"Cluster Document" aka UNRESOLVED DISARMAMENT ISSUES (Blix's 173 page report)

UNMOVIC ^

[Big Otto]

UNMOVIC Working document 6 March 2003 UNRESOLVED DISARMAMENT ISSUES IRAQ’S PROSCRIBED WEAPONS PROGRAMMES 6 March 2003

go here for the whole enchilada - very interesting reading!! http://www.un.org/Depts/unmovic/documents/UNMOVIC%20UDI%20Working%20Document%206%20March%2003.pdf

[Big Otto]

Sorry if Ya'all already read this, I did a search and couldn't find a post. So here it is (maybe again)

[The_Victor]

Cluster is the right word to describe the UN....

[Big Otto]

Wrong --

Cluster is only half of the words!

[commish]

Cluster is only half of the words

SO, Gunny Highway, what is your assessment of this exercise

Frankly sir, It's a Cluster ****!!!!

[finnman69]

hmmm not opening for me

[maquiladora]

Regarding the missing 550 Mustard filled 155-mm projectiles, UNMOVIC has been unable to resolve the status of these items and remains concerned due to their probable military utility.

[maquiladora]

"There is a clear contradiction in Iraq’s explanation of its development of spray tanks. Iraq has maintained that it started its development work by producing a spray tank for biological agents and has denied that it had developed a similar system for chemical agents. This explanation is contradicted by a letter dated 10 December 1990 from the Director General of MSE to the Deputy Director of the Military Industrialization Commission (MIC), a copy of which was given to UNSCOM by Iraq to support a different matter relating to VX. The letter, however, also contains a reference to the stockpiling of Mustard agent for a successfully tested aircraft spray system. This indicates that also had a well-developed drop-tank for chemical agent. By the date of the letter, 10 December 1990, it is also clear that the CW drop-tank was developed before the BW drop-tank. Therefore, Iraq’s further explanation that the reference in the letter to Mustard agent was associated with BW drop-tanks cannot be correct.

The conclusion therefore drawn from the MSE letter is that, by December 1990, Iraq had a design for a separate device capable of spraying Mustard agent. The specifications of this CW delivery device, for example whether it was based on a modified Mirage drop-tank or other spraying device, are unknown to UNMOVIC. It is known that Iraq had tested different types of aerial spray or other devices capable of disseminating Mustard agent. Given that the group that had successfully developed the CW spraying device was later engaged in the modification of the BW drop-tank, the likelihood of success of that project was greatly increased. The development of tanks for CW and BW uses should not be considered as two separate projects but rather as one continued project.

Iraq’s assertion that it was unable to modify 12 drop-tanks for BW purposes because of a shortage of valves is contradicted by a letter dated 25 August 1991 from the Department of Aeronautical Engineering to Al Muthanna. The letter requests the return of unused valves, thus indicating that such components had not been in short supply as claimed by Iraq. It is therefore possible that additional tanks were modified. While Iraq has provided documents showing that, as of July 1991, it had at least three modified BW drop-tanks, they do not address the prototype drop-tank. Since no remnants of the prototype tank have been found, it has not been possible to verify its destruction. Spraying devices modified for CBW purposes may still exist in Iraq. A large number of drop tanks of various kinds, both imported and locally manufactured, are available and could be modified. Since spraying devices are an efficient means of disseminating CBW agents, and since Iraq declared continued research after January 1991, it is likely to have been a high priority in the CBW program.

Although Iraq’s September 1997 BW FFCD referred to the MiG-21 RPV project as intended for the delivery of a munition, in earlier declarations and in discussion, Iraq stated that the project was for the delivery of BW agent from a modified Mirage drop tank. The use of a Mirage drop tank on a MiG aircraft, although possible, would pose considerable aviation engineering problems. Given its payload and range, the MiG-21 RPV could have been intended for the delivery of either CW or BW agents. In addition, the spray system would have most likely have been based on a MiG-21 fuel tank as opposed to the fuel tank of a Mirage F-1. Given that Iraq had already successfully conducted spraying of Mustard from planes, it is possible that it was a MiG system that had been used in the tests and that the RPV project was an extension of this programme. Further information is required to determine the extent and the objectives of the project and whether it was terminated in April 1991 as declared by Iraq.

Work on another aircraft, the L-29 jet trainer, to convert it to a RPV started in November 1995 and continued until at least 2000. The L-29, although smaller and less capable than the MiG, could still be used to deliver CBW agent in quantities that would pose a significant threat to neighbouring countries. Iraq has declared that the work on the L-29 has stopped but that work continues on smaller RPVs. Iraq has also declared in its BW CAFCD a number of smaller RPVs that are capable of carrying a payload of up to 20 kilogrammes to a range of less than 30 kilometres. This payload could represent a significant biological payload if dry agent is used. Of concern is the more general question of Iraq’s intentions with respect to RPVs as CBW delivery systems and the relationship to the spray tank development. Iraq has also declared in its Missile CAFCD two other RPVs, both capable of a 100 kilometre range with a designed payload of 30 kilogrammes. With respect to aerosol generators, the modified crop duster Iraq developed had potential as a BW dissemination device. There are many agricultural aircraft spray systems in Iraq. These units are identical to the devices that were modified for BW dissemination. In addition, components imported for these or other spray devices were available in Iraq in 2003. Modified aircraft fuel tanks were found at Khan Bani Sa’ad Airfield in December 2002. These tanks were stated to have been part of an indigenously manufactured agricultural spray system that was stated to have been produced by the Air Force. The expertise gained in the development of the generators and the evidence of “parallel” work on a similar device that was not declared, is of some concern. Iraq should provide additional information regarding its efforts to develop spraying devices and delivery systems for CBW agents. This should include an account of the development of the successfully tested CW spray device, the numbers produced, technical details of the system such as flow rates, dissemination efficiencies, and the number and designs of venturis, nozzles and valves. If any modified spray devices remain they should be destroyed if they are found to have been intended for CBW purposes. In addition, Iraq should provide information on the management and organizational structure of the MiG-21 project, its place in the CBW programmes and the concepts of use of the weapon. "

[maquiladora]

This is the report that we've been hearing about with all the smoking guns in it! It's full of shockers:

"The involvement of the Muthanna State Establishment (MSE) Iraq’s main CW production facility, with the Al Noaman factory in the development and testing of special (chemical or biological) sub-munitions, confirm Iraq’s interest in cluster bombs. Video evidence from the Haidar Farm suggests that Iraq was modifying existing munitions to be compatible with the locally made cluster bombs. In particular, Iraq used elements from the 122-mm special warheads to produce sub-munitions for the cluster bomb. From early 1987 to mid-1988, Muthanna continued with the development and testing of various components of 122-mm warheads including an all-way fuse and an aluminium casing. Iraq tested the fuse and dispersion pattern by dropping the 122-mm canisters from an aircraft and a crane. A component of such a sub-munition was found at the Al Noaman Factory in February 2003."

[js1138]

So is this the 173 page report that all the newspapers have seen, but no one has reported on?

[maquiladora]

Yep, all 173 pages of it.

There's so much stuff in it, it's hard to grasp it all. But it's here, about the cluster bombs, the sprayers, the missiles...everything.

[MississippiMan]

The rationale for Iraq’s WMD programmes has been said to be the existence of Israel’s arsenal and WMD capabilities. A

Didn't take 'em long to get to that point. Page 7.

MM

[js1138]

So Blix produced an actual report that show some level of honesty and competence, and gave a speech to the assembly that contradicts his own report.

The really interesting thing is why the press is silent. If this were embarrassing to Bush it would be all over the front pages.

[Big Otto]

Click on the UNMOVIC link, then on the right-hand column there's a link to "Cluster Document", a PDF file
This is the infamous 167 page report that FOX is talking about that Blix didn't share last weekend.

Maybe some helpful soul could fix up the link??

[The Wizard]

Blix must resign

[Texan5]

Yup, that is just what it is, and here's the math: cluster report + cluster bomb missles = cluster f**k!

[Valin]

Thanks for the post. bump and bookmarked

[mykdsmom]

Blix is on Saddam's payroll, I don't know what other explantion there could be for this.

MKM

[PhiKapMom]

Here is the link to the Actual PDF Document:

Blix Unclassified Final Report

[mikenola]

This is *nuts*. Check out the list: (Sorry for the crappy formatting)
CLUSTERS OF UNRESOLVED DISARMAMENT ISSUES
CONTENTS
I. MISSILE CLUSTERS...................................................................................21
a. Scud type missiles........................................................................................21
b. SA-2 Missile Technology............................................................................27
c. Research and development (R&D) on ballistic missiles capable of proscribed ranges.............................................................................................................31
d. FROG (Luna) Special Warheads.................................................................35
e. Development of solid propellant missile systems before and after the Gulf War.................................................................................................................37
II. MUNITIONS AND OTHER DELIVERY MEANS, CLUSTERS............41
a. Scud-type Biological and Chemical Warheads...........................................41
b. R-400 and R-400A Bombs...........................................................................45
c. Major Aerial Bombs....................................................................................49
d. Major Rockets and Artillery Projectiles......................................................53
e. Spray devices and Remotely Piloted Vehicles............................................57
f. Other Chemical and Biological munitions..................................................63
III. CHEMICAL CLUSTERS.........................................................................67
a. Tabun...........................................................................................................67
b. Sarin and Cyclosarin....................................................................................71
c. Mustard........................................................................................................75
d. VX................................................................................................................79
e. Major Chemical Process Equipment............................................................85
f. Soman...........................................................................................................89
g. BZ Analogues (psychoactive compounds)..................................................93
IV. BIOLOGICAL CLUSTERS.....................................................................95
a. Anthrax.........................................................................................................95
b. Botulinum Toxin..........................................................................................99
c. Mycotoxins: Aflatoxin and Trichothecenes..............................................103
d. Wheat cover smut.....................................................................................107
e. Clostridium perfringens............................................................................111
f. Ricin..........................................................................................................115
g. Undeclared BW agents.............................................................................117
h. Drying of BW Agents...............................................................................119
i. Bacterial BW agent production.................................................................123
j. Genetic Engineering and Viral Research..................................................127
k. BW Agent Simulants................................................................................

Saddam has had 12 years to destroy this stuff. How can any liberal say that he doesn't have WMD after they told GW to go to the UN, and then this is what they found.

OUTRAGEOUS!

[Indy Pendance]

Is anyone else having trouble opening this document? All I see is a blank page....