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The real question about chemical weapons in Iraq: Did the U.S. take care of its troops exposed to them? The real question about chemical weapons in Iraq: Did the U.S. take care of its troops who were exposed?
(35 minutes later)
It was 2009 when Iraq’s Defense Ministry launched a Chemical Defense Regiment, trained to respond to incidents involving chemical weapons that had been hidden across the country’s landscape for years. Soldiers jumped into action quickly afterward, recovering nearly 400 rounds carrying toxic materials in one three-day period that year, according to a U.S. Defense Department report.It was 2009 when Iraq’s Defense Ministry launched a Chemical Defense Regiment, trained to respond to incidents involving chemical weapons that had been hidden across the country’s landscape for years. Soldiers jumped into action quickly afterward, recovering nearly 400 rounds carrying toxic materials in one three-day period that year, according to a U.S. Defense Department report.
That’s just one example that U.S. troops and other Americans in Iraq knew that there were aging chemical weapons stored in numerous locations across the country. But it does little to blunt the impact of a New York Times piece published Tuesday night, which raises questions whether U.S. troops who were exposed to them received appropriate medical treatment.That’s just one example that U.S. troops and other Americans in Iraq knew that there were aging chemical weapons stored in numerous locations across the country. But it does little to blunt the impact of a New York Times piece published Tuesday night, which raises questions whether U.S. troops who were exposed to them received appropriate medical treatment.
The piece, by veteran war correspondent C.J. Chivers, said that American troops secretly reported finding roughly 5,000 chemical warheads, shells or bombs, relying on interviews with service members, U.S. and Iraqi officials and intelligence documents released through the Freedom of Information Act. The Times reported it found 17 American service members and seven Iraqi police officers who were exposed to poisonous mustard or nerve agents after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.The piece, by veteran war correspondent C.J. Chivers, said that American troops secretly reported finding roughly 5,000 chemical warheads, shells or bombs, relying on interviews with service members, U.S. and Iraqi officials and intelligence documents released through the Freedom of Information Act. The Times reported it found 17 American service members and seven Iraqi police officers who were exposed to poisonous mustard or nerve agents after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.
“I felt more like a guinea pig than a wounded soldier,” said one former Army sergeant who was burned by mustard in 2007, but denied hospital treatment and medical evacuation despite requests from his commander, the Times reported.“I felt more like a guinea pig than a wounded soldier,” said one former Army sergeant who was burned by mustard in 2007, but denied hospital treatment and medical evacuation despite requests from his commander, the Times reported.
Some accounts published Wednesday suggested that the existence of old chemical weapons in Iraq was essentially kept secret, but the U.S. military has repeatedly said they were a potential threat. In 2010, for example, an Army news release stated that “numerous, pre-1991 Gulf War Iraqi chemical munitions have been discovered in Iraqi since 2004,” attributing the information to Army Capt. Clifford D. Latting, an adviser on chemical weapons for the Iraqi army.Some accounts published Wednesday suggested that the existence of old chemical weapons in Iraq was essentially kept secret, but the U.S. military has repeatedly said they were a potential threat. In 2010, for example, an Army news release stated that “numerous, pre-1991 Gulf War Iraqi chemical munitions have been discovered in Iraqi since 2004,” attributing the information to Army Capt. Clifford D. Latting, an adviser on chemical weapons for the Iraqi army.
The extent to which U.S. troops discovered chemical weapons in Iraq had not previously been disclosed, however. Neither was the potential treatment of those who suffered injuries because of them, the Times reported.The extent to which U.S. troops discovered chemical weapons in Iraq had not previously been disclosed, however. Neither was the potential treatment of those who suffered injuries because of them, the Times reported.
One example is Spec. Richard Beasley, an explosive ordnance disposal technician who was burned by sulfer-mustard in a 155mm shell his unit had detonated in March 2007. He and his sergeant carried pieces of the shell back to their base in their truck, the Times reported, and developed blisters the next day:One example is Spec. Richard Beasley, an explosive ordnance disposal technician who was burned by sulfer-mustard in a 155mm shell his unit had detonated in March 2007. He and his sergeant carried pieces of the shell back to their base in their truck, the Times reported, and developed blisters the next day:
Sulfur-mustard burn on Richard Beasley, a US EOD tech denied med evacuation & Purple Heart. http://t.co/XREMYpz3pn pic.twitter.com/e8foHLSU34 — C.J. Chivers (@cjchivers) October 15, 2014Sulfur-mustard burn on Richard Beasley, a US EOD tech denied med evacuation & Purple Heart. http://t.co/XREMYpz3pn pic.twitter.com/e8foHLSU34 — C.J. Chivers (@cjchivers) October 15, 2014
Sulfur-mustard burn on Richard Beasley, a US EOD tech denied med evacuation & Purple Heart. http://t.co/XREMYpz3pn pic.twitter.com/e8foHLSU34Sulfur-mustard burn on Richard Beasley, a US EOD tech denied med evacuation & Purple Heart. http://t.co/XREMYpz3pn pic.twitter.com/e8foHLSU34
— C.J. Chivers (@cjchivers) October 15, 2014— C.J. Chivers (@cjchivers) October 15, 2014
The military kept their injuries quiet, however. They were not admitted to a military hospital in Iraq, and ordered not to write to family members about being exposed to mustard, they told the Times.The military kept their injuries quiet, however. They were not admitted to a military hospital in Iraq, and ordered not to write to family members about being exposed to mustard, they told the Times.
Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said Wednesday that the Defense Department estimates that about 20 service members were exposed to chemical weapons by destroying weapons caches. He said he couldn’t speak to whether any of the service members involved had been mistreated, but that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expects that if errors were made, “they’ll be rectified.”Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said Wednesday that the Defense Department estimates that about 20 service members were exposed to chemical weapons by destroying weapons caches. He said he couldn’t speak to whether any of the service members involved had been mistreated, but that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expects that if errors were made, “they’ll be rectified.”