NBC Capabilities

File: doc09_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 2
Subject: NBC Capabilities

   DECLASSIFIED BY J. F. DOLAN   9 JAN 96


(U)  (5)             NBC Capabilities.     Although United
    Nations Inspection efforts are ongoing,     it is possible            I
    that IRAQ still possesses the capability to employ a                  3
    nuclear device or chemical and biological warfare agents.
    These weapons can be employed by various means,      including        5
    aerial bombs, artillery, aerial spray devices, various
    rockets and ballistic missiles.      The decision to employ           7
    these weapons would probably be tightly held.      Weapons of
    this type are viewed as deterrents and doomsday weapons               9
    and would be used against U.S. forces only as a means of            10
    last resort.                                                        li
                                                                        ii
  (U)    (a) Prior to Operation DESERT STORM, IRAQ                     11
         possessed all the means necessary to produce a nuclear         li
         device, ranging from mining raw uranium ore to
         assembling the weapon.      IRAQ may have been as little       .L6
         as 1 to 2 years away from completing its first weapon.         ii
         Despite coalition air attacks during DESERT STORM it
         appears that some nuclear-related facilities survived          19
         the war.  UN inspections and confiscation should limit         20
         the IRAQI nuclear threat until the mid-l990s, but the          li
         scientific infrastructure remains in place to                  22
         eventually restart the nuclear program.
                                                                        li
  (U)    (b)      BAGHDAD has established the most extensive           25
         biological warfare program in the Arab World.      While       26
         it is not known to have ever employed biological
         weapons, IRA~ had aggressively pursued research and
         production prior to eperation DESERT STORM.                    29
         Biological aqents believed to be in the IRAQI pre-war
         inventory and which may still exist include BOTULINUM          li
         T~XIN and ANTHRAX,      both of which may have been            32
         weap.nized.  Facilities associated with biological
         weapons research and production were severely damaged          li
         by coalition air strikes during Operation DESERT
         ST~RM.  However, IRA~ is known to have conducted               36
         salva~e operations at these facilities and may still           37
         possess s~me biological warfare capability.                    38

   (U)   (c)  Prior to Operation DESERT STORM, IRAQ                    40
         possessed substantial chemical warfare capabilities            41
         and had demonstrated the will to use them in the war
         against IRAN.   After the 1988 cease-fire with IRAN,
         large-scale production of chemical weapons was                 44
         virtually stopped.      Research & development however,
         continued unabated and IRAQ was believed capable of            46
         producing BLISTER, NERVE, and BLOOD AGENTS by mid-             47
         1990.  IRAQI chemical facilities suffered extensive
         damage during Operation DESERT STORM and all chemical          49
         weapons capabilities are to be destroyed in accordance         50
         with UN cease-fire resolutions.     However, IRAQ will

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