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) ]
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