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big_dog

(4,144 posts)
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 09:00 PM Jun 2014

ISIS Jihadists 'Seize Saddam Hussein's Chemical Weapons Stockpile'

Source: UK Telegraph 16:52 6/19/14

Under an agreement signed in Baghdad in July 2012, experts from the MOD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) were due to provide training to Iraqi personnel in order to help them to dispose of the chemical munitions and agents. The Al Mutannah chemical weapons complex (CIA)

The remaining chemical weapons from Saddam Hussein's regime are stored in two sealed bunkers, both located at the Al Muthanna Chemicals Weapons Complex, a large site in the western desert some 80km north west of Baghdad.
This was the principal manufacturing plant for both chemical agents and munitions during Saddam Hussein’s rule.

Isis jihadists have seized a chemical weapons facility built by Saddam Hussein which contains a stockpile of old weapons, State Department officials said. US officials don't believe the Sunni militants will be able to create a functional chemical weapon from the material. The weapons stockpiled at the Al Muthanna complex are old, contaminated and hard to move, officials said.

Nonetheless, the capture of the chemical-weapon stockpile by the forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, known as ISIS or ISIL, the militant group that is seizing territory in the country, has grabbed the attention of the U.S. "We remain concerned about the seizure of any military site by the ISIL," Jen Psaki, the State Department spokeswoman, said in a written statement. "We do not believe that the complex contains CW materials of military value and it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to safely move the materials."



Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10910868/Iraq-crisis-Obama-may-launch-air-strikes-without-Congress-amid-calls-for-Maliki-to-go-live.html

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ISIS Jihadists 'Seize Saddam Hussein's Chemical Weapons Stockpile' (Original Post) big_dog Jun 2014 OP
Remind me again why these weapons are stockpiled and not destroyed. nt Xipe Totec Jun 2014 #1
Maybe they were too dangerous and packed in deteriorating material. JDPriestly Jun 2014 #30
For some reason OneCrazyDiamond Jun 2014 #2
thats probably the question POTUS is asking at his national security briefing big_dog Jun 2014 #5
No, the article uses classic Bush Era spin.... Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2014 #9
Thanks for pointing that out.... paleotn Jun 2014 #12
The OP is being less than straightforward, as well Alex P Notkeaton Jun 2014 #22
Again, shades of the Bush Era when you had to see if an author was a Neocon Sympathizer. Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2014 #25
Indeed Alex P Notkeaton Jun 2014 #26
As far as I'm concerned there should have been a media purge after Iraq.... Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2014 #29
Thanks for that critical piece of info. Please snagglepuss Jun 2014 #31
Remember when they found empty shell casings? Bush called them "undeclared chemical weapons". Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2014 #32
BTW: Check this out... Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2014 #33
FEAR!!!! FEAR!!!!! FEAR!!!! Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2014 #3
Yes ...good ol George couldn't find em but ISIS did. L0oniX Jun 2014 #4
this finally settles it for all times, the 'WMD's' were too old and feeble to work... big_dog Jun 2014 #8
these are chems rtracey Jun 2014 #35
An unstable Iraq - the gift that keeps on giving Victor_c3 Jun 2014 #6
What? BainsBane Jun 2014 #7
I put a series of posts with backup links here for this very reason... stevenleser Jun 2014 #14
You're going to have to do better than Fox news for a source. nt BainsBane Jun 2014 #16
No, I'm not as it refutes what Republicans are trying to claim. nt stevenleser Jun 2014 #17
Thanks Steven. I wouldn't have seen that otherwise. freshwest Jun 2014 #18
You're welcome! stevenleser Jun 2014 #20
As I said, I smell bullshit all over this. zeemike Jun 2014 #21
Wait a minute now. zeemike Jun 2014 #10
See my #14 above for an OP by me with explanations and links nt stevenleser Jun 2014 #15
That's right! They just been sittin there waiting for a terrorist to use on us! grahamhgreen Jun 2014 #28
The recycling of successful memes begins... n/t PoliticAverse Jun 2014 #11
why look, casus belli... NuttyFluffers Jun 2014 #13
That's what they are trying to assert. Trouble is, it's not true stevenleser Jun 2014 #19
Chemicals are not Twinkies Jeff In Milwaukee Jun 2014 #23
Weapons of Mass Destruction lovuian Jun 2014 #24
WMD - It's the same f*cking bad movie. Don't get fooled again. grahamhgreen Jun 2014 #27
Oh Jesus Fucking CHRIST. WilliamPitt Jun 2014 #34
That's exactly the song I've been playing over and over in my head as I read these headlines n/t btrflykng9 Jun 2014 #36

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)
30. Maybe they were too dangerous and packed in deteriorating material.
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 03:41 AM
Jun 2014

I can think of lots of reasons.

But I also think taking big risks might be justified to make sure that no dangerous chemical weapons fall into irresponsible or cruel hands.

I doubt that our troops or the UN inspectors would have left anything seriously dangerous in Iraq. We stayed there a long time and did a lot of work on all kinds of projects.

 

big_dog

(4,144 posts)
5. thats probably the question POTUS is asking at his national security briefing
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 09:08 PM
Jun 2014

So who is Obama meeting with? The White House has released a list of 15 participants, some attending by video conference. They include figures from the military, intelligence and diplomatic branches of the US government:

-Joe Biden, the vice president

-John Kerry, the secretary of state, and Chuck Hagel, the secretary of defence

-John Brennan, the head of the CIA, and James Clapper, the director of national intelligence

-Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the United Nations

-General Martin Dempsey, the chair of the joint chiefs of staff

-Assorted national security and legal aides

The meeting is taking place now in the White House situation room. Here's a 2010 picture:

 

Spitfire of ATJ

(32,723 posts)
9. No, the article uses classic Bush Era spin....
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 09:12 PM
Jun 2014

There were old COMPONENTS. Hell, the REFINERIES in Iraq produce stuff that's more dangerous and toxic. The weapons inspectors didn't miss this site. It probably hasn't had any real activity in it since before '92 when they destroyed everything.

The entire article is designed to get those old familiar war drums beating again.

paleotn

(17,778 posts)
12. Thanks for pointing that out....
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 09:19 PM
Jun 2014

....the stockpile is old, dilapidated and damn dangerous to move. It's also damn dangerous and expensive to dispose of, thus it's still there. More of a danger to anyone foolish enough to fiddle with it than anyone else. You can get a lot more bang for your buck (pun intended) by capturing a fertilizer plant and a diesel refinery.

 

big_dog

(4,144 posts)
8. this finally settles it for all times, the 'WMD's' were too old and feeble to work...
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 09:11 PM
Jun 2014
probably left over from the 1990 Iran/Iraq war
 

rtracey

(2,062 posts)
35. these are chems
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 01:10 PM
Jun 2014

We knew he had chemical weapons, he bombed the Kurds with them....its the yellowcake...we dont see....hahhaha THE YELLOWCAKE

Victor_c3

(3,557 posts)
6. An unstable Iraq - the gift that keeps on giving
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 09:08 PM
Jun 2014

oh wait, I was a part of that operation that helped make Iraq the mess that it is today...

BainsBane

(53,001 posts)
7. What?
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 09:10 PM
Jun 2014

They never WMD in Iraq when they invaded, so why are we hearing about them now? I'm skeptical, particularly since the source is the RW Telegraph.

 

stevenleser

(32,886 posts)
14. I put a series of posts with backup links here for this very reason...
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 09:23 PM
Jun 2014
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025121987

Some Republicans are trying to assert this as meaning there were WMD in Iraq and thus the war was justified. The info I have at the above link debunks that.

zeemike

(18,998 posts)
21. As I said, I smell bullshit all over this.
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 09:42 PM
Jun 2014

But of course the right is going to use it that way...that is what they do...I don't need any proof to know there were no WMDs...and I suspect your proof will not change their mind, because we are living in a mind fucked bubble.

But this is more than just about that i can assure you...it is more "scare the hell out of em" media blitz to talk us back into war...and many Democrats will be right there with it with the feeling that it will take away the GOP inevitable charge that the president is weak.

Always with the triangulation, and we never seem to catch on.

zeemike

(18,998 posts)
10. Wait a minute now.
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 09:14 PM
Jun 2014

I thought we went in there for that reason...WMDs and chemical wepons....you mean we did not destroy them and they are still there?..after 10 years?
I smell bullshit all over this...and want the media ask why those chemical weapons were not destroyed.
Or whether this is just another shock and aw the people into another war.

Jeff In Milwaukee

(13,992 posts)
23. Chemicals are not Twinkies
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 10:33 PM
Jun 2014

Although Twinkies are mostly chemicals....

The point here is that chemicals degrade over time, particularly if they're not being stored properly. Before we invaded Iraq, the expert opinion was that any chemicals that Saddam might have were too old to ever be weaponized. At this point, those same chemicals would now be more than ten years older. The stuff is likely to be still toxic, but that's about it.

 

WilliamPitt

(58,179 posts)
34. Oh Jesus Fucking CHRIST.
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 12:57 PM
Jun 2014

I'll move myself and my family aside
If we happen to be left half alive
I'll get all my papers and smile at the sky
Though I know that the hypnotized never lie...

- The Who

Here we go again.

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