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. [ (b)(2) ] 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 [ (b)(2) ] 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. )) [ (b)(2) ] ADMIN BT #2743 INFODATE:
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