Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
IRAQ-KUWAIT: CHEMICAL WARFARE DUSTY AGENT THREAT.
Filename:73349033
PATHFINDER RECORD NUMBER: 49033
GENDATE: 950605
NNNN
TEXT:
ENVELOPE CDSN = LGX737 MCN = 90284/03031 TOR = 902840143
OTTSZYUW RUEKJCS9254 2840143---RUEALGX.
ZNY
HEADER O 110143Z OCT 90
FM JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEALGX/SAFE
O 102236Z OCT 90
FM DIA WASHINGTON DC//IRAQ REGIONAL ITF//
TO DIACURINTEL
RUCLFBA/CTOCSE 18 ABC REAR FT BRAGG NC
AIG 7011
AIG 7046
AIG 7033
RHMPMCC/GMCC BCST
RHTMMCC/MMCC BCST
RUFLPIA/126AREFW DEPLOYED MORON AB SP
RUFLDNA/34SS ZARAGOZA AB SP
RHIDFFA/306SW DEPLOYED
BT
CONTROLS
PASS: [ (b)(2) ]
SERIAL: DSA 350-90
BODY SUBJ: IRAQ-KUWAIT: CHEMICAL WARFARE DUSTY AGENT THREAT.
DOI: 10 OCT 90
MAJOR POINT
1. IRAQ PRODUCED AND USED A CHEMICAL WARFARE DUSTY AGENT
DURING THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR. DUSTY AGENTS CAN PENETRATE AIR-PERMEABLE
CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE (CBW) OVERGARMENTS UNDER CERTAIN
CONDITIONS.
DISCUSSION
2. IRAQ HAS PREVIOUSLY USED MUSTARD AND NERVE (TABUN,
SARIN, AND GF) AGENTS AND HAS DEVELOPED A V-SERIES NERVE AGENT
(VX)
WHICH IS PROBABLY AVAILABLE IN LIMITED QUANTITIES. IN ADDITION,
IRAQ DELIVERED MUSTARD IN A PARTICULATE AEROSOL FORM (DUSTY
MUSTARD) DURING THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR. IRAQ HAS THE TECHNICAL
CAPABILITY TO PRODUCE A DUSTY NERVE AGENT, BUT THERE IS NO
EVIDENCE THAT IT HAS DONE SO.
3. US AND [ (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4) ] TESTS INDICATE THAT
DUSTY AGENTS CAN PENETRATE US CBW OVERGARMENTS UNDER CERTAIN
CONDITIONS. THE CURRENT US PROTECTIVE ENSEMBLE PROVIDES SOLDIER
PROTECTION FROM CONVENTIONAL CHEMICAL AGENTS. HOWEVER, PROTECTION
AGAINST DUSTY AGENTS CAN BE MAXIMIZED BY WEARING A PONCHO OVER THE
MISSION-ORIENTED PROTECTIVE POSTURE (MOPP) ENSEMBLE. MEDICAL DATA
INDICATE THAT PUTTING ON THE PONCHO OVER THE MOPP GEAR SHOULD NOT
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE HEAT CASUALTIES UNDER THE CQNDITIONS
EXPECTED IN THE GULF.
4. THE PROTECTIVE MASK PROVIDES FULL PROTECTION AGAINST ALL
THREATENED CHEMICAL HAZARDS, INCLUDING DUSTY AGENTS. HOWEVER,
DETECTION OF DUSTY MUSTARD WITH CURRENT SYSTEMS IS PARTICULARLY
DIFFICULT, AND CONFIRMATION OF USE OF DUSTY MUSTARD MAY ALSO BE
DIFFICULT AND TIME CONSUMING. FIRST BATTLEFIELD USE WILL MOST
LIKELY BE DETECTED BY THE ONSET OF SYMPTOMS AMONG EXPOSED
PERSONNEL. ONSET OF SYMPTOMS ON THE SKIN CAN BE EXPECTED
APPROXIMATELY 15-90 MINUTES AFTER EXPOSURE. EFFECTS FROM
INHALATION OF DUSTY MUSTARD CAN BE MUCH MORE RAPID.
5. THE DEGREE OF INCAPACITATION FROM BLISTERING OF THE HEAD
AND NECK DUE TO DUSTY MUSTARD PENETRATION OF THE US BATTLE DRESS
OVERGARMENT IS A FUNCTION OF AGENT CONCENTRATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS INCLUDING WIND SPEED. FOR THE FOLLOWING AGENT LEVELS,
AT
A 10 MILE-PER-HOUR WIND SPEED, TROOPS IN FULL MOPP WILL SUFFER
INCAPACITATION FROM BLISTERING DUE TO DUSTY MUSTARD PENETRATION AT
THE FOLLOWING PERCENTAGES: 0 PERCENT AT LESS THAN 500 MILLIGRAM
MINUTES PER CUBIC METER (MG MIN/M3, 7 PERCENT AT 1,000 MG MIN/M3,
17 PERCENT AT 2,000 MG MIN/M3, AND 3U PERCENT AT 3,000 MG MIN/M3.
IRAQ CAN ACHIEVE FIELD LEVELS OF DUSTY MUSTARD AVERAGING BETWEEN
1,000 AND 2,000 MG MIN/M3 THROUGH USE OF AERIAL BOMWS, TUWE
ART1LLERY, AND MULTIPLE ROCKET LAUNCHERS.
6. DUSTY MUSTARD IS EVALUATED AS A NONPERSISTENT AGENT
UNDER THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS PRESENT IN THE GULF. DECONTAMINATION
OF BOTH PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH STANDARD
PROCEDURES.
OUTLOOK
7. WHILE EMPHASIZING THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT IRAQ
HAS DEVELOPED A DUSTY V-AGENT, FATALITIES RANGING FROM 3 TO 38
PERCENT ARE PROJECTED FOR THE SAME CONCENTRATIONS CITED ABOVE FOR
TROOPS IN FULL MOPP IF SUCH AN AGENT WERE USED. USE OF THE PONCHO
OVER THE MOPP GEAR IS EXPECTED TO REDUCE THESE PROJECTED
CASUALTIES
TO NEAR ZERO EVEN FOR A DUSTY NERVE AGENT.
ADMIN PREP: [ (b)(6) ]
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