071496_cia_76426_76426_01.txt

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Subject: 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)
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