IRAQI CHEMICAL CAPABILITIES

File: 120596_aadas_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 2
DTG: 091910ZAUG90
SUBJECT: IRAQI CHEMICAL CAPABILITIES
DESCRIPTION: REPORTS IRAQI CHEMICAL WEAPONS CAPABILITIES, HISTORICAL
USE, DOCTRINES FOR EMPLOYMENT. NOTE: 2 PAGES RELEASED.


 O TO SDBOO //
        SDCOO /REROUTE OF RUCUAAA8240 2211851 0 091828Z AUG 90//
 FM RUCSMSC AA PROCOPY MSN 0040 DTG AUG 091910Z N

 SUBJECT: (U) CHEMICAL CAPABILITIES
              IRAQ: CHEMICAL WEAPONS CAPABILITIES: INTELLIGENCE
 ASSESSES THAT IRAQ CAN AND WILL LAUNCH CHEMICAL MUNITIONS WHENEVER
 THEY FIND IT TACTICALLY ADUANTAGEOUS. HOWEUER, IRAQI CHEMICAL
 STRIKES AGAINST SURFACE VESSELS HAUE NOT BEEN OBSERVED, AND THE
 IRAQI AIR FORCE'S ABlLITY TO TARGET USN COMBATANTS UNDERWAY IN THE
 SOUTHERN PERSIAN GULF IS LIMITED. IRAQ MAINTAINS THE MOST EXTENSIVE
 OFFENSIVE CHEMICAL WARFARE CAPABILITY IN THE THIRD WORLD. THEY
 POSSESS A WIDE-VARIETY OF CHEMICHL WARFARE AGENTS INCLUDING MUSTARD,
 DUSTY MUSTARD, TABUN, SARIN, AND NERVE AGENTS AND HAVE ADDITIONAL
 AGENTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
                IRAQ HAS DEMONSTRATED THE ABILITY TO USE CHFMICAL
 AGENTS EFFECTIVELY WITH A UARIETY OF DELIVERY SYSTEMS INCLUDING
 
 AERlAL BOMBS, CLUSTER BOMBS, AIR-TO-SURFACE ROCKETS. AIR-DROPPED
 CANISTERS, AND SPRAY SYSTEMS, AMONG OTHERS. ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS
 EXCEPT CLUSTER BOMBS WERE USED IN THE WAR AGAINST IRAN. IRAQ HAS
 PROBABLY DEVELOPED CHEMICAL WARHEADS FOR USE WITH ITS SSMS AND HAS
 THE CAPABILITY TO MANUFACTURE CHEMICAL WARHEADS FOR THF SS-N-2B
 MISSILES ONBOARD THEIR OSA PTGS.
         BAGDAD IS BELIEVED TO VIEW CHEMICAL WEAPONS AS PART OF
 CONVENTIONAL WARFARE, WITH RESTRAINT HINGING ON PRIMARILY TACTICAL
 FACTORS. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS COMES FROM SADDAM
 HUSSAYN; HOWEVER , THE REQUEST AND APPROVAL PROCESS CAN BE
 ACCOMPLISHED IN AS LITTILE AS 24-48 HOURS. DURING THE IRAN/IRAQ
 WAR, RELEASE AUTHORITY FOR CHEMICAL AND MORTAR SHELLS WAS GRANTED TO
 SOME CORPS COMMANDERS. FOR SECURITY REASONS, ALL CHEMICAL ORDERS
 WERE PASSED VERBALLY OR VIA COURIER AND NOTHING CONCERNING CHEMICAL
 USE WAS CONMITED TO PAPER.
               IN GENERAL, IF IRAQI FORCES NEEDED TO OCCUPY AN AREA
 QUICKLY, A NON- OR SEMI-PERSISTENT CHEMICAL AGENT SUCH AS SARIN WOULD
 BE USED. FOR AREA DENIAL, A PERSISTANT AGENT SUCH AS MUSTARB WOULD
 BE USED. IRAQI CHEMICAL CAPABILITIES ARE WELL-INTEGRATED THROUGHOUT
 THEIR FORCES AND OPPOSITION TO AN AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT WOULD PROBABLY
 
 INCLUDE CHEMICAL MUNITIONS.