Article

2006-06-23 Iraq

Chemical Weapons Too Degraded to Use - Bigmouth CIA Source

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Kim Jung-il 2006-06-23 12:13|| || Front Page|| [11130 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 BS! The Dems want us to believe that he kept the old stuff but got rid of the new stuff? How frikkin delusional is that? But then we're talkin' about Dhimmicrats. They're still carpin' about the 2001 election.

Damn, that KooAid's good!

Posted by Rex Mundi 2006-06-23 15:58|| 2006-06-23 15:58|| Front Page Top

#2 The chemical weapons that have been recovered by US forces in Iraq were all made before the 1991 Gulf War and were too degraded for their intended use

Which is not at all the same as saying they are too degraded for the purposes of the terrorists.

Posted by trailing wife 2006-06-23 16:00|| 2006-06-23 16:00|| Front Page Top

#3 Although not suitable for their intended purposed, the officials said such weapons remain a potential hazard if obtained by insurgents and modified in ways they would not discuss.

And if the way to make them dangerous was known to the press, the Islamic Crusaders would also know.

Posted by Bobby 2006-06-23 16:15|| 2006-06-23 16:15|| Front Page Top

#4 so they don't mind we store it in their house until, you know, the Congressional hearings on the subject.

Posted by Thomoque Angereque3714 2006-06-23 16:19|| 2006-06-23 16:19|| Front Page Top

#5 I want to know when we are going to see some of these blabbermouths hang from a rope, and I am NOT kidding.

Posted by crosspatch">crosspatch 2006-06-23 16:20|| http://crufty.blogspot.com]">[http://crufty.blogspot.com] 2006-06-23 16:20|| Front Page Top

#6 "..And if the way to make them dangerous was known to the press, the Islamic Crusaders would also know..."

Gee, why do I think the NYT is working on this as I type..

Posted by Anon 2006-06-23 16:22|| 2006-06-23 16:22|| Front Page Top

#7 They really need to track down these leakers and skin them alive. Then tack their hides up on the wall as a warning to others.

They are putting us all at risk of getting hit again, hard.

Posted by DarthVader 2006-06-23 16:24|| 2006-06-23 16:24|| Front Page Top

#8 "The Bush Administration ignored the exiration date on the weapons, or ignored it "

No. The Bush admin did not RELEASE the report, so they were under no obligation to clarify that the weapons were old leftovers, and apparently useless. Thats probably WHY they didnt release it, cause they are smart enough to know that bringing up stuff like this doesnt help, and is embarassing. Its Santorum and Hoekstra who are responsible for releasing the report, and a buncha bloggers who thinks ita big deal.

Theres an indication they could be made into something dangerous by insurgents - but then thats true of lots of chemicals, and it isnt really what we were talking about in 2002-2003, AFAICT.

Now dont get me wrong. I think the sanctions regime was falling apart, and that when it ended Saddam certainly was going to try to get WMD's. I also am not sure some WMDs didnt get smuggled to Syria. And to the extent there were intell failures on WMD, i think they were reasonable, given that we were dealing with a totalitarian regime where info was hard to come by, and given the desire not to take chances, post 9/11. And I also believe that WMDs were not the only reason to go to war.

But, having said, that, I think the focus on these old weapons is more likely to embarass Santorum et al. I could be wrong, but thats my strong sense.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-06-23 17:25|| 2006-06-23 17:25|| Front Page Top

#9 now the question raised in the first comment substantively is interesting. Could they have removed the new stuff to Syria, and left the old stuff? Maybe. Theres a lot more thats not clear.

I dont mean to be closed minded on this. Im just reacting to the reaction here to the CIA guy saying what appears to be the truth about this - the implication seems to be that theres something treasonous about a leak that undermines what GOP congressmen are saying, equivalent to say the NYT leaking a valuable intell gathering tool - well its not the same folks.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-06-23 17:30|| 2006-06-23 17:30|| Front Page Top

#10 The word "officials" should be striked and replaced by bureaucrats.

Posted by Snise Grogum7151 2006-06-23 17:35|| 2006-06-23 17:35|| Front Page Top

#11 So they are only a little deadly?

Posted by Slomose Threagum8719 2006-06-23 17:36|| 2006-06-23 17:36|| Front Page Top

#12 The Upyourass Club of New York will commence firing the degraded rounds at the Times Building in Manhattan tonight. Anybody else want in ? Yo, ABC....

Posted by Satan66 2006-06-23 17:37|| 2006-06-23 17:37|| Front Page Top

#13 Does that mean you'd be only kinda dead if they were used on you?

Posted by bigjim-ky 2006-06-23 17:40|| 2006-06-23 17:40|| Front Page Top

#14 Check out the Austin Bay thread on this. Especially comment #67.

Posted by Glomogum Shogum2997 2006-06-23 18:22|| 2006-06-23 18:22|| Front Page Top

#15 It does (or at least should) raise the question of why ~~Mister Magoo~~ Hans Blix didn't find them before the war. Remember he and his team went around Iraq and found nothing? And recently he's been mouthing off telling everyone that Saddam had no WMD. Guess he's wrong, huh.

Posted by Steve White">Steve White 2006-06-23 18:44|| 2006-06-23 18:44|| Front Page Top

#16 If these are so harmless Mr. Anonymous Official may we store them in your office?

Posted by GK 2006-06-23 18:52|| 2006-06-23 18:52|| Front Page Top

#17 Now we know why the Bush Admin are less than eager to share these details. A great deal of headwind from the loony left because it doesn't support their bullshit argument.

Posted by Captain America 2006-06-23 20:08|| 2006-06-23 20:08|| Front Page Top

#18 Facts are facts. Chemical weapons have been found. That they are found is not something we want to advertise you our foes.

The left will never believe the facts because like all communists and socialists they have "faith" in their meme. Facts are not required.

Posted by Sock Puppet of Doom 2006-06-23 20:19|| 2006-06-23 20:19|| Front Page Top

#19 If all you had to do to get rid of Sarin was bury it in the desert, we wouldn't have to spend so much money to VERY CAREFULLY incinerate it. Political dickhead!

Posted by RWV 2006-06-23 20:22|| 2006-06-23 20:22|| Front Page Top

#20 liberalhawk are YOU saying that you have evidence that these chem weapons are unusable or not deadly?

Posted by RD 2006-06-23 21:06|| 2006-06-23 21:06|| Front Page Top

#21 Stuff that can make you "do the kickin chicken" is nothing to play with, old or not.

One thing you ahve all overlooked: military effectiveness is not the same as terrorist effectiveness.

These munitions may have been degraded to where they would not be mililtarily effective, but still would induce symptoms and casualties in a general area when dispersed by terrorists for contamination by direct contact (instead of detonation and aerosol coverage). So not as wrapped up and easy as some would think. Then again the reporters seem to know precisely jack shit about military things, so I don't exepct accurate protrayals, nor rational reactions.

Posted by Oldspook 2006-06-23 21:44|| 2006-06-23 21:44|| Front Page Top

#22 Here in Micronesia leftover WW2 Japanese andor Amer munitions have killed many a local islander(s) - on Guam, the EOD teams have been called out several times within the last year. The BISMARCK and YAMATO BB classes - were both planned and mostly contructed before WW2 or Pearl Harbor - guess the BISMARCK, TIRPITZ, YAMATO and MUSASHI were no threat to anyone. WW2 for America began when the decadent imperialist Male Brute USS WARD sank an innocent Japanese midget sub on its attack mission towards Pearl Harbor and the US Fleet - and iff the HISTORY CHANNEL is any measure, it was SBD DAUNTLESSES and WILDCAT/HAWK etal. US attack planes that attacked Pearl Harbor anyways, correct!?

Posted by JosephMendiola 2006-06-23 21:50|| 2006-06-23 21:50|| Front Page Top

23:57 BA
23:29 Frank G
23:28 JustAboutEnough
23:26 JustAboutEnough
23:23 Zenster
23:20 JosephMendiola
23:16 Zenster
23:15 Alaska Paul
23:03 trailing wife
22:53 DanNY
22:52 mojo
22:51 Sherry
22:44 GORT
22:41 Gromosh Elminegum5705
22:39 Zenster
22:38 Oldspook
22:34 Crath Choger3081
22:34 JosephMendiola
22:34 Frank G
22:32 Zenster
22:29 Zenster
22:29 phil_b
22:26 Eric Jablow
22:25 Zenster