The Secret Casualties of Iraq’s Abandoned Chemical Weapons [Suppressed News of WMDs]

[DCPatriot]

The Secret Casualties of Iraq’s Abandoned Chemical Weapons
C.J. Chivers

Published: October 14, 2014

The soldiers at the blast crater sensed something was wrong.

It was August 2008 near Taji, Iraq. They had just exploded a stack of old Iraqi artillery shells buried beside a murky lake. The blast, part of an effort to destroy munitions that could be used in makeshift bombs, uncovered more shells.

Two technicians assigned to dispose of munitions stepped into the hole. Lake water seeped in. One of them, Specialist Andrew T. Goldman, noticed a pungent odor, something, he said, he had never smelled before.

He lifted a shell. Oily paste oozed from a crack. “That doesn’t look like pond water,” said his team leader, Staff Sgt. Eric J. Duling.

The specialist swabbed the shell with chemical detection paper. It turned red — indicating sulfur mustard, the chemical warfare agent designed to burn a victim’s airway, skin and eyes.

All three men recall an awkward pause. Then Sergeant Duling gave an order: “Get the hell out.”

Five years after President George W. Bush sent troops into Iraq, these soldiers had entered an expansive but largely secret chapter of America’s long and bitter involvement in Iraq.

more at:     http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/14/world/middleeast/us-casualties-of-iraq-chemical-weapons.html?_r=0

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[musiclady]

Anyone with functioning brain cells knew that Saddam had WMD, and that the lack of finding large caches of them was merely a political tool used by the left to destroy his credibility............. and him.

The average American will never find out the truth.

[DCPatriot]

Anyone with functioning brain cells knew that Saddam had WMD, and that the lack of finding large caches of them was merely a political tool used by the left to destroy his credibility............. and him.

The average American will never find out the truth.

I absolutely LOVE George W. Bush.  He was a great POTUS at the right time.  Second only to Ronald Reagan.

But, I am still perplexed and angry why he continues to perpetually turn the other cheek by not even writing a book where he defends himself and responds to his critics.

How can we Conservatives continue to fight this overwhelming onslaught against us, when he won't even speak up in public?

[musiclady]

I absolutely LOVE George W. Bush.  He was a great POTUS at the right time.  Second only to Ronald Reagan.

But, I am still perplexed and angry why he continues to perpetually turn the other cheek by not even writing a book where he defends himself and responds to his critics.

How can we Conservatives continue to fight this overwhelming onslaught against us, when he won't even speak up in public?

I completely agree, DC.

Not even in his book, Decision Points, did he address the WMD issue appropriately. 

I have NO idea why he hasn't defended the truth about this.   He needs to think about the bigger picture here, and not just the dignity of the office.

[DCPatriot]

I completely agree, DC.

Not even in his book, Decision Points, did he address the WMD issue appropriately. 

I have NO idea why he hasn't defended the truth about this.   He needs to think about the bigger picture here, and not just the dignity of the office.

It isn't even JUST the 'lying' about the existence of WMD allegations?

It's what Barack Obama and this administration has done and continues to do to this country!

By his silence, he gives tacit approval to the coup going on before our eyes.

[Politics4us]

I absolutely LOVE George W. Bush.  He was a great POTUS at the right time.  Second only to Ronald Reagan.

But, I am still perplexed and angry why he continues to perpetually turn the other cheek by not even writing a book where he defends himself and responds to his critics.

How can we Conservatives continue to fight this overwhelming onslaught against us, when he won't even speak up in public?

I am not a fan of W's. It's ridiculous to say he's second to Reagan, but I agree about him not saying anything about this. It doesn't make sense. The debate over troop withdrawal would have been different if this had been known. W. is the left's punching bag.

[GourmetDan]

It isn't even JUST the 'lying' about the existence of WMD allegations?

It's what Barack Obama and this administration has done and continues to do to this country!

By his silence, he gives tacit approval to the coup going on before our eyes.

That's because politics at the national level serves a master on a global level that has an agenda not based on 'doing the right thing'.

Once you understand that, it isn't quite so perplexing...

[DCPatriot]

That's because politics at the national level serves a master on a global level that has an agenda not based on 'doing the right thing'.

Once you understand that, it isn't quite so perplexing...

Dan....I've had quite enough of your condescension you're displaying lately.  Apologize or GFY. 

[GourmetDan]

Dan....I've had quite enough of your condescension you're displaying lately.  Apologize or GFY.

Sorry that you perceive my posts that way...

[musiclady]

It isn't even JUST the 'lying' about the existence of WMD allegations?

It's what Barack Obama and this administration has done and continues to do to this country!

By his silence, he gives tacit approval to the coup going on before our eyes.

I understand what you're saying, but I also understand that he thinks a former President shouldn't go after the sitting President.

I don't agree with it, under these circumstances, but it's a principle he holds and I don't think he's backing off it.

(btw, I know most others don't agree, but I DO agree with the "second to Reagan" assessment, and I think time will back us up on that).

[musiclady]

Dan....I've had quite enough of your condescension you're displaying lately.  Apologize or GFY.

Not worth the aggravation, DC.  He won't climb off his high horse, and he most certainly won't apologize.......

[Politics4us]

(btw, I know most others don't agree, but I DO agree with the "second to Reagan" assessment, and I think time will back us up on that).

In the history of the U.S.?

[DCPatriot]

In the history of the U.S.?

LOL!  No sir!   In my lifetime.  (1946-present)

[Bigun]

Anyone with functioning brain cells knew that Saddam had WMD, and that the lack of finding large caches of them was merely a political tool used by the left to destroy his credibility............. and him.

The average American will never find out the truth.

ABSOLUTELY!!!

But because it was in drums labeled "Insecticide" or "Fertilizer" it wasn't there according to the sycophants in the media!
 

[alicewonders]

My first thought is always why is this coming out now?  Apparently, lots of people have known this - NOW - they're talking about it?

[DCPatriot]

My first thought is always why is this coming out now?  Apparently, lots of people have known this - NOW - they're talking about it?

Maybe somebody is coming out with a book...somebody BIG...and the NYT is just circling the wagons around the DEMS.  Defusing an "October Surprise" so to speak.  I don't know.

But again...GWB was POTUS in 2004 when the 1st batch was discovered.  And yet for some reason they kept it secret.   

[Cyber Liberty]

This story is preposterous!   Impossible!  We were assured by all the press there were no WMDs in Iraq, never were, and it was Bush's lie that caused over a million to die.  This simply cannot be, so it must be more Republican lies!  Again.

My first thought is always why is this coming out now?  Apparently, lots of people have known this - NOW - they're talking about it?

It's important to get out ahead of the story.  If ISIS wipes out an entire village with nerve gas, and people still believe the first paragraph of this post, then it'll be Hell to pay for the Dems.  Especially if the story breaks before election day.  (Of course, that's a reason Dems and other cheaters love early voting so much.  It's hard to have your vote influenced by events when you're already cast it.  In my pin head, that's the same as vote stealing).

[Bigun]

My first thought is always why is this coming out now?  Apparently, lots of people have known this - NOW - they're talking about it?

I'm certianly nobody big but I have been telling anyone who would listen about this from day one Alice.

[Cyber Liberty]

I'm certainly nobody big but I have been telling anyone who would listen about this from day one Alice.

Me too.  We're just a couple of old cranks, Bigun.

[musiclady]

In the history of the U.S.?

No, no, no!

As with DC, in MY lifetime (just a tad shorter than his.  ^-^)

[musiclady]

ABSOLUTELY!!!

But because it was in drums labeled "Insecticide" or "Fertilizer" it wasn't there according to the sycophants in the media!

Yes, indeed.  And they figured (rightly, unfortunately) that the average American was too dumb to figure out that the labels on those drums weren't accurate.

[musiclady]

This story is preposterous!   Impossible!  We were assured by all the press there were no WMDs in Iraq, never were, and it was Bush's lie that caused over a million to die.  This simply cannot be, so it must be more Republican lies!  Again.

It's important to get out ahead of the story.  If ISIS wipes out an entire village with nerve gas, and people still believe the first paragraph of this post, then it'll be Hell to pay for the Dems.  Especially if the story breaks before election day.  (Of course, that's a reason Dems and other cheaters love early voting so much.  It's hard to have your vote influenced by events when you're already cast it.  In my pin head, that's the same as vote stealing).

You're on to several things here, CL.  The last is the most devious Dem plan, IMO. They can afford to let damning evidence out before election day, because they get so many of their mindless voters to vote early (and often).

The "October surprise" is not what it used to be because so many votes have already been cast.

[flowers]

My first thought is always why is this coming out now?  Apparently, lots of people have known this - NOW - they're talking about it?

My first thought as well. Most all of us here on this forum and tos have know from the get-go they had them. Why now?  Distraction? ANYTHING the left does is for the sake of political gain maybe they see that with this story?

[Cyber Liberty]

You're on to several things here, CL.  The last is the most devious Dem plan, IMO. They can afford to let damning evidence out before election day, because they get so many of their mindless voters to vote early (and often).

The "October surprise" is not what it used to be because so many votes have already been cast.

I'm glad this "October surprise" vote manipulation is not what it used to be, but I detest it when people mail in their ballots or vote early.  I explain to them why we always had election day on very specific dates, in person, and they just look at me with that stupid deer-in-the-headlights look and say, "But it's so convenient!" 

Idiots.  If decisions have a wide enough margin, I doubt they even count the votes cast "not in person," so by voting early, they are literally throwing their votes in the trash.  Our country is going to Hell in a handbasket, they don't even give a crap (but they love to bitch about it), and they're dragging those of us us who do care down with them.  Obama's not really the enemy.  Pelosi's not the enemy.  Reid's not either.  We can survive their kind.  These idiots who don't take voting seriously are.  They will be the death of this once-great country.

It makes me sick.

[alicewonders]

I'm certianly nobody big but I have been telling anyone who would listen about this from day one Alice.

I know you have Bigun - a lot of us have.  We knew.

But, the Pentagon, GWB, so many soldiers - so many had first-hand knowledge and yet, nary a peep from them. 

I kind of lean towards DC's explanation - someone has a book coming out, someone has foreknowledge of an ISIS attack with these weapons......there's always a reason.  I'm sure it will be revealed to us soon.