Posted on 05/18/2004 9:37:11 PM PDT by jmstein7
NEW YORK — Tests on an artillery shell that blew up in Iraq on Saturday confirm that it did contain an estimated three or four liters of the deadly nerve agent sarin (search), Defense Department officials told Fox News Tuesday.
The artillery shell was being used as an improvised roadside bomb, the U.S. military said Monday. The 155-mm shell exploded before it could be rendered inoperable, and two U.S. soldiers were treated for minor exposure to the nerve agent.
Three liters is about three-quarters of a gallon; four liters is a little more than a gallon.
"A little drop on your skin will kill you" in the binary form, said Ret. Air Force Col. Randall Larsen, founder of Homeland Security Associates. "So for those in immediate proximity, three liters is a lot," but he added that from a military standpoint, a barrage of shells with that much sarin in them would more likely be used as a weapon than one single shell.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I've been scanning the airwaves, papers, TV, etc, and I can count the number of news organizations reporting this on one hand.
'Ignorance is Bliss' as far as the left is concerned. Lets see, I wonder how many artilery shells have been fashioned into homemade roadside bombs since the terrorists campaign in Iraq has begun ? 100 ? A couple of hundred ? Heck lets assume 1,000. Odds currently state that 1 in every 1,000 abandoned artiliery shells in Iraq contains chemical or biological WMD. That may explain why the Left has abandoned the 'NO WMD in Iraq' mantra. They knew it was a platform of lies built on the pillars of deciet. They also probably finally figured out the coalition could produce WMD anytime it wanted too. Yes, time for the nitwits to move on to the Prison Abuse scandal. Now that story has traction. Ignore the fact that hassassins in Iraq are assasinated the citizens of Iraq daily. Ignore the fact that Al Queda and other Jihadists are killing innocent Iraqis and Coalition troops daily. Yes, what is important to the left now is the minor prisoner abuses perpetuated on those suspected of commiting terror. The left cares about Iraqis about as much as it cared about the citizens of South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Still nothing on CNN's web-site. Even by their abysmal standards, this may be a new low.
I was also shocked the story wasn't picked up by more of the MSM. At least Fox headlined it, and Fox is the #1 news channel by far. Drudge also picked it up and kept it on his page. The story is also circulating through the blogosphere and making some conservative editorials. It is 'growing legs'.
I am watching the DoD site for a formal update. They have the original story from Monday but nothing more official - as yet. If there is another DoD press conference in Iraq with the update, then it has to make headlines.
The munition found was a binary chemical shell, meaning it featured two chambers, each containing separate chemical compounds. Upon impact with the ground after the shell is fired, the barrier between the chambers is broken, the chemicals mix and sarin is created and dispersed.
Intelligence officials stressed that the compounds did not mix effectively on Saturday. Due to the detonation, burn-off and resulting spillage, it was not clear exactly how much harmful material was inside the shell...
----
After being exposed to Sarin, all the solders had dilated pupils and nausea, and then returned to duty a day or so later???
Maybe this nerve gas stuff, unless it's mixed and dispersed just right, isn't as awesome a weapon after all...
This shell was a binary system. It required 2 agents to be mixed. It was designed for artillery fire NOT as a roadside bomb. Had it been fired from an artillery piece it would have killed everyone in its burst radius. It most defiantly is an AWESOME weapon it simply was not used correctly.
I agree, this is big news but the liberal media is not reporting it. I have emailed the Fox News story to everyone on my contact list.
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.