me that all the news networks are sooooooooooooooooooooo desperate for ratings and viewers that they break stories and recant them all the time and look more like babbling idiots than anything else....Let's hope they don't have to recant this one.

4 posted on 03/27/2003 2:01:06 PM PST by cherry_bomb88 (Count your blessings one by one)

Can someone think of a reasonable scenario in which we would not want it to get out that we found chemical weapons? I've thought this through and the only thing I can come up with is that we're afraid that once the cat's out of the bag, he'll have no reason not to use them. Anything else possible?

I think there are several great reasons for waiting:
(1) acquire as much evidence as possible; wait for the most damning evidence (we'll obviously know the most after this is over)
(2) let our "fair weather friends" keep up their support for Saddam as long as possible, so they look that much worse when this is over
(3) keep Saddam scared to use WMD for PR purposes (if the cat's out of the bag, he's got nothing to lose)'
...

We may not want to see our relations with the Russians get too bad.

During the Korean War, it was unconfirmed that Soviet pilots were flying the enemy's MIG's. During the Vietnam War, it was unconfirmed that Soviet technicians were manning the North Vietnamese SAM sites.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.