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File: 071496_cia_76426_76426_01.txtSubject: AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF CW 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 87 WARNING INFORMATION REPORT. NOT FULLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE DIST: JANUARY 1987 COUNTRY: IRAQ SUBJ: 1. AUTHORIZATION FOR DECISIONMAKING ON USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AT CORPS COMMANDER LEVEL TEXT: 1. IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM ((HUSAYN)) GAVE PERMISSION TO THE THIRD AND SEVENTH ARMY CORPS COMMANDERS AS WELL AS THE AIR FORCE AND MISSILE DEFENSE COMMANDERS TO USE CHEMICAL WARFARE (CW) WEAPONS AND LONG-RANGE MISSILES AT THEIR DISCRETION WITHOUT PRIOR PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL. COMMENT: THE USE OF BOTH CW WEAPONS AND LONG-RANGE MISSILES WAS CONSIDERED POLITICALLY SENSITIVE BY HUSAYN AND PRIOR PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF EITHER WAS REQUIRED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. THIS REPRESENTS THE FIRST TIME HUSAYN HAS RELINQUISHED THIS DECISIONMAKING AUTHORITY. THE MEETING WAS HELD PRIOR TO THE INITIATION OF THE DECEMBER 1986 IRANIAN OFFENSIVE 2. COMMENT: HUSAYN'S DECISION TO DECENTRALIZE THE DEClSlONMAKING FOR USE OF THESE WEAPONS OPENED THE WAY FOR USE OF CW WEAPONS IN A TACTICAL MANNER. THE ARMY COMMANDERS WERE PRIMARILY INTERESTED IN USING THE CW WEAPONS AGAINST LARGE CONCENTRATIONS IRANIAN TROOPS PRIOR TO AN ATTACK IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE IRAQI CASUALTIES. IN THE PAST PERMISSION WAS GIVEN FOR THE USE OF CW WEAPONS ONLY AFTER THE IRANIAN TROOPS HAD GAINED A POSITION OR HAD OBTAINED A LIMITED VICTORY. 3. IN EARLY JANUARY PRESIDENT HUSAYN TRAVELED TO THE FRONT AND DURING HIS VISIT RECONFIRMED HIS ORDERS TO THE ARMY COMMANDERS TO USE CW WEAPONS IN WHATEVER MANNER THEY CONSIDERED NECESSARY. 1.5 (c) 76426:76426
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