U.S. projecting chemical weapons attack by elite Iraqi units

U.S. officials said some of the elite Iraqi units deployed around Baghdad have been equipped with chemical weapons. They said the Republican Guard has established a command and control infrastructure for the use of nonconventional weapons.

The U.S. military command is bracing for chemical weapons attacks by the Republican Guard units. Officials reported the discovery of what they believer are two chemical weapons facilities in Iraq. The facilities were located in the Shi'ite-populated cities of Karbala and Najaf. They were believed to have been producing mustard gas.

"We have an Iraqi general officer, two Iraqi general officers that we have taken prisoner, and they are providing us with information," Lt. Gen. John Abizaid, deputy commander of the Combined Forces Command, told a news conference in Qatar.

Some units of the Republican Guard are also believed to have biological weapons as well, Middle East Newsline reported. Officials said the United States has engaged in a secret dialogue with the Iraqi military leadership to prevent the use of biological or chemical weapons.

"One of the great dangers of the use of chemical and biological weapons is going to come when we confront that inner circle of Republican Guards that are around Baghdad," Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said on Sunday. "It's one of our many remaining serious concerns."

Republican Guard units, officials said, have been moving toward Baghdad, backing away from advancing U.S. troops. They said the Republican Guard divisions are expected to dig in around Baghdad and Tikrit.

On Monday, U.S. Apache AH-64D helicopters struck Republican Guard units in the first major engagement with Saddam's elite armored units in a battle near Karbala, about 80 kilometers from Baghdad. The U.S. attack helicopters were said to have come under heavy Iraqi anti-aircraft fire from the Republican Guard's 2nd Armored Brigade during the three-hour battle. Iraq reported that two Apache helicopters were downed and their crews were captured.

Karbala is 80 kilometers south of Baghdad and U.S. officials expect allied ground forces will arrive in the Baghdad area by late Tuesday. They said U.S. and British aircraft have escalated their strikes on Iraqi command and control facilities and regime installations in Baghdad and Tikrit.

"The potential for the use of weapons of mass destruction, it grows as we get closer to Baghdad," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said. "We've seen intelligence over months, over many months, that they have chemical and biological weapons, and that they have dispersed them, and that they are weaponized, and that, in one case at least, that the command in control arrangements have been established."

"An absolutely false premise."

General Swartzkopf had nuclear clearance in Desert Storm.

You dont' think Franks has it now?

Besides, they don't call these things "tactical" for nothing . .

U.S. AIR LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILE

WARHEAD - NUCLEAR W-80 NUCLEAR WARHEAD 250 KILOTON YIELD

CONVENTIONAL 1,000+ LB. FRAGMENTARY OR BUNKER

BUSTER WARHEAD WITH ROCKET ASSIST PENETRATION

RANGE - 750 MILES A VERSION

1,500 MILES B VERSION

WING SPAN - 9 FT. 5 IN. A VERSION

12 FT. B VERSION

LENGTH - 14 FT. A VERSION

20 FT. 9 IN. B VERSION

DIAMETER - 25 IN. WEIGHT - 1,900 POUNDS A VERSION

2,825 POUNDS B VERSION

ENGINE - ONE F-107-WR-100 WILLIAMS TURBOFAN 600 LBS. THRUST

GUIDANCE - GPS, TERCOM AND IR/RADAR IMAGING SYSTEM WITH ACCURACY OF +/- 1 METER

SPEED - CRUISE MACH .65 - TERMINAL MACH 1.1 B VERSION

AGM-86B - rocket assisted bunker "buster"

The Boeing air launched cruise missile (ALCM) uses the same engine and similar guidance systems as the BGM-109 Tomahawk. The USAF originally intended the ALCM as a nuclear strike weapon but has since modified the A model into conventional warhead B models.

The new B models have extended range fuel tanks and larger warhead capacity than the older nuclear A models. The B model is 30% longer and has a 25 degree wing sweep. The B model can be equipped with a variety of conventional and unconventional warheads including non-lethal energy warheads such as High Frequency RF, EMG, or microwave generators designed to knock out enemy electronics.

The variety of warheads has also served to confuse USAF target planners. One 1997 strike of "fragmentary" warhead equipped AGM-86Bs was targeted at an Iraqi hardened bunker. The fragmentary warheads exploded harmlessly outside the bunker, causing no damage. A second strike of a bunker buster 1,000+ pound AGM-86B had to be targeted against the Iraqi bunker to destroy it.

The U.S. used about 90 AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise missiles (ALCM) during Desert Fox. All the USAF launched ALCM cruise missiles were Block 1 types equipped with heavy conventional warheads for bunker busting. The bunker busters are equipped with a rocket assisted booster for added penetration.

The U.S. military is scrambling to replace the highly valuable robot missiles but the Air Force has opted not to purchase new units. Instead, the USAF is upgrading leftover inventories of nuclear B models.

The USAF bought only 200 of the heavy conventional ALCM missiles and has only enough on hand for one more Desert Fox like attack. The firing of 90 for Desert Fox has left the Air Force little choice but to convert 90 more of a remaining 130 formerly nuclear tipped missiles into bunker busters.

"GUIDANCE - GPS, TERCOM AND IR/RADAR IMAGING SYSTEM WITH ACCURACY OF +/- 1 METER"

Now let's see - if the accuracy of a 250 Kiloton Nuclear explosion is to within 1 meter (3 feet) and . . .

And certain "pre-established" positive targets are locked on and . .

The United States President is unwilling to tolerate mass WMD BIO or CHEM casualties at the hands of the enemy and . .

The U.N, France, Germany, Hillary Clinton, Patty "Taliban" Murray and all their clonses continue to aid and abet the enemy . .

Yep!

LAUNCH CONDITION IS:

* * LAUNCH * *

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