Discovery of chemical suits at Iraqi base raises fears of gas attack

Guardian ^ | Wednesday March 26, 2003 | Julian Borger

[demlosers]

US capture of hospital reveals secret antidote stock

United States marines who captured an Iraqi military base in Nassiriya found thousands of chemical protection suits and nerve gas antidote, raising fears that Baghdad may be planning a gas attack to fend off the US-led invasion, US officers said yesterday. The marines found 3,000 chemical suits and a chest full of the antidote atropine in a hospital that they said Iraqi soldiers had been using as a base in the fight for a strategically important crossing point on the Euphrates river.

The hospital was seized when the US soldiers came under fire from the building on Monday, despite the fact that it was flying the Red Crescent flag. US officials said that 170 Iraqi troops were captured, and that the hospital's doctors and patients had fled before the assault began.

"Prior to going in, the marines used loudspeakers outside of the hospital to encourage the doctors and patients ... to evacuate," a US military statement said. "No civilians were in the hospital at the time it was seized."

The discoveries at the hospital represented the clearest evidence to date that Iraq's armed forces anticipated the use of chemical weapons such as VX gas. British troops have captured Iraqi fighters around Basra carrying gas masks, but the presence of so many full chemical suits suggests a far more serious intent.

The US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, yesterday said there had been "intelligence scraps" and "chatter in the system" suggesting that orders might have been given to Republican Guard units ringing the capital to use chemical or biological weapons against the approaching US-led forces. But he added "who knows how accurate [the reports] are."

In the first days of the war, US and Australian special forces staged night raids on Iraqi command and communication posts in the hope of stopping the transmission of orders to use weapons of mass destruction.

US intelligence, however, said there were signs that artillery shells with chemical or biological warheads had been distributed to Republican Guard units ringing Baghdad days before the war began, with orders to use them if they faced defeat.

US planes have dropped millions of leaflets on the Iraqi troops warning that any officer who carried out orders to use the weapons would face war crimes charges after the war.

US and British mobile monitoring units are accompanying frontline troops to give early warning of a chemical or biological attack. Specialist teams are also combing captured territory in the search for banned weapons, to prevent them being used, and to find proof of Iraqi programmes of weapons of mass productions, which is the principal justification for the war. So far, no such find has been made.

Kenneth Pollack, a former CIA analyst and an expert on the Saddam regime, expressed doubts about the theory that there was a "red line" around Baghdad, beyond which chemical or biological weapons would be used against coalition forces. "My guess is that it's probably more sophisticated than that," Mr Pollack said.

"Saddam always expected the battle would be fought and won in Baghdad. And he always expected that it would be won politically," he said. "If he starts using chemicals he risks losing what is most important to him - international public opinion."

"He is not urging a scorched earth policy, because he clearly thinks he's going to be in possession of Iraq when all this over."

However, Mr Pollack said that Saddam might change his mind if coalition forces neared the entrance to Baghdad and it was clear that the regime faced an imminent threat.

[dodger]

Pollack does not impress this Analyst.

[CurlyBill]

I guess Tariq Aziz will claim that they are raincoats for the desert...

[JavaJumpy]

PING

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[bonesmccoy]

An Nasiriyah, Iraq - March 25, 2003: Today, a cache of Iraqi AK-47 Assault Rifles were discovered at a hospital in An Nasiriyah, Iraq. Marines of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, found and confiscated over 200 weapons and stockpiles of ammunition, over 3,000 chemical suits with masks and Iraqi military uniforms. DoD photo by Capt. N.V. Taylor, U.S. Marine Corps

An Nasiriyah, Iraq - March 25, 2003: Today, a chest containing Atropine injectors which are used to counteract chemical nerve agents were discovered at a hospital in An Nasiriyah, Iraq. Marines of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, found and confiscated over 200 weapons and stockpiles of ammunition, over 3,000 chemical suits with masks and Iraqi military uniforms. DoD photo by Capt. N.V. Taylor, U.S. Marine Corps.

[Salvation]

**antidote atropine**

OK you medical types. What is atropine a treatment for?

[RepublicanChick]

I am not a "medical type" but the atropine is used to combat nerve gas. At least, this is what I have heard/read.

[MississippiMan]

Thanks for the ping, JJ. I think it becomes more obvious by the day that we're gonna have to take out some "civilian" targets in this thing. When fighting someone who has no regard for humanity in general, much less conventions of war designed to protect humanity, that's where the bad guys are. In the end, I think we'll have to decide whether it's more important to look like nice guys, or win. May not be possible to do both. Much of the world hates and opposes us either way, and they're not our concern. Our guys are our concern. Praying much strength and conviction and Godly wisdom for President Bush and our other leaders.

MM

[Orlando]

THE SUITS WERE MADE IN FRANCE & GERMANY ?