Former Head Of Britain's Nuclear Team: 'The Islamic State Will Inevitably Construct Or Acquire WMDs'

Express: EXCLUSIVE: ISIS will 'inevitably' get WMDs, warns former head of British Army nuclear team

ISLAMIC State will “inevitably” construct or acquire weapons of mass destruction, the former head of the British Army’s nuclear team warns.

The risk of an improvised nuclear bomb being detonated in a foreign city has “increased substantially” because of tensions with Russia, he claims.

Dr Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said the extremist jihadist group already had chemical weapons such as mustard gas and it is “only a matter of time” before it managed to launch an attack capable of destroying a substantial part of a city.

Bretton-Gordon, who formerly commanded the British Army’s Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) regiment, gave the stark warning as he addressed the Global Resilience conference in London on Thursday.

WNU Editor: The nightmare scenario that everyone hopes will not happen.

CIA Bought Iraqi Chemical Weapons

Aerial view of the Al Muthanna Chemical Weapons Complex after Operation Desert Storm, from a 2004 CIA report, with R&D and laboratory facilities marked out and labelled (stock image) [Picture: CIA]

C.J. Chivers and Eric Schmitt, Houston Chronicle/New York Times: CIA is said to have bought Iraqi chemical weapons

The CIA, working with U.S. troops during the occupation of Iraq, repeatedly purchased nerve-agent rockets from a secretive Iraqi seller, part of a previously undisclosed effort to ensure that old chemical weapons remaining in Iraq did not fall into the hands of terrorists or militant groups, according to current and former U.S. officials.

The extraordinary arms purchase plan, known as Operation Avarice, began in 2005 and continued into 2006, and the U.S. military deemed it a nonproliferation success. It led the United States to acquire and destroy at least 400 Borak rockets, one of the internationally condemned chemical weapons that Saddam Hussein's Baathist government manufactured in the 1980s but that were not accounted for by U.N. inspections mandated after the 1991 Persian Gulf war.

WNU Editor: I would love to know who was the personi who had these weapons stockpiled. On second .... maybe not .... just be grateful that he sold them to the U.S. and not to someone else.

Pentagon: 600 U.S. Soldiers Were Exposed To Chemical Weapons In Iraq

More Than 600 Reported Chemical Exposure in Iraq, Pentagon Acknowledges -- New York Times

More than 600 American service members since 2003 have reported to military medical staff members that they believe they were exposed to chemical warfare agents in Iraq, but the Pentagon failed to recognize the scope of the reported cases or offer adequate tracking and treatment to those who may have been injured, defense officials say.

The Pentagon’s disclosure abruptly changed the scale and potential costs of the United States’ encounters with abandoned chemical weapons during the occupation of Iraq, episodes the military had for more than a decade kept from view.

This previously untold chapter of the occupation became public after an investigation by The New York Times revealed last month that although troops did not find an active weapons of mass destruction program, they did encounter degraded chemical weapons from the 1980s that had been hidden in caches or used in makeshift bombs.

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More News On The Pentagon's Admission That 600 U.S. Soldiers Were Exposed To Chemical Weapons In Iraq

Report: More than 600 troops reported Iraq chemical weapons exposure -- Stars and Stripes/AP
Pentagon: Over 600 Service Members Reported Chemical Exposure in Iraq -- Time
Paper: US Vets Reported Exposure to Chemical Agents in Iraq -- VOA
Hundreds of US troops exposed to chemical agents in Iraq -- France 24
More than 600 service members believe they were exposed to chemical weapons in Iraq: report -- New York Daily News
Scores Of US Troops Reported Exposure To Chemical Weapons In Iraq Since 2003 -- IBTimes
At least 629 U.S. troops were exposed to chemical weapons in Iraq -- The Week
Pentagon Says Hundreds in Military Exposed to Chemical Agents While in Iraq -- Slate
Over 600 US Military Personnel Exposed to Chemical Agents in Iraq: Reports -- RIA Novosti
Pentagon shrugged off troops' chemical exposure in Iraq -- UPI

Is A Nuclear War Inevitable In The Middle East?

How To Save The Middle East From Nuclear War -- Prince Turki Al Faisal, Defense One

My proposal for a Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone in the Middle East seeks to inject much-needed energy into resolving a crucial issue that affects us all, but none more than the peoples of the Middle East themselves. The international community has often clung to policies that fail to tackle the obstacles to action. While my proposals stretch the boundaries of conventional thinking, they predictably will invite objections. They should be given a fair hearing. Otherwise, we are all heading to a new and more dangerous Middle East containing many nuclear-armed states in which the risk of nuclear war will be greatly magnified.

No region in the world is in greater need of becoming such a zone than the conflict-cursed Middle East. This region is in the midst of a drastic transformation. One of its states (Israel) is a de facto nuclear weapon state and another one (Iran) is progressing toward becoming one. Both countries have lied about their intentions in this regard. Israel publicly stated that it would not introduce nuclear weapons into the Middle East, yet it is believed to posses over 200 warheads with the required delivery systems. Iran has publicly stated that it seeks the peaceful development of nuclear power, yet it continues to raise enrichment levels in its centrifuges while increasing their number and preventing International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from inspecting suspected sites.

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My Comment: Prince Turki Al Faisal is offering a bold proposal to save the Middle East from avoiding the path that they are following now .... but here is an easy prediction .... no one is going to listen to him.

What It Will Take To Neutralize Syria's WMDs

Clearing Syrian WMDs Means 75K Troops And Massive Air Strikes -- USNI

In July, Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid Mullalem declared that Syria’s stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons would go unused in its civil war – unless a foreign power chose to intervene . The threat constituted a rare confirmation of the regime’s unconventional arsenal . The declaration raised serious concerns about U.S. policies in the event the regime did use its chemical or biological weapons. President Obama stated this would constitute a “red line” with “enormous consequences” that would alter calculations for military actions.

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My Comment: There is zero political will in the West to send ground troops coupled with air support against Syria. But if such a military action does get sanctioned, it will be because Syria has decided to use WMDs against us or an ally .... a prospect that I doubt will happen. As to the figure of  75,000 soldiers needed to neutralize Syria's WMDs .... that number is pathetically small.

Does Syria's WMD Arsenal Include Iraq's WMDs Smuggled Out Before The 2003 Invasion?

Syria's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Jihad Makdissi speaks during a news conference in Damascus July 23, 2012. (Reuters/Stringer)

The Unresolved Mystery of Syria’s ‘Iraqi’ Chemical Weapons -- Harvey Morris, IHT

LONDON — The apparent confirmation by the Syrian regime that it has chemical weapons at its disposal hardly came as a surprise.

Despite the studied ambiguity of statements on Monday by Jihad Makdissi, a Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman, the underlying message was clear.

As my colleagues Neil MacFarquhar and Eric Schmitt write: “Though it has for many years been an open secret that Syria possessed a large cache of such weapons, the government has traditionally tried to retain some strategic ambiguity to keep its enemies guessing.”

They quote unclassified reports by the Central Intelligence Agency that Syria has amassed huge supplies of mustard gas, sarin nerve agent and cyanide over the past four decades.

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My Comment: I am always skeptical of these reports. Saddam Hussein was never a dictator who wanted WMDs so that he could then give it to his neighbors when threatened .... that was never his psychological profile.

For a summary on what experts believe is Syria's chemical weapon arsenal .... go here.

Is Israel Preparing To Launch Attacks On Syrian WMD Sites?

Target: Syrian WMD -- Washington Free Beacon

U.S. concerned Israel may launch attacks on Syrian WMD sites

U.S. intelligence agencies are closely watching Israel’s military for signs it will conduct strikes on Syria’s stockpiles of chemical weapons, amid concerns the deadly nerve agents could fall under the control of Hezbollah or al Qaeda terrorists, U.S. officials said.

Syria’s arsenal remains vulnerable as the result of the internal conflict currently underway in Syria between government forces and opposition rebels, one official said.

“Everyone suspects Syria maintains an active chemical weapons program; and it would be dangerous not to plan accordingly,” the official said.

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My Comment: I would love to know who leaked this story .... Israel? Syria? Washington? If there is a nightmare scenario for Syria it is this story .... Syria`s chemical stockpiles .... or a portion of it .... falling into the hands of Al Qaeda and/or other terror groups.

Update: A good article on U.S. and Israeli monitoring of Syrian WMD sites is here.

Update #2: Experts Highlight Technical Challenge in Dealing With Syrian Chem Arsenal -- Global Security Newswire

The Real WMD Nightmare Is Syria

Fearful Of A Nuclear Iran? The Real WMD Nightmare Is Syria -- Charles P. Blair, Bulletin Of Atomic Scientists

Article Highlights

* Syria has one of the largest and most sophisticated chemical weapons programs in the world and may also possess offensive biological weapons.
* Longstanding terrorist groups and newly arrived Al Qaeda-affiliated fighters from Iraq have been active in Syria during that country's recent insurgency.
* The United States and regional powers -- including Saudi Arabia and Iran -- need to start planning now to keep Syria's WMD out of terrorist hands if the Assad regime falls.

As possible military action against Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program looms large in the public arena, far more international concern should be directed toward Syria and its weapons of mass destruction. When the Syrian uprising began more than a year ago, few predicted the regime of President Bashar al-Assad would ever teeter toward collapse. Now, though, the demise of Damascus's current leadership appears inevitable, and Syria's revolution will likely be an unpredictable, protracted, and grim affair.

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My Comment: Considering the writer for this article .... we should all be very concerned.

US State Department Issues 'Quiet Warning' On Syria's WMDs

Exclusive: State Department Quietly Warning Region On Syrian WMDs -- The Cable/Foreign Policy

The State Department has begun coordinating with Syria's neighbors to prepare for the handling of President Bashar al-Assad's extensive WMD assets if and when his regime collapses, The Cable has learned.

This week, the State Department sent a diplomatic demarche to Syria's neighbors Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia, warning them about the possibility of Syria's WMDs crossing their borders and offering U.S. government help in dealing with the problem, three Obama administration officials confirmed to The Cable. For concerned parties both inside and outside the U.S. government, the demarche signifies that the United States is increasingly developing plans to deal with the dangers of a post-Assad Syria -- while simultaneously highlighting the lack of planning for how to directly bring about Assad's downfall.

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My Comment: Should we be surprised by this report .... no. Should we be concerned .... yes. Do we have any assets in place to prevent a worse case scenario .... i.e. the use of these WMDs by the Syrian government or by terrorists who may get their hands on them .... the answer .... if the above article is any indication .... is a big no.

Did Iran Supply Libya With Chemical Weapons?

A man looks at piles of ammunition stored in a bunker located in the desert some 100kms south of Sirte in October (AFP/File, Philippe Desmazes)

Iran May Have Sent Libya Shells For Chemical Weapons -- Washington Post

The Obama administration is investigating whether Iran supplied the Libyan government of Moammar Gaddafi with hundreds of special artillery shells for chemical weapons that Libya kept secret for decades, U.S. officials said.

The shells, which Libya filled with highly toxic mustard agent, were uncovered in recent weeks by revolutionary fighters at two sites in central Libya. Both are under heavy guard and round-the-clock surveillance by drones, U.S. and Libyan officials said.

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More News On Did Iran Send Chemical Weapons To Libya

Iran may have sent Libya chemical weapon shells: report -- AFP
'US investigates if Iran sent Libya chemical weapon shells' -- Jerusalem Post
Report: Iran Supplied Qaddafi with Shells for Chemical Weapons -- Arutz Sheva

My Comment: If these reports are true .... if I was Israel I would be wondering if groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and others have also been supplied with these WMDs.

Concerns Over Syrian WMDs Now Rising Among Western Intelligence Agencies

U.S., Israel Monitor Suspected Syrian WMD -- Wall Street Journal

Intelligence Services Allege Significant Stockpiles of Gases, Missiles at Military Bases Could Be Targets Amid Unrest.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. and Israel are closely monitoring Syria's suspected cache of weapons of mass destruction, fearing that terror groups could take advantage of the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad to obtain blistering agents, nerve gas and long-range missiles, according to officials from both countries.

U.S intelligence services believe Syria's nonconventional weapons programs include significant stockpiles of mustard gas, VX and Sarin gas and the missile and artillery systems to deliver them.

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My Comment: More info on concerns over Syrian WMDs falling into terrorist hands can be found here.

Is North Korea Shipping WMDs To Syria?

Israel's foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman. Photograph: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters

Israel Says N.Korea Shipping WMDs To Syria -- Yahoo News/AFP

JERUSALEM (AFP) – Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Tuesday accused nuclear power North Korea of supplying Syria with weapons of mass destruction.

Lieberman's office quoted him as telling Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama at a meeting in Tokyo that such activity threatened to destabilise east Asia as well as the Middle East.

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My Comment: The Israeli foreign minister only refers to the intercepted North Korean flight in Bangkok as evidence for his assertion that North Korea is shipping WMDs to Syria .... but for him to make an impact he will need to provide more evidence than just that.

Is An Arab Nation Going Nuclear?

Target, left, has been razed, according to satellite image of lot where some U.S. officials believe Syria was building nuclear reactor. DigitalGlobe ISIS

From Military.com:

According to an expert on the Middle East, Israel may soon no longer be alone in possessing nuclear weapons in that volatile region of the globe.

But the other power with "the bomb" may not necessarily be Iran. While some countries claim Tehran is bent on becoming a nuclear-armed power – a claim Iran denies – an Arab country already is taking steps to go nuclear, says Jim Hoagland, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post journalist, who spoke Thursday at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

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My Comment: If I have to speculate .... I would point my finger at Saudi Arabia. They have the money, the contacts, and the people who understand the physics and engineering behind nuclear weapons.

Nuclear Weapons/Programs In The Middle East -- A News Roundup

Israel is widely considered to be the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power.
Photo AFP

U.N. Body Urges Israel To Allow Nuclear Inspections -- Reuters

IENNA (Reuters) - Arab states in the U.N. nuclear assembly on Friday won narrow approval of a resolution urging Israel to put all its atomic sites under U.N. inspection and join the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Jewish state deplored the measure for singling it out while many of its Islamic neighbors remained hostile to its existence, and said it would not cooperate with it.

The non-binding resolution, which passed for the first time in 18 years of attempts thanks to more developing nation votes, voiced concern about "Israeli nuclear capabilities" and urged the International Atomic Energy Agency to tackle the issue.

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More News On The Middle East And Its Nuclear Ambitions

IAEA Members Call for Nuclear Weapon-Free Middle East -- Global Security Newswire
More IAEA nations back non-nuclear Mideast in vote -- Reuters

Nuclear conference criticizes Israeli nukes -- AP
Nuclear watchdog voices 'concern' at Israel -- AFP
IAEA conference criticizes Israeli nuclear program -- Washington TV

Iran has expertise to build nuclear bomb, says UN report -- The Telegraph
CIA Chief: Iranian Leaders Debating Nuclear Weapons -- Voice of America
Iran Can Build Nuclear Weapon, Says Secret IAEA Document -- Global Security Newswire
IAEA secret report: Iran worked on nuclear warhead -- The Guardian
Iran says 'new framework of cooperation' agreed with IAEA -- AFP

The Middle East And Nuclear Weapons -- News Updates September 17, 2009

Could Israel attack Iran? (RT News cast)

Intelligence Agencies Say No New Nukes in Iran -- Newsweek

Secret updates to White House challenge European and Israeli assessments.

The U.S. intelligence community is reporting to the White House that Iran has not restarted its nuclear-weapons development program, two counterproliferation officials tell NEWSWEEK. U.S. agencies had previously said that Tehran halted the program in 2003.

The officials, who asked for anonymity when discussing sensitive information, said that U.S. intelligence agencies have informed policymakers at the White House and other agencies that the status of Iranian work on development and production of a nuclear bomb has not changed since the formal National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran's "Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities" in November 2007.

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More News On Nuclear Issues In The Middle East

Israel says Mideast not ready for nuclear arms ban -- AP
'Nuclear-free zone impossible in anti-Israel Mideast' -- Haaretz
Clear Middle East of nukes, says Kuwait -- Arab News
France 'certain' Iran working on nukes -- Sydney Morning Herald
Iran lashes out at Sarkozy's nuclear remarks -- AFP
Iran bullish ahead of nuclear talks -- Asia Times
Iran says venue for nuclear talks not fixed -- AFP
Israel Defence Chief: Iran Not An Existential Threat -- New York Times/Reuters
Israel 'will attack Iran this year' if West does not cripple Tehran with sanctions -- The Telegraph
Q+A: Could Israel strike Iran over nuclear concerns? -- Reuters

The Clock Is Ticking -- New York Times opinion
Obama Is "Pushing Israel To War," Ctd -- The Daily Dish
Why Europe wants stiffer sanctions on Iran -- Christian Science Monitor
The Latest on Bombing or Talking to Iran -- New York Times opinion
What happened to the US deadline on Iran? -- Jerusalem Post opinion

Arabs Want Meetings On Iran's Nuclear Program

From Yahoo News/AP:

UNITED NATIONS – Arab nations concerned about Iran's nuclear program want to meet regularly with the six international powers trying to ensure that it remains peaceful, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday.

Rice spoke to reporters after a closed door meeting between the six countries — the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany — and representatives from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

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43 Nations To Seek Middle East Free Of WMDs

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, right, shares a word with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a Mediterranean Summit round table meeting at the Grand Palais in Paris, Sunday July 13, 2008.

From MSNBC:

PARIS - More than 40 nations, including Israel and Arab states, agreed Sunday to work for a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

A final declaration from a summit launching the Union for the Mediterranean says the members will "pursue a mutually and effectively verifiable Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction."

That includes nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their delivery systems, the statement says. The countries will "consider practical steps to prevent the proliferation" of such weapons, it says.

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More News On The Middle East Free Of WMDs

Mediterranean union wants to rid Mideast of WMD -- Yahoo News/AP
Nations agree to work for WMD-free Mediterranean -- CNN
Mediterranean summit seeks WMD-free Middle East -- CTV
Leaders of 43 nations take part in new union -- Seattle Times
Sarkozy launches union for Mediterranean region -- Boston Globe
Paris summit: Leaders pledge to work for WMD-free Middle East -- Ynet News
European, Mideast leaders take historic steps in forming new union -- Star Tribune

My Comment: High hopes and high dreams .... all form but no substance. At least everyone has a chance to have a party.