FORCES CAPABILITIES IN A CHEMICAL ENVIROMENT

File: 970612_sep96_decls2_0005.txt
Page: 0005
Total Pages: 7
Subject = FORCES CAPABILITIES IN A CHEMICAL ENVIROMENT                    

Parent Organization = ARCENT      

Unit = XVIII CORPS 

Folder Title = DAILY STAFF JOURNALS WITH MESSAGES 21-31 DEC 90                                                 

Document Number =         30

Box ID = BX000093



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        04 06 221455Z DEC 90 PP RR




        LA,BORATORY-LIKE SOPHISTICATION IN THE FIELE


        5.       THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY IS PROVIDING THE CORPS WITH AN


        EXCELLENT PICTURE OF OUR ENEMY. WHILE THE IRAQI  CW CAPABILITY IS

        FORMIDABLE AND CANNOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, IT IS NOT WITHOUT SERIOUS

        SHORTFALLS. IRAQ HAS NOT MASTERED HOW TO PRODUCE STABLE AND POTENT

        CHEMICAL AGENTS. IRAQI CHEMICAL AGENTS CONTINUE TO HAVE A LIMITED

        SHELF LIFE OF 3-6 WEEKS WHICH WORKS TO OUR ADVANTAGE. DURING THE


        1980-88 WAR WITH IRAQ, IRANIAN SOURCES REPORTED CHEMICAL CASUALTY

        RATES OF 5 TO 10 PERCENT. THESE POOR RESULTS WERE ONLY ACHIEVED


        AGAINST LARGELY UNPROTECTED, POORLY TRAINED, AND UNDISCIPLINED

        INFANTRY. SOLDIERS IN XVIII ABN CORPS HAVE OUTSTANDING CHEMICAL

        PROTECTIVE GEAR, -ARE WELL TRAINED, HIGHLY MOT@VATED AND EXTREMELY

        DISCIPLINED.


        6        TO COUNTER THE IRAQI CW THREAT, WE CONTINUE TO PLAN A FULL

        RANGE OF COUNTER MEASURES. ACTIVE MEASURES INCLUDE AGGRESSIVE


        TARGETING, INTERDICTION, AND DESTRUCTION OF FACILITIES AND DELIVERY

        MEANS WITHIN IRAQ AND KUWAIT. ELIMINATING IRAQ'S CW DELIVERY MEANS

        IS A PRIMARY OBJECTIVE. DESTRUCTION OF THESE ASSETS WILL REDUCE THE

        RISK TO OUR SOLDIERS AND UNITS, INCREASE OUR FREEDOM OF MANEUVER,










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