Allies spot chemical evidence on battlefield

The Scotsman ^ | March 29, 2003 | PAUL GALLAGHER

[MadIvan]

Royal Marines practise their chemical attack drill.

US INTELLIGENCE officials claim to have fresh evidence that Saddam Hussein may be preparing to use chemical weapons against coalition forces in the battle for Baghdad.

Iraqi troops have reportedly been spotted wearing full chemical protection suits and unloading large 50 gallon drums from lorries in an area south of the capital city.

The content of the drums is unknown but the information has renewed fears that US and British soldiers could face a chemical attack. US marines fighting Iraqi resistance at An Nasiriyah, in southern Iraq, have already found proof that elements of the Iraqi army are equipped for chemical and biological warfare.

A hospital captured by the marines in the town contained hundreds of gas masks, protective boots for chemical suits and auto-injecting antidotes to nerve agents.

ITV correspondent James Mates filmed the stockpile yesterday, saying: "In one storeroom alone, [there is] enough protective gear to equip many hundreds of troops."

Mr Mates added: "There is little doubt from looking at this room that the troops who are operating from this command centre were at the very least prepared to be fighting in a chemical or biological environment."

Troops with the Royal Irish Regiment made a similar discovery of gas masks and protective equipment at an abandoned Iraqi command post in the oilfields of southern Iraq.

There was a further warning that the Iraqi regime may be prepared to use unconventional weapons yesterday after state television showed film of Saddam Hussein at a cabinet meeting attended by one of his leading biological weapons experts.

Dr Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash, known to US intelligence officials as "Mrs Anthrax", was seen on television sitting alongside Saddam’s son and likely successor, Qusay.

[MadIvan]

I had not seen this latest evidence posted anywhere else. Well done to the Scotsman.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[error99]

"...wearing full chemical protection suits and unloading large 50 gallon drums..."
- -
Why someone didn't just spray them with a few rounds, I'll never know!

[JusPasenThru]

What effect would a daisy-cutter have on those 50 gallon drums of nrve agent?

[Professional]

NY Observer 11/14/2001 by Nicolas von Hoffman

The war in Afghanistan, the one he should never have declared, has run into trouble. Just a few weeks into it and it’s obvious that the United States is fighting blind. The enemy is unknown, and the enemy’s country is terra incognita. We have virtually no one we can trust who can speak the languages of the people involved. With all our firepower and our technical assets and our spy satellites, it looks like we don’t know if we’re coming or going.

It's Deja Vu, all over again!!!!!!!!!!!

[ewing]

Yep, I heard the stuff about the drums being reported last night on CNN and hoped it wasnt true.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

I find it ironic the moment the Iraqis use chemical or bio weapons, they prove to the world the justification for our attack.

[WIladyconservative]

Why not just MOAB the whole cache! Certainly the intense heat would neutralize it?

[cynwoody]

Why someone didn't just spray them with a few rounds, I'll never know!

Maybe the wind was blowing the wrong way.

[Libertina]

This is a sickening quote! Is this just a typical seditious journalist or a letter to an editor from an America Hater?

[blam]

Saddam may just be playing on our fears of chem/bio weapons.
I've read reports that our guys are unable to sleep with the every 2-4 hour chem alarms which require them to get up and dress in their chem/bio outfits. Can get exhausting.

[Congressman Billybob]

The New York Observer is a literal "yellow sheet" journal that specializes in reporting on the "arts" in New York, and in free-form sexual meeting ads. (Anyone who does anything with any number of "mammals of your choice" can find what he/she/it wants.)

The Observer carries very little of what can even jocularly be referred to as "journalism." To give you an idea of their journalistic standards, they are the principal outlet for that sack of sh*t, Joe Conason. The Observer and its panting readers, the few that it has, take Conason -- and the clown who wrote this piece -- seriously.

Nuff said.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, not yet up on UPI, and FR, "The A-MAA-zing War Wizard"

Latest book(let), "to Restore Trust in America."

[cookcounty]

"Maybe the wind was blowing the wrong way."

It looks to me like prevailing winds are from the SW, and it is a fairly windy area. So they would have to get the chem behind 3rdID to be effective....unless they get a SE wind.

[cookcounty]

I mean: "unless tey gey a N-NW wind."

[cookcounty]

Well you know what I mean.

[jimtorr]

US INTELLIGENCE officials claim to have fresh evidence......

Have you noticed how with some publications its always US or British officials "claim" this or that, and Iraqi officials always "say" the most outrageous things?

Today I heard a PMSNBC talking head tell the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that he could not be trusted to give an honest accounting of the war.

[_Jim]

"The Allies" - which war is this?

[gaucho]

Iraq has used 55 gal drums as a deployement means for chemical weapons against Iran. They where known to drop them out of helicopters over battlefields in the 80's or use low yield explosives to break up drums that had been placed on the ground.

[Mike Darancette]

Iraqi troops have reportedly been spotted wearing full chemical protection suits and unloading large 50 gallon drums from lorries in an area south of the capital city.

Drums 'O WMD? - Probably liquid fuel for missiles. Even Iraqis wouldn't be so dumb as to load warheads or shells with chemicals or germs in the field.

[Terridan]

Hi... what's the word on the hijacked jet from Turkey over your way?