File: 950719_73876681.txt
Page: 73876681
Total Pages: 39

NADA INTSUM 341-90/DIA WASH DC/21 AUG 90. (U)

Filename:73876681
PATHFINDER RECORD NUMBER: 76681
GENDATE:         950605
NNNN
TEXT:            
ENVELOPE CDSN = LGX249 MCN = 90234/06392 TOR = 902340318
PTTSZYUW RUEKJCS2743 2340319-    --RUEALGX.
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HEADER P 220319Z AUG 90
FM JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEALGX/SAFE
P 211859Z AUG 90
FM DIA WASHINGTON DC//JSI-6C//
TO AIG 962
RXFEAA/CINCSOUTH
RXQKPRE/NAEWFOB PREVEZA
RXQHGF/NAEWFOB KONYA
RXFEPE/NAEWFOB TRAPANI
AIG 963
AIG 11847
RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//FWD//IN//
RUEBSAA/ARCENT FWD//IN//
RHIUFAA/USCENTAF FWD HQS ELEMENT//IN//
RHIPACC/COMUSNAVCENT FWD//IN//
BT
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SIC UAJ
))
BODY SUBJ: NADA INTSUM 341-90/DIA WASH DC/21 AUG 90. (U)
))
IRAQ: CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE CAPABILITIES. 
AS OF 16 AUG 90
))
MAJOR POINTS
1. IRAQ MAINTAINS THE MOST EXTENSIVE OFFENSIVE CHEMICAL
WARFARE (CW) CAPABILITY IN THE THIRD WORLD.
2. BAGHDAD'S FORCES ARE MAINTAINED IN A HIGH STATE OF CW
READINESS, AND DELIVERY CAPABILITIES ARE WELL INTEGRATED 
THROUGHOUT
THE FORCES.
3. IRAQ HAS PRODUCED, STOCKPILED, AND WEAPONIZED AT LEAST TWO
BIOLOGICAL WARFARE (BW) AGENTS.
))
DISCUSSION
4. IRAQ'S CW AGENTS INCLUDE THE BLISTER AGENTS MUSTARD AND
DUSTY MUSTARD, AS WELL AS THE NERVE AGENTS TABUN (GA), SARIN (GB),
AND THE SEMIPERSISTENT AGENT GF. ALL WERE USED DURING THE
HOSTILITIES WITH IRAN. AFTER THE WAR, BAGHDAD POSSIBLY PRODUCED 
THE
PERSISTENT NERVE AGENT VX. AGENTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT INCLUDE SOMAN
(GD) AND THE PSYCHOCHEMICAL BZ.
5. THE AGENT DUSTY MUSTARD, AND DUSTY AGENTS IN GENERAL, ARE
DISSEMINATED IN A DRY AEROSOL AND MAY BE DIFFICULT TO DETECT. THE
AEROSOL FILTER IN A PROTECTIVE-MASK CANISTER WILL STOP A DUSTY 
AGENT AND PROTECT THE WEARER, BUT UNLESS THE AGENT CAN BE READILY
DETECTED, THE POTENTIAL VICTIM IS UNLIKELY TO BE MASKED. IRAQI CW
TACT1CS ARE SOPHISTICATED AND INCLUDE PLANNING FOR THE USE OF
PERSISTENT OR NONPERSISTENT AGENTS, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE 
IRAQIS
THEMSELVES INTEND TO OCCUPY A TARGET OR MERELY DENY IT TO AN 
ENEMY.
6. BAGHDAD HAS A CHEMICAL DELIVERY CAPABILITY FOR MANY WEAPON
SYSTEMS AND IT HAS A PROVEN ABILITY TO USE CHEMICALS EFFECTIVELY.
THEIR DELIVERY MEANS INCLUDE 250-KG AND 500-KG AERIAL BOMBS, 
CLUSTER BOMBS, 90MM AIR-TO-SURFACE ROCKETS, AND VARIOUS TUBE 
ARTILLERY AND MORTAR ROUNDS, AS WELL AS 122MM ROCKET ARTILLERY 
SYSTEMS. EXCEPT FOR CLUSTER BOMBS, THESE SYSTEMS WERE ALL USED IN 
THE WAR AGAINST IRAN. IRAQ COULD ALSO MANUFACTURE CHEMICAL 
WARHEADS FOR THE SS-N- 2W/STYX MISSILES ON ITS OSA I AND II CLASS 
MISSILE ATTACK WOATS.
7. IRAQI STOCKPILES OF BW AGENTS PROBABLY INCLUDE ANTHRAX AND
BOTULINUM TOXIN. BAGHDAD HAS ALSO INVESTIGATED A NUMBER OF OTHER
INFECTIOUS AGENTS AND TOXINS. LIKELY DELIVERY SYSTEMS ARE AREA-
COVERAGE WEAPONS, INCLUDING CLUSTER BOMBS, ROCKETS, AERIAL BOMBS,
AND POSSIBLY SPRAY DEVICES. ORGANISMS AND TOXINS CAN ALSO BE
COVERTLY DELIVERED BY NONMILITARY AIRCRAFT AND SHIPS AT RANGES UP 
TO 25 NM.
8. IN THE PAST, SADDAM HUSAYN GRANTED CW RELEASE, APPROVING IT
IN ABOUT 24 TO 48 HOURS. THE RELEASE OF SOME ARTILLERY WEAPONS WAS
DELEGATED, HOWEVER, DURING THE IRANIAN CONFLICT. IN A RAPIDLY
CHANGING TACTICAL SITUATION, CORPS COMMANDERS WOULD PROBAWLY HAVE
RELEASE AUTHORITY FOR THE WEAPONS AT THEIR DISPOSAL. STRICT
SECURITY IS PRACTICED WHEN PLANNING CHEMICAL STRIKES.
))
OUTLOOK
9. IRAQ HAS INTEGRATED CW INTO ITS OFFENSIVE BATTLEFIELD
OPERATIONS. ITS FORCES CAN AND PROBABLY WILL LAUNCH CHEMICAL
STRIKES THROUGH ASSORTED WEAPON SYSTEMS WHENEVER THE SITUATION IS
DETERM1NED TO BE TACTICALLY EXPEDIENT. CHEMICAL MUNITIONS WILL BE
EMPLOYED IF NECESSARY TO GAIN THE TACTICAL ADVANTAGE, AND STRIKES
WILL BE LAUNCHED TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM OF GROUND ENGAGEMENTS OR
TO DENY TERRAIN OR BASES TO AN ENEMY. THE IRAQIS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY
USE ALL WEAPONS AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO RETAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THEIR
OWN OR OCCUPIED TERRITORY AGAINST EXTERNAL THREATS.
10. IRAQ HAS THE CAPABILITY TO ATTACK SAUDI AIR BASES, WITH CW
WEAPONS, PROBABLY BULK-FILLED CHEMICAL BOMBS DELIVERED BY FIGHTER-
BOMBERS.
))
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