DATE=6/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233515
TITLE=PENTAGON / NERVE GAS (L)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN IS ORDERING PENTAGON
OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS THAT U-S FORCES USED NERVE
GAS DURING THE VIETNAM WAR. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM THE
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT.
TEXT: THE ALLEGATIONS GROW OUT OF NEWS REPORTS BY TIME MAGAZINE
AND C-N-N TELEVISION. THEY SAY NERVE GAS WAS USED UP TO 20 TIMES
DURING THE WAR, SOMETIMES TO BLOCK ENEMY TROOPS DURING RESCUES OF
DOWNED AMERICAN PILOTS.
THE STORIES ALSO SAY U-S FORCES USED DEADLY SARIN GAS ON A
VILLAGE IN LAOS WHERE AMERICAN DEFECTORS WERE HIDING WITH THE
ENEMY.
PENTAGON SPOKESMAN BILL DARLEY SAYS DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM
COHEN IS ORDERING EACH SERVICE TO INVESTIGATE IMMEDIATELY.
/// DARLEY ACT ///
OUR HISTORIANS HAVE BEEN DOING A SEARCH OF OUR RECORDS,
BOTH CLASSIFIED (SECRET) AND UNCLASSIFIED. WE CAN FIND
NOTHING AT THIS POINT THAT WOULD INDICATE THE USE OF A
NERVE AGENT.
//// END ACT ///
LIEUTENANT COLONEL DARLEY SAYS OFFICIALS HAVE SEARCHED NORTH
VIETNAMESE RECORDS AS WELL, BUT FOUND NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT
THE ALLEGED USE OF NERVE GAS BY U-S FORCES. HE SAYS HANOI WOULD
HAVE QUICKLY RECOGNIZED THE PROPAGANDA VALUE OF SUCH AN INCIDENT
AND BROUGHT IT TO WORLD ATTENTION DURING THE WAR.
/// DARLEY ACT ///
IF THERE WAS SUCH A USE IN THAT AREA, THEN OBVIOUSLY
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPLOITED, AS ANYONE RECALLS THE
ATMOSPHERE OF THE TIME.
/// END ACT ///
THE STORY SAYS THERE WERE SEVERAL HUNDRED AMERICAN DEFECTORS
DURING THE WAR. LIEUTENANT COLONEL DARLEY SAYS PENTAGON
OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING THE MATTER FOR DECADES, AND CAN
DOCUMENT ONLY TWO CASES OF AMERICAN DEFECTORS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JR/LTD/MMK
08-Jun-98 11:19 AM EDT (1519 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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