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Subject: IRAQI - POTENTIAL TOXIC FUMES

Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence







TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN

REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN

TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF

THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON

REQUEST.







JAN 91 DIRECTOR 472665







SUBJECT:           MIDDLE EAST BRIEF







SUBJECT: MIDDLE EAST BRIEF          FOR          JANUARY 1991.

CONTENTS

IRAQ-KUWAIT: SITUATION REPORT TO COME LATER

1. KUWAIT: POTENTIAL DANGER OF TOXIC







6. IRAQ: NUCLEAR COMPLEX

1. KUWAIT: POTENTIAL DANGER OF TOXIC GAS AND SMOKE

SABOTAGED KUWAITI OIL WELLS AND BURNING OIL IN THE IRAQIS'

DEFENSIVE TRENCHES COULD POSE HEALTH AND OPERATIONAL DANGERS TO

COALITION FORCES. ACCORDING TO          PROJECTIONS, THE

CONCENTRATION OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE FROM UNCAPPED NONBURNING OIL WELLS

COULD BE HIGH ENOUGH TO CAUSE NERVE, EYE, AND LUNG DAMAGE WITHIN 200

FEET OF THE WELLS. BURNING WELLS AND TRENCHES WOULD PRODUCE SMOKE

PLUMES--SOME HIGH IN SULFUR DIOXIDE--THAT COULD EXTEND OVER TENS OF

MILES DOWNWIND AND 2 TO 5 MILES HIGH.



COMMENT: HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONCENTRATION WILL BE HIGHEST NEAR

THE SOURCE, WHILE SULFUR DIOXIDE LEVELS WILL BE HIGHEST WHERE THE

PLUMES DESCEND TO THE SURFACE, PROBABLY SEVERAL MILES DOWNWIND.

KUWAITI WELLS HIGH IN HYDROGEN SULFIDE ARE PRIMARILY IN THE AL

MANAQISH AND UMM GUDAYR OILFIELDS IN SOUTH-CENTRAL KUWAIT. PLUME

DENSITY PROBABLY WOULD IMPAIR DAY AND NIGHT VISION, ELECTRO-OPTICAL

SYSTEMS, AND AIRCRAFT ENGINE PERFORMANCE. WINDY CONDITIONS--COMMON

DURING THE DAY--WOULD DISPERSE THE GASES AND DIMINISH THE DANGER,

BUT THE LIGHT WINDS TYPICAL AT NIGHT WOULD BE INSUFFICIENT TO DO SO.







6. IRAQ: NUCLEAR COMPLEX DAMAGED BUT NOT DESTROYED

COALITION AIRSTRIKES HAVE INFLICTED SEVERE DAMAGE TO SOME

FACILITIES AT IRAQ'S TUWAITHA NUCLEAR RESEARCH CENTER BUT HAVE NOT

OBLITERATED BAGHDAD'S POTENTIAL TO BUILD NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES. A

NUMBER OF OTHER NUCLEAR-RELATED FACILITIES WITHIN TUWAITHA APPEAR

INTACT, WHILE THE CONDITION OF SUSPECTED NUCLEAR FACILITIES AT OTHER

LOCATIONS IS UKNOWN







END OF MESSAGE







1.5(C)

65300:65300

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