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'Nerve gas bomb' explodes in Iraq
BBC News World Edition ^ | 05/17/04 | BBC News

Posted on 05/17/2004 8:14:59 AM PDT by JusticeTalion

An artillery round containing a small amount of the nerve gas sarin has exploded in Iraq. Brig Gen Mark Kimmitt said the blast caused a small release of the substance, and two people were treated for exposure to the agent.

The substance was found in an artillery shell inside a bag discovered by a US convoy a few days ago, he said.

It appears to be the first evidence of nerve gas existing in Iraq since the start of the US-led war last year.

The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner says the implications, especially psychological, for the use of such a substance by terrorists are potentially huge.

Gen Kimmitt said the dispersal of the nerve agent from a device such as the homemade bomb was "limited".

"The former regime had declared all such rounds destroyed before the 1991 Gulf War," he said.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: iraq; sarin; wmd
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To: CurlyDave

Good afternoon Jeb. Welcome to the forum. It's your ball.


41 posted on 05/17/2004 9:42:34 AM PDT by gathersnomoss
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To: Sacajaweau
These dudes are trying to find a doctor to payoff. I sure hope they pick the wrong one or the whole bunch of them drop dead at their next Sadr lecture!!

From what I've heard on the news, it's not very likely they will have too many problems. One expert was saying that the artillery shells were one of the safest ways to store the Sarin because it was kept in binary format.

Also, the reason why it didn't set off a huge cloud was that the shell is designed to be fired out of an artillery piece, and without that process the binary agents didn't mix very well.

The DUmmies are apparently complaining that it isn't significant because more people didn't die. Typical leftist ghouls, they aren't happy unless lots of people die.

42 posted on 05/17/2004 9:56:38 AM PDT by highlander_UW (A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel. - Robert Frost)
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To: mvpel
Even a significant nerve gas attack at this stage would be no guarantee that the agent used was originally made or stored in Saddam-era Iraq.

A fine example of Bush-hating Democrat cognitive dissonance at work.

No kidding. If these were created by Al Qaeda and imported to be used against our troops it wouldn't have been utilized so poorly in binary form in an Iraqi artillery shell...but hey, logic and Dimocrat are mutually exclusive terms.

43 posted on 05/17/2004 10:00:24 AM PDT by highlander_UW (A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel. - Robert Frost)
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To: JedForbes

What I want to know is, what does Lenin's useful fools over at DU, the liberal media, the DNC, the French, Russians, Germans, the UN and JOHN F'ING KERRY have to say about it?

I think everyone of them owes President Bush an apology. Wouldn't you agree?


44 posted on 05/17/2004 10:02:46 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Only difference between the liberals and the Nazis is that the liberals love the Communists.)
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To: JedForbes

What I want to know is, what does Lenin's useful fools over at DU, the liberal media, the DNC, the French, Russians, Germans, the UN and JOHN F'ING KERRY have to say about it?

I think everyone of them owes President Bush an apology. Wouldn't you agree?


45 posted on 05/17/2004 10:02:49 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Only difference between the liberals and the Nazis is that the liberals love the Communists.)
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To: Poodlebrain
Poodlebrain said: "I don't think we a fighting incompetents. "

I disagree. Saddam lives in a cell and eats only what we provide. If this was his intention, then that is a strange strategy.

Sadr lives, I believe, because political concerns have slowed our response and weakened our resolve to eliminate those opposed to us.

One possible explanation for what happened is that there is a splintering of opposition power in Iraq and some of the groups, badly managed and led, have decided to use such weapons to create a panic on our side.

Poisonous gases are very difficult to use effectively as anything other than a weapon of terror. In WWI, allied troops were cooped up in fixed entrenchments and made themselves targets. My guess is that the Iraqi terrorists are unable to deploy these agents any more effectively than we are seeing.

I don't know the condition of the thousands in Japan who were injured by the sarin attack, but there were only a dozen killed. This is much smaller than the explosions accomplished in Spain with a similar setting.

46 posted on 05/17/2004 10:04:29 AM PDT by William Tell (Californians! See "www.rkba.members.sonic.net" to support California RKBA.)
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To: JedForbes
How do you know it wasn't brought in from outside?

The same way I know oral sex is sex or lying under oath is perjury.

47 posted on 05/17/2004 10:04:54 AM PDT by Coop (Freedom isn't free)
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To: JedForbes
How do you know it wasn't brought in from outside? There are hundreds/thousands of foreign fighters in the country since the fall of Saddam, some of them Al-Qaeda linked, and many of whom have the capability/contacts to procure all sorts of chemical weapons. Don't forget it's been well over a year that these guys have been inside iraq.

Even a significant nerve gas attack at this stage would be no guarantee that the agent used was originally made or stored in Saddam-era Iraq.

Your lack of logic is an impeccable example of a Dimocrat. So you're suggesting that Al Qaeda made Sarin gas and installed it in an Iraqi artillery shell and then transported it to Iraq from who knows where only to be used in a way that would not properly mix the binary agent thus making the whole effort pointless, is that correct?

BTW, welcome to the board, I see you signed up today to offer this poorly considered opinion. Do you agree that it just may actually be an Iraqi artillery shell with Iraqi Sarin agent in it?

Or are you afraid that if proof of WMD's is found that the US will be vindicated in the eyes of the world? Now that would be bad, wouldn't it?!

48 posted on 05/17/2004 10:07:16 AM PDT by highlander_UW (A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel. - Robert Frost)
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To: Poodlebrain

So if we combine this artillery shell with the illegal longe range delivery systems that were found last year, we basically have a missile with Sarin that could potentially hit Tel Aviv.

If Iraq produced Sarin I would be willing to bet that they could fit it on one of those missiles.



49 posted on 05/17/2004 10:09:13 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Only difference between the liberals and the Nazis is that the liberals love the Communists.)
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To: JedForbes
I'm am a proud republican and bush voter, and I supported the removal of saddam wholeheartedly. All I asked was a question - which given the lack so far of stockpiles, and the amount of foreign arabs in Iraq, and the fact that a lot of neighboring countries have WMDs, doesn't seem totally beyond the bounds of reason to ask.

Next time please think before you attack.

I just read down to this message. If I've misjudged your intentions I apologize. Your question matches the sort of accusations being touted on the Leftist message boards combined with the fact that you just signed up today smells like trolling. It's not uncommon. Just so you understand where people are coming from.

50 posted on 05/17/2004 10:10:16 AM PDT by highlander_UW (A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel. - Robert Frost)
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To: XJarhead

The fact that this apparently wasn't intended to be used for the sarin gas, it suggests to me that these have been hidden in plain sight. Unmarked shells containing WMD may have been randomly stored amongst the non-WMD shells. I pray for the safety of our troops.


51 posted on 05/17/2004 10:11:22 AM PDT by alnick (Mrs. Heinz-Kerry's husband wants teh-rayz-ah your taxes.)
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To: highlander_UW

"The DUmmies are apparently complaining that it isn't significant because more people didn't die. Typical leftist ghouls, they aren't happy unless lots of people die."

Hmm... How many died in Communist Russia? How many died in Communist China? How many died in Communist Cambodia?

Liberals enjoy watching the persecution and slaughter of people that only want liberty.

"If you were protesting in Tianeman Square you would be dead by now."


52 posted on 05/17/2004 10:12:39 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Only difference between the liberals and the Nazis is that the liberals love the Communists.)
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To: EQAndyBuzz
What I want to know is, what does Lenin's useful fools over at DU, the liberal media, the DNC, the French, Russians, Germans, the UN and JOHN F'ING KERRY have to say about it?

They're saying the same stuff they normally say. Timing is "too" convenient. It's planted. Al Qaeda brought it in, etc. No one admits it could be from Iraq. After all, if there were WMD's found in Iraq then the US would be vindicated in the eyes of the world...and the Lefties can't have that! Draws away from their plans to turn over sovereignty to the UN.

53 posted on 05/17/2004 10:15:57 AM PDT by highlander_UW (A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel. - Robert Frost)
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To: EQAndyBuzz
"If you were protesting in Tianeman Square you would be dead by now."

As an aside, I was in Tiananmen Square last year. Man, that is a huge area, and I didn't realize it while it was happening, but it's across the street from the Hall of the People as well as the Forbidden City and is also next to the Museum of the Chinese revolution. A more provocative location could not have been found.

54 posted on 05/17/2004 10:20:48 AM PDT by highlander_UW (A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel. - Robert Frost)
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To: highlander_UW
What I want to know is, what does Lenin's useful fools over at DU, the liberal media, the DNC, the French, Russians, Germans, the UN and JOHN F'ING KERRY have to say about it?

I think I know what they'll say: "Sure, it definately happened, but this is just an isolated incident, not evidence of anything systematic or widespread". Naturally applying the same logic to Abu Ghraib for them results in a totally different conclusion: "Of course it's systematic...", etc....

Oh the irony... though I doubt Kerry can appreciate it. If it wasn't so shameful, it would almost be funny that Kerry et. al. think Saddam incapable of any evil, and think our troops capable only of evil.

55 posted on 05/17/2004 10:25:35 AM PDT by JedForbes
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To: JedForbes
I think I know what they'll say: "Sure, it definately happened, but this is just an isolated incident, not evidence of anything systematic or widespread". Naturally applying the same logic to Abu Ghraib for them results in a totally different conclusion: "Of course it's systematic...", etc....

Excellent point about the inability, or unwillingness of the Left to apply the same standards of logic consistently.

Oh the irony... though I doubt Kerry can appreciate it.

Maybe it's not "nuanced" enough for him.

56 posted on 05/17/2004 11:10:06 AM PDT by highlander_UW (A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel. - Robert Frost)
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To: JusticeTalion

**It appears to be the first evidence of nerve gas existing in Iraq since the start of the US-led war last year.**

Prrof!

And more will be coming, in my estimation, right before the elections. And it will be irrefuttable!

Anyone what to make a bet?


57 posted on 05/17/2004 11:12:31 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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