Bio Agents Turning Up

[The_Rorschach]

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0...086347,00.html

EUPHRATES 'POISONED'


US Marines found cyanide and mustard agents in high concentrations in the Euphrates River near Nassiriya in Iraq, television network MSNBC has reported.
TheÂ*networkÂ*said a briefing from Marine officials was its source for the information.

The agents were found during routine tests conducted to ensure the water being used is safe, MSNBC said.
Neither Centcom officials in Qatar nor US military officials in Iraq have confirmed the MSNBC report.
Mustard gas produces painful, long-lasting blisters and often leads to blindness, while cyanide kills by preventing blood from transporting oxygen.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Maybe I dreamed this up, but weren't there reports that Al Qaeda operatives were in Iraq to fight?

I fear that something like this becomes much more likely, especially if actors outside of Iraq and the Iraqi people start getting involved in this war.

A lot of good poisoning the Euphrates does for Iraqis. :/

[punkgrrrlie10]

I'm not up on the whole chem agents stuff but does that mean the actual poisons were in the river or, that they were ingredients they have to mix together to make the poisons were in the river. I know they've been finding ingredients to make chem weapons but not the actual chem weapons.

[The_Rorschach]

No, you're right on the money concerning Al Quaeda operatives. I read the same thing. This war is becoming extremely dirty. I think this latest action is kind of sad, its going to hurt the non-combatants a hell of alot more than the US soldiers.

I wish this war would end soon.

[Ronnie Raygun]

Maybe they were just trying to get rid of the stuff before allied forces could find it.

[AChimp]

In that case, they would have just buried it in the desert like everything else they have.

[Baalzamon]

Mustard is a powder that is meant to be inhaled. It then reacts with water in your lungs(or on your skin) and releases HCl, hydrochloric acid, which really does a number on you.

if it was released into the river, it would immediately react, rendering the mustard itself useless. There would be a large concetration of acid in the river however. I imagine this acid would quickly be dilluted by the currents or buffered by natural minerals in the river, but it could still pose a problem. I dont think the mustard will be a big problem, as if there was enough HCl in the water to hurt you, you probably would spit it out no matter how thirsty you are.

The Cyanide would be an issue though. I do beleive that it would dissolve in water but retain its form. Cyanide works in a similar way to carbon monoxide, bonding to hemoglobin and preventing oxygen from doing so.


It does sound to me like it was dumped to hide it. If they had mustard and where willing to use it the river is the least effective place for it. The Cyanide however could eb an attempt to use it.


Either way it will only hurt civilians.

[FS]

I hate to sound naive, but what reason would they still have to hide it? I guess they might get rid of it because they think the enemy might use it against them otherwise, but I don't see reason why they'd want to avoid getting caught with it.

[AChimp]

The Iraqis probably filled the river with mustard and cyanide because they know of Americans' love of hot dogs.

[Jeanette X]

Just on a side note, the Euphrates river is described in the Bible as being in the garden of Eden in Genesis 2:14.

[mburbank]

Calm down and wait for coroboration. This story is meaningless as of yet, just of report of people being told things.

We are still in the stages of this war where confusion is likely and disinformation and psi ops common.

[Baalzamon]

no really?


The historical significance of the Iraqi region is one of the major sources of Saddams prestige as well as his dellusions of grandeur, and evryone already knows this.

thank you for pointing that out.

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by Baalzamon

no really?


The historical significance of the Iraqi region is one of the major sources of Saddams prestige as well as his dellusions of grandeur, and evryone already knows this.

thank you for pointing that out.

I elect you as "Intellectual Condescendor of the Month". Your mother will be so proud. Does anyone want to second the motion?

[Protoclown]

I'll back it, but only if we call it the "Condescending Boob of the Month".

[Jeanette X]

Originally Posted by Baalzamon

no really?


The historical significance of the Iraqi region is one of the major sources of Saddams prestige as well as his dellusions of grandeur, and evryone already knows this.

thank you for pointing that out.

I'll bet anything you didn't know that little fact until I pointed it out, asshole. I only mentioned it as a side note because I took a course on the Old Testament. I believe Rorsarch is supposed to condescend to me, not you. He might be resentful you are trying to move in on his territory.

[The_Rorschach]

Nope, your hazing period ended a few days ago. Condescending remarks are reserved for deserved occassions now.

I already knew about the Euphrates, I am an Irish Protestant after all - reading the Bible is as interesting to me as current events-, but didn't have anything to add further to the subject so I chose not to post at all.

I try not to post pointlessly, though I've done it often enough