NWI Insights - Iraq's chemical & biological weapons

The report by Neil Macdonald of the CBC reveals that the US government has known about Iraq's chemical and biological weapons for a long time. They have also been aware that Saddam Hussein is one of the few leaders who has actually used such weapons. Firstly against the Iranians soldiers in the Iran-Iraq war which stretched from 1980-1988 and had over a million casualties on both sides, and then against his own Kurdish citizens. There is no doubt, asserts Macdonald, that Saddam has committed appalling war crimes but there is also another lesser known issue that underlies the present crisis and surrounds the recent history of the US and their involvement with Iraq.

Macdonald visits George Washington University where he meets with researcher, Joyce Battle. Battle has obtained access to many State Department documents revealing the relationship of the US with Iraq during the 1980s. The documents survived an attempted censorship and Macdonald reports, highlight many disturbing facts. For instance the US government were aware of Iraq's chemical and biological weapons and warfare as early as 1983 when Ronald Reagan was President. They were conscious too of the fact that the arsenal was being supplied by US firms and Iraq had been using it to massacre Iranian soldiers. This intelligence however, reports Macdonald was "inconvenient intelligence".

The problem was, asserts Battle, the US wanted Iraq to defeat Iran at whatever cost. The 1979 revolution in Iran changed the country from what was seen to be a pro-western government to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to the many State Department documents, reports Macdonald, the US quietly tried to deter blatant and further use of chemical weapons by Iraq which could lead to the US having to denounce support for their then allies. Donald Rumsfeld, a private businessman at this time was sent to Iraq to offer what help he could to Saddam.

Although Reagan publicly denounced Iraq's use of chemical weapons, reports Macdonald, behind the scenes documents from the State Department show that the US worked with Iraq to prevent UN sanctions or Security Council involvement.

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