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| Iraq |
| Series of Chlorine Attacks |
| 2007-03-17 |
| Approximately 350 Iraqi civilians and six Coalition Force members were treated for chlorine gas exposure after two suicide bombers detonated their dump trucks in separate areas south of Fallujah, and one Coalition Forces member and one Iraqi civilian were injured in a smaller attack northeast of Ramadi on the evening of March 16. The first suicide truck bomb containing chlorine detonated at a check point northeast of Ramadi at 4:11 p.m., injuring one Coalition service member and one Iraqi civilian. The second explosion occurred at 6:36 p.m., 17 km south of Fallujah near the town of Amiriyah. The Amiriyah Police Department reported that two policemen were killed in the blast and estimated that as many as 100 local citizens showed signs of chlorine exposure. Coalition Forces confirmed that the Amiriyah citizens exposed to the chlorine were treated locally for symptoms ranging from minor skin and lung irritation to vomiting. The third explosion occurred 37 minutes later at 7:13 p.m., 5 km south of Fallujah in the Albu Issa region when a suicide bomber detonated a dump truck containing a 200 gallon chlorine tank rigged with explosives. Coalition Forces responded to the attack and found approximately 250 local civilians suffering from symptoms related to chlorine exposure. Of those affected by the attack, four adults and seven children were evacuated to Coalition medical facilities for further treatment. Suicide car bombers have used chlorine against Iraqis in Al Anbar a total of five times since Jan. 28. This is the threat we face living in an industialized society. These aren't Saddam's WMD's but chlorine used for industrial purposes. There are lots of other toxic substances that could be used in similar attacks, such as pesticides. |
| Posted by:Chuck Simmins |
| #15 Crosspatch- did not know that.. Thanks. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2007-03-17 19:14 |
| #14 If the chlorine is from water purification - maybe they should switch to the eu method using Oxygen. Of course an Oxygen IED would just make a bigger boom.... very big. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2007-03-17 18:32 |
| #13 My only question is: Where's all the MSM outrage about terrorists using gas warfare on civilian populations? These are WMDs, however ineffective they might be. The MSM howls about (unwarranted) Geneva Convention rights for captured terrorist maggots at Gitmo but is deafeningly silent about the Geneva Rights of Iraqi citizens. The sooner that the Internet puts the MSM out of business, the better. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-03-17 18:10 |
| #12 It's certainly possible that these are being made from looted stocks held by the former military. We're four years in to the Liberation, and I would suggest that if these had been knocking around early they would have been used. This is a new supply, probably related to the huge number of water purification projects we've undertaken in the country. The military's press releases about their finds do not match the press reports. In Afghanistan it's clearly bragging by ISAF spokemen, but in Iraq I lean to another answer. Given the numbers of false reports by the media, it is very possible that some of the results they have reported, including deatils of chlorine finds, are bogus. Chlorine is used in a number of manufacturing areas, not just water purification. I was in my first spill at a paper plant just outside Albany New York. It really is a common industrial chemical. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2007-03-17 16:14 |
| #11 don't hold your breathe RD |
| Posted by: sinse 2007-03-17 15:49 |
| #10 Series of Chlorine Attacks waiting for the chorus of outrage and condemnation from Muslim Capitols around the World..5...4...3... |
| Posted by: RD 2007-03-17 15:21 |
| #9 Saddam's old officers in Anbar are actually fighting al qaida. They are signing up with the security units of the "salvation council" or whatever it is called. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2007-03-17 14:59 |
| #8 Sounds more like Saddam's old generals resorting to their old tricks of using gas on civs to maintain control. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2007-03-17 14:50 |
| #7 Chuck one warehouse full of chlorine gas canisters was found by and Army rebuilding group. They all had Iraq Air Force emblems. The warehouse was mistakenly left unguarded. Big mistake. I've written about this before. The only use someone would have (industrial) this gas in Iraq is for water purification. Something I strongly doubt the Iraqi Air Force did. To me at least this is clear proof of ready chemical weapons stockpiles pre-invasion. The Muslim terrorist must have been holding them back. Still trying to find the book that referred to the finding. |
| Posted by: Icerigger 2007-03-17 14:47 |
| #6 Option 5: they're terrorists, after all, and they're trying to strike terror into the hearts of Iraqi citizens. If they can get some press in the MSM, fine, that won't hurt either (never seems to hurt them, does it). |
| Posted by: Steve White 2007-03-17 14:23 |
| #5 I'm thinking that they are relying on their allies - the MSM - to provide the appropriate cover as always. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2007-03-17 13:36 |
| #4 I *seriously* doubt they're running low on explosives. More likely a 'use it or lose it' scenario with the surge bearing down. And as for world opinion, the world doesn't give a shit about iraq, except as an opportunity to indict the imperialist US. |
| Posted by: Geoffro 2007-03-17 12:30 |
| #3 Chlorine is the "easiest" chemical weapon to obtain, but it is pretty ineffective for all sorts of reasons. Ironically, one of these is that it is so harsh, that one whiff sends people running away to safety, whereas a more subtle agent they would inhale a lot more of before realizing it. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-03-17 12:20 |
| #2 I agree. It is only going to piss people and the international community off and drive the MSM away, or at least make them neutral in their reporting. Not a real good move, IMHO. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-03-17 12:08 |
| #1 The sad part is that these are pure terror tactics, intended to explit people's ignorance/fear. But then again, that's the idea behind the exercise. They've given up on any kind of conventional win. Militarily, unless they rupture a large tank (1300 + gallons) in an enclosed area, they are not going to get much kill for the effort. If they had put that much effort into making conventional explosives, they could have gotten better results. (higher bodycount) The fact that they are resorting to this tells me some good things: 1. They feel the need to change tactics, because what went before did not seem to work. 2. They are running low on explosives (finaly!!). 3. The enemy truly does not understand us, or beleives their own propaganda. 4. They are having a hard time brewing up conventional explosives. Using WMD's like this is not going to help their cause at all. |
| Posted by: N guard 2007-03-17 11:55 |