White House Warns Russia Could Use Chemical Or Biological Weapons In Ukraine

 

Daily Mail: 'We're trying to prevent a world war': Psaki suggests Putin using chemical weapons is NOT a 'red line' and US won't send in troops and killing the Polish jet deal was to stop escalation 

* White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested that Vladimir Putin using chemical weapons was not a 'red line' for the United States 

* She doubled down on President Joe Biden's stance that the United States will not have boots on the ground in the Ukraine 

* 'I'm not going to get into hypotheticals,' she noted. 'But the president's intention of sending U.S. military to fight in Ukraine against Russia has not changed' 

* US and NATO forces are taking part in Operation Saber Strike in Estonia 

* They were set for cold weather conditions 

* Featured use of Stryker armored vehicles and Stinger missiles 

* Allies have rushed Stingers into the hands of Ukrainian fighters as they battle Russia's invasion 

* VP Kamala Harris reaffirmed 'The United States is prepared to defend every inch of NATO territory' 

* But non-NATO countries near Russia fear they could suffer invasion as well 

White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested on Thursday that Vladimir Putin using chemical weapons was not a 'red line' for the United States to prompt a military response. 

She doubled down on President Joe Biden's stance that America won't have boots on the ground in the Ukraine. And she refused to say what - if anything - would change that. 'I'm not going to get into red lines from here,' Psaki said from her podium in the White House briefing room. 

 'I'm not going to get into hypotheticals,' she noted. 'But the president's intention of sending U.S. military to fight in Ukraine against Russia has not changed.'  

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More News On The White House Warning Russia Could Use Chemical Or Biological Weapons In Ukraine  

White House warns Russia may use chemical weapons in Ukraine -- AP  

White House: Russia could use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine -- Axios  

Russia could launch chemical attack in Ukraine - White House -- BBC  

US, UK fear Russia may use chemical weapons in Ukraine as EU accuses Moscow of war crimes for hospital strike -- ABC News Australia

U.S. Army Creates A Fabric That Can Destroy Nerve Agents

Sgt. Logan Hall, a U.S. Army Reserve soldier with the 200th Military Police Command, inspects the seal of a protective mask during formation during a field training exercise at Fort Meade, Md., Jan. 13, 2019. (Master Sgt. Michel Sauret/Army Reserve)

Army Times: Army’s new fabric works to destroy nerve agents

Nerve agents are some of deadliest substances on the planet. From Sarin gas, which turns the human nervous system against itself, to mustard gas, which burns on contact and disrupts respiratory function, these often unseen chemicals are ones the Army sees as not only worth protecting against, but working to destroy.

A new fabric, generated by Omar Farha’s lab at Northwestern University with cooperation from the U.S. Army, is intended to do just that.

“With the correct chemistry, we can render toxic gases nontoxic,” Farha, associate professor of chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, said in a release. “The action takes place at the nanolevel.”

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Update: US Army creates a fabric that neutralises nerve gases and makes them useless by ‘pulling water from the air and rendering them non-toxic’ (Daily Mail)

WNU Editor: I see this as an acknowledgement that even though chemical warfare is banned, some countries will disregard it. Best to be prepared for it than not.

U.S. Secretary Of State Pompeo: Syria's Assad Used Chemical Weapons In May

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during the United Against Nuclear Iran Summit on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Reuters

The Guardian: Assad regime used chlorine as a chemical weapon, says US

Chlorine use in May marks first confirmed violation of ban since Trump authorized airstrikes in 2018 over Syria’s use of poison gas.

The United States has concluded that the government of Bashar al-Assad used chlorine as a chemical weapon in May, marking the first confirmed violation of the ban on chemical weapons since Donald Trump authorized airstrikes in 2018 over Syria’s use of poison gas.

“The Assad regime is responsible for innumerable atrocities some of which rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity,” the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, told a news conference in New York, where he has been attending the UN general assembly.

“Today I am announcing that the United States has concluded that the Assad regime used chlorine as a chemical weapon on 19 May,” Pompeo said.

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More News On U.S. Secretary Of State Pompeo Statement That Syria's Assad Used Chemical Weapons In May

U.S. accuses Syrian government of chemical weapon attack in May in Idlib -- Reuters
US confirms Syria's Assad used chemical weapons in May: Pompeo -- AFP
U.S. Intelligence Finds Syrian Government Conducted Chlorine Rocket Attack in May -- The Wall Street Journal
US says Syria used chemical weapons in May attack -- Washington Post
US concludes Syrian regime used chemical weapons in May attack -- The Hill

Global Chemical Weapons Inspectors Have Reached The Town Where A Susepcted Gas Attack Occurred Earlier This Month

Reuters: Chemical weapons experts enter site of attack in Syrian town

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Global chemical weapons inspectors finally reached the Syrian town on Tuesday where a suspected poison gas attack took place, days after the United States, Britain and France launched missile strikes to punish Damascus for it.

Syrian state television reported that the experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons had entered Douma, where Western countries say scores of civilians sheltering from bombs were gassed to death on April 7.

France said it was very likely that evidence of the poison gas attack was disappearing before the inspectors could reach the site. Syria and its ally Russia deny that any chemical attack took place.

Douma is now in the hands of government forces after the last rebels withdrew just hours after U.S., French and British forces fired more than 100 missiles to hit three suspected chemical weapons development or storage sites.

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WNU editor: Too much time has passed since the attack. I am sceptical that they will be able to find evidence that can produce a conclusion that everyone will be satisfied with.

More News On Global Chemical Weapons Inspectors Reaching The Town Where A Susepcted Gas Attack Occurred Earlier This Month

The Latest: UN: Syria must not restrict chemical probe -- AP
Chemical weapons inspectors reach Syrian town -- AP
Syria 'chemical attack': OPCW investigators to be allowed into Douma -- BBC News
Chemical weapons inspectors arrive in Syrian gas attack town ahead of tomorrow's site visit, amid fears Moscow has already 'tampered' with evidence -- Daily Mail
Chemical weapons experts arrive at Douma to assess attack site, Syria says -- CNN
What is the OPCW, and Can It Referee on Chemical Weapons in Syria? -- New York Times

Chemical Weapons Inspectors Denied Access To Site Of Suspected Gas Attack By Syrian And Russian Authorities

Reuters: Inspectors' visit to suspected Syria gas attack site delayed

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - A visit by chemical weapons inspectors to the site of a suspected gas attack in Syria was delayed on Monday, British and Russian officials said, as Western powers and Russia traded accusations in the aftermath of retaliatory U.S.-led missile strikes.

Moscow, the main ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, on Sunday condemned the United States, Britain and France for refusing to wait for the findings of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inspection team on the alleged attack on Douma before they launched the strikes.

OPCW inspectors arrived in Damascus on Saturday and had planned to head to Douma, on the outskirts of the capital, on Monday. But the British delegation to the OPCW said Russia and Syria had not yet allowed inspectors access to Douma.

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WNU editor: For the Syrians and Russians .... the optics of not permitting inspectors to enter the site only validates their guilt.

Update: No one is buying this .... Russia says chemical weapons inspection delayed due to air strikes (Reuters)

More News On Chemical Weapons Inspectors Denied Access To Site Of Suspected Gas Attack By Syrian And Russian Authorities

Russia says UN delaying fact-finding mission visit in Syria -- AP
Russia and Syria block chemical weapons inspectors team from accessing site of Douma gas attack -- AFP
Russia accused of blocking access to alleged chemical attack site -- CBS
OPCW inspectors 'not yet' allowed in Syria's Douma: UK delegation -- Al Jazeera
Syria air strikes: Russia denies tampering with suspected chemical attack site -- BBC
OPCW starts emergency talks on Douma attacks: diplomatic sources -- AFP
Syria air strikes: Russia 'not tampering' with chemical attack site -- BBC
The OPCW: ridding the world of chemical weapons -- AFP
What does an OPCW field mission look like? -- AFP

Here Are 34 Confirmed Chemical Attacks In Syria Since 2013

A child is treated in a hospital in Douma, eastern Ghouta in Syria, after what a Syria medical relief group claims was a suspected chemical attack April, 7, 2018. Pcture taken April 7, 2018. White Helmets/Handout via REUTERS

New York Times: Most Chemical Attacks in Syria Get Little Attention. Here Are 34 Confirmed Cases.

A suspected chemical attack that killed dozens of Syrians in Douma, a rebel-held town near Damascus, drew promises of retaliation from President Trump days after he instructed his military commanders to quickly end American involvement in Syria.

But if chemical weapons were used in the attack — which Mr. Trump blamed on the Syrian government as well as its Russian and Iranian allies — it would be the latest in a string of such attacks in Syria in the last five years. Syria, Russia and Iran all denied that the Syrian government used chemical weapons.

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic says it has confirmed at least 34 chemical attacks since 2013, many of which it said used chlorine or sarin, a nerve agent, and were conducted by the Syrian government. The commission, which is currently investigating the attack on Douma, is an independent body established by the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate human rights violations in Syria.

It is likely that there have been more than these 34 confirmed chemical attacks in Syria. Rolando Gomez, a spokesman for the United Nations Human Rights Council, said that the commission was unable to verify reports of chemical attacks in 2015 because of a lack of access during that time.

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WNU Editor: Other groups are reporting higher numbers. Human Rights Watch has reported that there have been 85 chemical attacks since 2013, based on its analysis of reports verified by various sources, including United Nations investigations and Amnesty International. And the American ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki R. Haley, accused the Syrian government on Friday of using chemical weapons at least 50 times since 2011.

Syrian Rescue Workers: At Least 70 Killed In Suspected Chemical Attack In Douma

Daily Mail: Trump warns Russia and Iran there will be a 'big price to pay' for backing 'Animal Assad' as US joins The Pope and Britain in condemning Syrian 'nerve agent' attack that killed more than 70 people

* WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
* Syrian activists and rescuers say a poison gas attack on a rebel-held town killed at least 70 people yesterday
* The alleged attack in the town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta came amid a resumed offensive after a truce failed
* The US has hit out at the Russian government for its backing of the Assad regime after the alleged attack
* UK's Boris Johnson said the deaths were 'truly horrific' but Moscow and Syria denied the chemical attack
* President Donald Trump warned of a 'big price to pay' for Russia and Iran for their backing of 'Animal Assad'
* The Pope joined in the condemnation saying nothing could justify the use of 'instruments of extermination'
* Syria said an agreement had been reached for rebels to leave Douma with Russia offering safe passage out

President Donald Trump has warned Russia and Iran there will be a 'big price to pay' for their backing of the Assad regime in Syria after an alleged chemical attack was reported to have killed at least 70 people on Saturday.

The alleged attack in the town of Douma occurred on Saturday night amid a new offensive by Syrian government forces after the collapse of a truce, while government airstrikes resumed today on the last rebel stronghold in Eastern Ghouta.

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was 'truly horrific to think that many of the victims were reportedly families seeking refuge from airstrikes in underground shelters'. The Kremlin and Assad regime denied the chemical attack while Moscow warned of the 'gravest consequences' if any foreign power intervened.

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More News On Syrian Reports That At Least 70 Have Been Killed In A Chemical Attack In Douma

Dozens Suffocate in Syria as Government Is Accused of Chemical Attack -- New York Times
Dozens killed in suspected chemical attack on Syrian rebel enclave -- The Guardian
Alleged chemical attack strikes rebel-held Douma in Syria -- AP
Dozens dead in suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria -- DW
Reports: Assad-backed chemical attack kills dozens in Syria -- UPI
Syrian Government Accused Of Killing Dozens in Chemical Attack -- NPR
Syria chemical attack: Scores killed in Douma, rescuers say -- Al Jazeera
'Instruments of extermination': Pope joins Britain and US in CONDEMNING Syrian 'nerve agent' bomb that killed more than 70 people and left dozens of children foaming at the mouth - but Russia and Assad DENY it was a chemical attack -- Daily Mail
Suspected toxic attack in Syria prompts outrage -- AFP
'Strong suspicion' Syrian regime behind Douma chemical attack: Turkey -- AFP
Turkey condemns use of chemical weapons in Syria's Douma -- Reuters

Reaction From The U.S.

Trump says 'big price to pay' for Syria chemical attack -- Reuters
Trump calls out ‘Animal Assad’ for suspected chemical attack -- AP
'Big price to pay,' after 'mindless' Syria attack: Trump -- AFP
Trump: 'big price to pay' for suspected Syria chemical weapons attack -- The Guardian
Syria war: Trump condemns Syria for 'chemical attack' on Douma -- BBC
US 'Won't Take Anything off the Table' on Syria - White House Aide -- Sputnik
US holds Russia ‘ultimately responsible’ amid reports of dozens gassed in Syria’s Douma -- RT

Reaction From Russia

Moscow Warns Against Foreign Attack in Syrian Areas Where Russian Troops Located -- Sputnik
Moscow denies claims Syrian regime used chemical weapons in Douma -- AFP
Russian Defense Ministry refutes reports that Syrian forces use chemical weapons in Douma -- TASS
Russia says Syria gas attack reports 'fabricated' -- Reuters

What A Chemical Attack In Syria Looks Like

Syrian Civil Defense

CBS 60 Minutes: What a chemical attack in Syria looks like

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has used internationally banned chemical weapons nearly 200 times throughout the civil war threatening his regime. Now, rare footage shows just how brutal those attacks are

This past week Syrian President Bashar al-Assad unleashed one of his heaviest bombardments on civilians in a struggle to end the civil war that threatened his family's dynastic dictatorship. Assad has committed just about every war crime under international law. His worst atrocities involve banned chemical weapons. This is the story of one of those massacres. It is hard to watch, and it is not for small children, but it is important to see because chemical assaults have now become routine in Syria with nearly 200 over seven years. This past November, Syria's ally, Russia, shut down the United Nations investigation into who is responsible. But our investigation continues. We have found a number of witnesses to a nerve gas attack that happened on April 4th, 2017. We'll begin with video that has not been seen until tonight.

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WNU Editor:  A disturbing report from 60 Minutes.

A Look Inside The U.S. Base Responsible For Testing Defenses Against Biological And Chemical Weapons

Photo from the Military Home Store

Daily Mail: Spectacular new pictures offer rare peek inside top secret Army base which tests defenses against biological and chemical weapons deep in the Utah desert

* Fascinating images offer a peek inside the top secret US Army Dugway Proving Ground deep in Utah desert
* The 800,000-acre base was built in 1942 and is used to create defenses against biological and chemical arms
* It is infamous for accidentally sending anthrax spores around the US and being linked to death of 6,249 sheep

These astonishing images reveal what it looks inside the US Army's Dugway Proving Ground in Utah.

Workers at the facility handle some of the deadliest and most dangerous biological and chemical agents on the planet.

The top secret 800,000-acre base - which is buried in the middle of the Utah desert - tests and develops defensive measures to counter a potential attack on the United States featuring chemical or biological weapons.

It was created in 1942 by the US Army Chemical Warfare Service as a more remote location than Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland.

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WNU Editor: 800,000 acres .... now that is one big base.

Report: 161 Chemical Attacks Have Killed 1,500 In Syria Since The Start Of The War

A man being treated after what activists claimed was a nerve gas attack in the Damascus suburbs of Jesreen in August 2013. Photograph: Reuters

DW: Report: More than 160 chemical attacks documented in Syria

Chemical weapons attacks have killed nearly 1,500 people in Syria, according to a new report. A UN war crimes expert says the documentation of the attacks will allow for international prosecution in the future.

The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) on Monday published a report detailing 161 chemical attacks in Syria since the conflict emerged in 2011.

"Since the conflict in Syria began, there have been numerous and horrific violations of humanitarian and human rights law, including the systematic use of chemical weapons," said a statement by SAMS announcing the report.

"The 161 documented chemical attacks have led to at least 1,491 deaths and 14,581 injuries from chemical exposure," SAMS added.

Some 133 other chemical attacks were reported in addition to the 161 documented in the reported, although SAMS said the claims "could not be fully substantiated."

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More News On 161 Chemical Attacks That Have Killed 1,500 In Syria Since The Start Of The War

161 Chemical Weapons Attacks in Syria's War, New Report Says -- AP
'Almost 1,500 killed in chemical weapons attacks' in Syria -- The Guardian
161 Chemical Attacks Since Syrian Civil War Began, Report Says -- IBTimes
Report: Chemical weapons used at least 161 times throughout Syrian conflict -- Al Bawaba
At Least 161 Cases of Chemical Weapons Use Registered in Syria -- Sputnik

Report: Rebels In Syria Using Chemical Weapons

Rebel fighters take positions at the frontline during what they said were clashes with Islamic State militants in the town of Marea in Aleppo's countryside October 3, 2014. Reuters/Rami Zayat

Reuters: Chemical weapons used by rebels in Syria: sources

Chemical weapons experts have determined that mustard gas was used in a Syrian town where Islamic State insurgents were battling another rebel group, according to a report by an international watchdog seen by Reuters.

A confidential Oct. 29 report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), a summary of which was shown to Reuters, concluded "with the utmost confidence that at least two people were exposed to sulfur mustard" in the town of Marea, north of Aleppo, on Aug. 21.

"It is very likely that the effects of sulfur mustard resulted in the death of a baby," it said.

The findings provide the first official confirmation of use of sulfur mustard, commonly known as mustard gas, in Syria since it agreed to destroy its chemical weapons stockpile, which included sulfur mustard.

Update #1: Chemical weapons experts confirm Islamic State use of mustard gas in Syria -- The Telegraph
Update #2: Chemical weapons used in Syrian fighting -- SKY News

WNU Editor: This chemical weapon use occurred when a Syrian rebel group was battling the Islamic State for the Syrian town of Marea, north of Aleppo. There is no Syrian government fingerprint on this attack .... so one has to wonder where did these chemicals come from?

U.S. Officials Suspect That Islamic State Militants Are Now Starting To Use Chemical Weapons

Wall Street Journal: Islamic State Suspected of Using Chemical Weapon, U.S. Says

Militants likely used mustard agent on Kurdish forces in Iraq, officials say

WASHINGTON—Islamic State militants likely used mustard agent against Kurdish forces in Iraq this week, senior U.S. officials said Thursday, in the first indication the militant group has obtained banned chemicals.

The officials said Islamic State could have obtained the mustard agent in Syria, whose government admitted to having large quantities in 2013 when it agreed to give up its chemical-weapons arsenal.

The use of mustard agent would mark an upgrade in Islamic State’s battlefield capabilities, and a worrisome one given U.S. intelligence fears about hidden caches of chemical weapons in Syria, where Islamic State controls wide swaths of territory.

More News On Reports That The Islamic State Used Chemical Weapons Against Kurdish Forces In Northern Iraq

U.S. believes Islamic State likely used mustard agent in Iraq attack: WSJ -- Reuters
IS suspected of chemical arms attack on Kurds in Iraq -- BBC
US investigating whether Islamic State used chemical weapons -- AP
U.S. investigating 'credible' reports that ISIS used chemical weapons -- CNN
'Credible' That ISIS Used Chemical Agent Against Kurdish Fighters -- ABC News
US officials investigating if ISIS used chemical weapons against Kurdish forces in Iraq -- FOX News
U.S. investigating if ISIS used chemical arms -- Al Arabiya
US investigating whether ISIL used chemical weapons -- Al Jazeera

Iraqi Military Officials Accuse The Islamic State Of Using Chlorine Bombs

ISIL fighters have captured large swathes of territory in Iraq and neighbouring Syria [Reuters]

Iraqis Say ISIL Used Chlorine Gas In Attacks -- Reuters

Officials north of Baghdad say soldiers and Shia fighters were poisoned in fighting last month.

Iraqi government officials have said ISIL used chlorine gas during fighting with Iraqi soldiers and Shia militia north of Baghdad.

A senior security official, a local official from the town of Duluiya and an official from the town of Balad said the group used bombs with chlorine-filled cylinders during clashes in September.

They told the Associated Press on Friday that about 40 troops and militiamen were affected by the chlorine and showed symptoms of chlorine poisoning, but quickly recovered.

The Washington Post also reported on Friday that 11 police offices had been rushed to hospital about 80km north of Baghdad last month with signs of chlorine poisoning.

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Update: Islamic State militants thought to be using chlorine bombs -- AP

Previous Post: Report: Islamic State Used Chemical Weapons Against Iraqi Forces

My Comment: Just another war crime committed by the Islamic State. It is also becoming more and more clear that the "normal rules" of warfare do not apply to the Islamic State.

Different Cities Have Different Smells. How To Detect A Chemical Attack

Knowing Your City's Scent Could Help DARPA Prevent Chemical Attacks Andrew Mason on Flickr

DARPA Wants To Detect Chemical Attacks By First Mapping Every City's Normal Scent -- Popular Science

Then, if something goes wrong, a quick whiff will let them know.

Don't mind those folks sniffing around the gas station - they're researchers. DARPA has a new scheme to identify the distinctive chemical scent of your city, to help protect you from chemical terrorist attacks.

Read more ....

How Science Is Countering Biological And Chemical Threats

Bio-terror A versatile material that neutralizes a range of biological and chemical agents could save time and lives in the event of a terrorist attack or accident.

New Versatile Polymer Counters Both Chemical and Biological Threats -- Popular Science

Because terrorists rarely announce the technical details of their nefarious intentions beforehand, the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction is not only great, it's multifaceted. So a team from the McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine has synthesized a polyurethane fiber mesh that is as variable as the terrorist threat. By mimicking biological tissues like the skin that respond to shifting environments, the a multifunctional polymer can decontaminate a range of both biological agents and chemical toxins.

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My Comment: Let's hope the day never comes when this technology must be used.

The First Time Chemical Weapons Were Used

The Lone Persian
The body of a Persian Empire soldier was found lying alone in a mine where the Persians executed the first known gas attack on Roman Empire soldiers attempting to hold down a fort. He is still clad in his iron mail shirt, his helmet and sword near his feet. Yale University Art Gallery, Dura-Europos Excavation Archive

Earliest Chemical Warfare Felled Roman Fort -- Discovery News

A cramped tunnel beneath a Middle Eastern fort might have produced the oldest evidence of chemical warfare, according to a CSI-style review of archival records.

Presented at the recent meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America, the review focused on the dramatic remains of 20 Roman soldiers unearthed in the 1930s in the city of Dura-Europos, Syria.

Sitting on a cliff overlooking the Euphrates River, the Roman fort at Dura was the site of a violent siege by the powerful Persian Empire around 256 A.D.

No historical record of the battle exists, but archaeological remains have helped piece together the action.

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My Comment: My love and specialty is history .... but I never knew about this story.

Chemical Weapons Suspected In Afghan Battle

A wounded 7-year-old girl lies in a hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, May 9, 2009. Afghan doctors are concerned over what they are calling "unusual" burns on victims. AP Photo

From The Toronto Star:

KABUL–Afghanistan's leading human rights organization said Sunday it was investigating the possibility that white phosphorus was used in a U.S.-Taliban battle that killed scores of Afghans. The U.S. military rejected speculation it had used the weapon but left open the possibility Taliban militants did.

White phosphorus can be employed legitimately in battle, but rights groups say its use over populated areas can indiscriminately burn civilians and constitutes a war crime.

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My Comment: Focusing on the small things .... ignoring the big picture. Whether or not white phosphorus was used is a tragedy for those who were directly impacted by it, but the bigger picture is the carnage that is happening in most of Afghanistan and the frontier regions of Pakistan right now. That is what we should be focused now.

'Qaida-Taliban Combo Has Chemical Weapon Formula'

Chemical Structure of Mustard Gas Compound

From Times Of India:

NEW DELHI: The al-Qaida-Taliban combo plans to use parts of the Middle East as launch pads for attacks against the west. Not only so, the groups have also developed some expertise in making bio-chemical weapons, NWFP police chief Malik Navid told a Pakistan National Assembly’s standing committee.

Navid warned that the Pakistan government needed to urgently focus on containing militancy as it spread from its bases. “Taliban’s philosophy is to create pockets everywhere,” he said, adding that jihadi groups were moving through southern Punjab and eventually aimed to reach the financial hub of Karachi.

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My Comment: My brother has a PhD in chemistry, and works extensively in the field. I once asked him a question on how hard would it be for him to produce a deadly chemical/biological agent. His answer .... a million bucks and some some time. If he can do it .... I am sure that Al Qaeda and their sympathizers can do the same thing.

Why Chemical Warfare is Ancient History

An engraving of Ancient Roman equestrian soldiers by Julius Romanus
Ancient Roman equestrian soldiers

From Time Magazine:

The prospect of chemical and biological warfare in this age of anthrax scares and WMDs can feel — like the threat of nuclear Armageddon before it— like a uniquely modern terror. But a British archaeologist's recent find offers a reminder that chemical weapons are nothing new — in fact, the tactic is nearly two thousand years old. Simon James, a researcher at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, claims to have found the first physical evidence of chemical weaponry, dating from a battle fought in 256 AD at an ancient Roman fortress city. James concluded that twenty Roman soldiers unearthed beneath the town's ramparts did not die from war wounds, as previous archaeologists assumed, but from poison gas.

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My Comment: The more that things change .... the more they stay the same.