THE WISDOM FUND: News & Views
The Independent
March 2, 2003

US Prepares to Use Toxic Gases in Iraq

by Geoffrey Lean and Severin Carrell

The US is preparing to use the toxic riot-control agents CS gas and pepper spray in Iraq in contravention of the Chemical Weapons Convention, provoking the first split in the Anglo-US alliance. "Calmative" gases, similar to the one that killed 120 hostages in the Moscow theatre siege last year, could also be employed.

. . . The US Marine Corps confirmed last week that both had already been shipped to the Gulf.

. . . US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, has asked President Bush to authorise their use. Mr Bush, who has often spoken of "smoking out" the enemy, is understood to have agreed.

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