Briefing Input for HLDG Meeting

File: 950901_0601rpt_90d.txt
Page: 90d
Total Pages: 1
Briefing Input for HLDG Meeting

Filename:0601rpt.90d


[    b.2.    ]
RESPONDS TO TASK 
PASS TO THE ITF OPS OFFICER
3 DEC 90 1830 BY: [   (b)(6)   ]



SUBJECT: Briefing Input for HLDG Meeting
THE THREAT

  [   (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)   ]







VG 23  TURNING TO THE CW AND BW THREAT, IRAQ MAINTAINS THE 
MOST EXTENSIVE CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE CAPABILITY IN 
THE THIRD WORLD. IT IS WELL-EQUIPPED TO USE CW AND HAVE THE 
BATTLEFIELD TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE TO USE IT EFFECTIVELY. 
IRAQ'S ABILITY TO USE BW IS LESS CERTAIN, AS THESE WEAPONS 
HAVE ONLY BEEN RECENTLY DEVELOPED.

IN THE WAR WITH IRAN, IRAQ USED CHEMICAL AGENTS INCLUDING THE 
PERSISTENT BLISTER AGENT MUSTARD, THE SEMI-PERSISTENT NERVE 
AGENTS TABUN (GA) AND GF, AND THE NONPERSISTENT NERVE AGENT 
SARIN (BG). SINCE THE WAR, IRAQ MAY HAVE PRODUCED SMALL 
QUANTITIES OF THE PERSISTENT NERVE AGENT VX. THEY MAY BE 
DEVELOPING THE NERVE AGENT SOMAN (GD) AND THE PSYCHOCHEMICAL 
BZ. THEY MAY ALSO POSSESS A BLOOD AGENT, CYANIDE GAS.

 IRAQ HAS PRODUCED DUSTY AGENTS. THESE ARE CHEMICAL AGENTS 
IMPREGNATED ON A CARRIER MATERIAL, USUALLY A FINE DUST. IN 
1984, IRAQ USED WEAPONS CONTAINING A DUST IMPREGNATED WITH 
MUSTARD AGAINST IRAN. DUSTY AGENTS ARE DISSEMINATED AS A DRY 
AEROSOL AND MAY BE DIFFICULT TO DETECT. THEY MAY PENETRATE 
SEMI-PERMEABLE PROTECTIVE SUITS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AND 
CAUSE CASUALTIES MORE RAPIDLY THAN ORDINARY AGENT. OTHER 
CHEMICAL AGENTS, INCLUDING NERVE AGENTS MAY HAVE BEEN 
INVESTIGATED FOR DELIVERY ON A DUST CARRIER.

VG 24  BAGHDAD POSSESSES A WIDE VARIETY OF CHEMICAL





SECRET DELIVERY SYSTEMS: AERIAL BOMBS, ARTILLERY AND MORTAR 
ROUNDS, MULTIPLE ROCKET LAUNCHERS, AND AIR-TO SURFACE ROCKETS. 
IRAQ IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD KNOWN TO HAVE HELICOPTER 
ROCKETS WITH CHEMICAL FILLS. IRAQ HAS CHEMICAL WARHEADS FOR 
ITS SCUD MISSILES. THEY MAY HAVE LIMITED NUMBERS OF CHEMICAL 
WARHEADS FOR THEIR MODIFIED SCUDS, THE AL-HUSAYN AND THE AL-
ABBAS. DUE TO POOR ACCURACY AND A RELATIVELY SMALL CHEMICAL 
PAYLOAD, IRAQ'S MISSILES HAVE ONLY LIMITED EFFECTIVENESS 
AGAINST MILITARY POINT TARGETS. HOWEVER, THEY COULD BE USED AS 
TERROR WEAPONS AGAINST CIVILIAN POPULATION CENTERS.

 SINCE THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR, BAGHDAD HAS DEVELOPED BINARY 
CHEMICAL WEAPONS, MOST LIKELY CONTAINING CHEMICALS THAT WOULD 
COMBINE TO FORM THE NERVE AGENTS SARIN OR GF. BINARY WEAPONS 
ARE EASIER TO PRODUCE AND SAFER TO HANDLE AND STORE THAN 
UNITARY CHEMICAL FILLS, BUT THEY DELIVER RELATIVELY LESS AGENT 
PER POUND THAN UNITARY AMMUNITION. IRAQ PROBABLY DEVELOPED 
BINARY WEAPONS AS A MEANS OF CIRCUMVENTING QUALITY CONTROL 
PROBLEMS IN ITS UNITARY AGENT PRODUCTION PROGRAM. IRAQ'S 
CHEMICAL PROCESSES ARE ASSESSED TO BE INADEQUATE, RESULTING IN 
CHEMICAL AGENT THAT IS IMPURE, WITH A SHELF-LIFE OF JUST 4 TO 
6 WEEKS.

VG 25  WITH REGARD TO BIOLOGICAL WARFARE, IRAQ HAS
DEVELOPED ANTHRAX SPORES AND BOTULINUM TOXIN AS AGENTS. THE 
DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR IRAQI BW AGENTS ARE UNKNOWN BUT COULD 
INCLUDE AERIAL BOMBS, MISSILE WARHEADS, AND SPRAY SYSTEMS. 
BIOLOGICAL AGENTS WOULD MOST LIKELY BE USED AS STRATEGIC 
WEAPONS AND COULD INFLICT LARGE CASUALTIES AMONG TARGETED


 [   (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)   ]