BREAKING: Chatter indicates Chemical Weapon may be used

[Scott from the Left Coast]

One other thing to consider, along with our chemical gear we also have the ability to get our men into their vehicles, which are also designed to provide protection against chemical attack. In particular Marine LAVs, Bradleys and Abrams tanks fully protect their occupants from chemical attacks.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Chemical weapons:

Last used in WWI in any large scale (other than Iraqi kills of civilian women and children before in single small towms.) Looked up some numbers from WWI that could illustrate how hard it would be to actually effective a battle against the current US forces..

(Remember, affect a battle doesn't mean the damage won't be great against individual troopers, but the net effect seems low - IF you're not in close-quarters, trench warfare, against defenseless infantry in the open as they were in WWI.

The Germans used 3500 gas cylinders in one gas attack against the Brits - but could only clear/kill people in the trenchs in a 5 mile front. (That's a lot, but those guys had no defense except handkerchiefs!

Now, our guys could pull back from the gassed area, then cover that small an area with aircraft, artillary, or from enclosed vehicles from the side of the area.

And the WWI attack scenario assumes somebody could transport, move to the front, unload, AND coordinate opening 35000 big gas cylinders all at once WITH a favorable wind towards our troops.

IF they attacked with gas shells instead of gas cylinders, then each shell is smaller, and they'ed have to fire several hundred shells just to attack a smaller area - (Shells could go further than gas floating from cylinders, but each gas shell is much, much smaller in volume

But the Iraqi gunners would be receiving aircraft or return cannon fire WHILE they try to reload the cannons to try to shoot that many shells. In WWI, artillary couldn't effectively aim nor shoot at enemy cannons, and the Germans/Brits/French had many thousand guns already at the front - so firing barrages of shells was "easy" - ... Now, counter battery fire is radar guided, and you may only shoot 5 or 6 shells before being hit return fire.

Further, the Iraqi forces have almost no cannons that aren't detroyed, and the few they do have left can't shoot enough gas shells to do a lot of damage - tragic for the few getting hit, but not enough to harm enough of our troops to cause us to lose.

Gas would be a complete disaster aimed against their own civilians though.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Note to self:

That second 35000 should be 3500 gas cylinders.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

I hope that we find the WMD before they can use them. I want proof that they have them, but I don't want the civilians or our military to die.

We need to pray for our troops. They are truly brave.