Iraqi Bomb Emits 'Small' Amount Of Sarin, General Says

Doglips · 05-17-2004, 03:02 PM

Iraqi Bomb Emits 'Small' Amount Of Sarin, General Says
No Injuries Suffered As Round Explodes, But Discovery Raises Concern

POSTED: 11:00 a.m. EDT May 17, 2004
UPDATED: 2:51 p.m. EDT May 17, 2004

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A roadside bomb containing sarin nerve agent exploded near a U.S. military convoy, but there were no casualties, a senior U.S. military officer said Monday.

Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, the chief military spokesman in Iraq, said there was some minor exposure but no injuries. But, he said, soldiers who transported the round showed some symptoms consistent with low-level nerve agent exposure.

Kimmitt said the device exploded before it could be destroyed and "a very small" amount of sarin escaped. He said the explosion occurred a couple of days ago, adding that the military believes the insurgents who set the bomb didn't know it contained sarin.

"The Iraqi Survey Group confirmed today that a 155-millimeter artillery round containing sarin nerve agent had been found," Kimmitt said in a Baghdad news conference. He said the round was rigged as an "IED," or improvised explosive device.

The round was discovered by a U.S. convoy, he said.

Saddam claimed to have destroyed his chemical and biological weapons. The United States based its case for war on the presence of banned weapons.

A single drop of sarin can cause quick and agonizing death. But, Kimmitt said, very little of the nerve agent can be dispersed in a device such as a roadside bomb.

In a news conference Monday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was cautious about drawing conclusions. He said the first step is to conduct further testing on what was in the explosive.

Rumsfeld said it is too early to draw conclusions froma "field test, which is not perfect."

Discovery Raises Concern In Washington
A U.S. official said there's worry that other sarin-filled shells from Saddam's former regime may still exist.

Officials believe the shell was an experimental munition that predates the 1991 Gulf War.

Saddam's former government had acknowledged testing of "binary type" sarin weapons. But there was never a declaration that any such weapons still remained.

Blix Weighs In
Former chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix is taking a wait-and-see approach on news that a roadside bomb containing sarin exploded in Iraq.

Blix said it is too soon to determine if the shell was from the past or part of a stockpile of weapons of mass destruction.

Blix reported before the beginning of the war in Iraq that his teams were unable to locate proof of deadly weapons. But his inspectors did find 16 warheads that were tagged as being used for containing sarin. They were empty.

Shaun · 05-17-2004, 03:29 PM

what more evidence do you need of wmd

Big Dog · 05-17-2004, 04:41 PM

"Blix weighs in . . ."

SO who the bloody heck is still listening to this fool? He had his chance, and muffed it.

Sniper[MI] · 05-17-2004, 09:41 PM

Blix will hang himself from a shower curtain rod as we have been and are, on a daily basis, proving him to be as wrong as Bhagdad bob.

Blix continues to show how irrelivant he and the UN really are.

My question is, when will US troops roust everyone from the UN Building and send them packing to their country of origin?

toolman · 05-17-2004, 11:00 PM

Sniper, my guess is about the same time we rid the U.S. of bleeding heart, fairy loving, gun hating democraps from the U.S.!!! How can an organization consider itself "humanitarian" when the majority leaders are from countries with the worst civil rights violations in the world?

Dennis · 05-18-2004, 01:38 AM

Reguardless of how much seperate evience there is.
Evidence We have of the presence of Wmd's No one wants to admit they exist in Iraq.
There is so much resistence to accepting finding WMD's in Iraq.
Why?
The folks that are not republican that voted to go to war because of wmd's complain that they where duped by Bush.
Then when evidence after evidence shows up again and again and again supporting their decision.
They refuse to accept this.
They Want to be able to claim they where duped By Bush, when he was right all along
AND THEY KNOW THIS
so, the Dems are refuseing to accept reality..........
I guess this isnt anything new.

05-17-2004, 03:02 PM	#1
Doglips Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cocoa Florida Posts: 9,089	Iraqi Bomb Emits 'Small' Amount Of Sarin, General Says Iraqi Bomb Emits 'Small' Amount Of Sarin, General Says No Injuries Suffered As Round Explodes, But Discovery Raises Concern POSTED: 11:00 a.m. EDT May 17, 2004 UPDATED: 2:51 p.m. EDT May 17, 2004 BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A roadside bomb containing sarin nerve agent exploded near a U.S. military convoy, but there were no casualties, a senior U.S. military officer said Monday. Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, the chief military spokesman in Iraq, said there was some minor exposure but no injuries. But, he said, soldiers who transported the round showed some symptoms consistent with low-level nerve agent exposure. Kimmitt said the device exploded before it could be destroyed and "a very small" amount of sarin escaped. He said the explosion occurred a couple of days ago, adding that the military believes the insurgents who set the bomb didn't know it contained sarin. "The Iraqi Survey Group confirmed today that a 155-millimeter artillery round containing sarin nerve agent had been found," Kimmitt said in a Baghdad news conference. He said the round was rigged as an "IED," or improvised explosive device. The round was discovered by a U.S. convoy, he said. Saddam claimed to have destroyed his chemical and biological weapons. The United States based its case for war on the presence of banned weapons. A single drop of sarin can cause quick and agonizing death. But, Kimmitt said, very little of the nerve agent can be dispersed in a device such as a roadside bomb. In a news conference Monday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was cautious about drawing conclusions. He said the first step is to conduct further testing on what was in the explosive. Rumsfeld said it is too early to draw conclusions froma "field test, which is not perfect." Discovery Raises Concern In Washington A U.S. official said there's worry that other sarin-filled shells from Saddam's former regime may still exist. Officials believe the shell was an experimental munition that predates the 1991 Gulf War. Saddam's former government had acknowledged testing of "binary type" sarin weapons. But there was never a declaration that any such weapons still remained. Blix Weighs In Former chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix is taking a wait-and-see approach on news that a roadside bomb containing sarin exploded in Iraq. Blix said it is too soon to determine if the shell was from the past or part of a stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. Blix reported before the beginning of the war in Iraq that his teams were unable to locate proof of deadly weapons. But his inspectors did find 16 warheads that were tagged as being used for containing sarin. They were empty.

05-17-2004, 03:29 PM	#2
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,592 Images: 1	what more evidence do you need of wmd __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

05-17-2004, 04:41 PM	#3
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,213	"Blix weighs in . . ." SO who the bloody heck is still listening to this fool? He had his chance, and muffed it. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

05-17-2004, 09:41 PM	#4
Sniper[MI] Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Future 51st state, "New Hope" Posts: 3,796	Hopefully one day Blix will hang himself from a shower curtain rod as we have been and are, on a daily basis, proving him to be as wrong as Bhagdad bob. Blix continues to show how irrelivant he and the UN really are. My question is, when will US troops roust everyone from the UN Building and send them packing to their country of origin? __________________ FNUH!

05-17-2004, 11:00 PM	#5
toolman Mr. Fixit Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: abilene,tx Posts: 5,582 Blog Entries: 22	Sniper, my guess is about the same time we rid the U.S. of bleeding heart, fairy loving, gun hating democraps from the U.S.!!! How can an organization consider itself "humanitarian" when the majority leaders are from countries with the worst civil rights violations in the world? __________________ Don't be messin' with my gun!

05-18-2004, 01:38 AM	#6
Dennis Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 1,877	Reguardless of how much seperate evience there is. Evidence We have of the presence of Wmd's No one wants to admit they exist in Iraq. There is so much resistence to accepting finding WMD's in Iraq. Why? The folks that are not republican that voted to go to war because of wmd's complain that they where duped by Bush. Then when evidence after evidence shows up again and again and again supporting their decision. They refuse to accept this. They Want to be able to claim they where duped By Bush, when he was right all along AND THEY KNOW THIS so, the Dems are refuseing to accept reality.......... I guess this isnt anything new. __________________ Submitted with respect to all