"Some will say that this may only be small quantity of Chemical Weapons Agents to be used to train their Chemical platoon and it is not an indication of large stocks of Chemical weapons. I think that is wrong first because the mere existence of these Chemical Weapons agent, regardless of its quantity, was totally prohibited for Saddam regime to us. Second, I read hundred of pages of Al Qadysia documents and I concluded that the Iraqis were obsessed with Chemical training for their Chemical platoons and their troops. Why that obsession if they did not have the intention to produce Chemical weapons." JV
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April 10, 2006
1999 Document: Chemical Platoons Applied Training In Chemical Laboratory to Detect Nerve Agents, VX Agents, Mustard Gas
Document BIAP 2003-003543 talks about the training of the Iraqi Chemical Platoon in Al Qadisya Air base. It contains training programs of 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1999.
In the Chemical training program of the year 1999, page 153 of the document, there is section concerning the “Field Chemical Laboratory”, and in this section listed the both “Theoretical Training Schedule” and “The Practical (Applied) Training Schedule” to Detection of Nerve Gas Agent, VX agent, Sulfuric Mustard Agent, and Agent that contains Cyanide.
Pages 101, 103 of the document deal with the 1996 Chemical training program and this documents it shows as well how to Detection of in the Laboratory Agent KS that contain Cyanide, Agent KS that contain Sulfuric Mustard, and Agent VX.
In the 1994 and 1996 Chemical training programs, I noticed that the TOP SECRET memos concerning these training programs were written on the back of papers that has English text in the front. The English texts were about standard construction information using water and cement, etc... If you open the document (start on page 77), you can notice the front page English text of the memo and the Top secret Arabic memo written on the back pages. This was clearly a deception scheme by the Iraqis to hide the information of Chemical training programs from UN inspectors, because in that period the UN inspectors were still in Iraq whereas in 1999 they were not there after they were kicked out by Saddam in 1998.
Most of the correspondences related to the Al Qadisya Air Base documents (spanning from 1988 to 2002) that I have read are related to the Chemical training programs and it looks like the Iraqis had an obsession with these types of training, one tournament after another, after another to train their Chemical Platoons and other members of the armed forces. They conduct many of these training programs each year and in many air force bases. From these documents, it appears to be that their air force bases whole existence was to conduct Chemical trainings.
Beginning of Partial translation of page 153 in Document BIAP 2003-003543 for Chemical Training Program in 1999
Details
4. Field Chemical Laboratory
First. Knowing the Field Chemical Laboratory
Number of Hours: Theoretical 1, Applied 1, Total 2.
B. Security measures when working in the Field Chemical
Number of Hours: Theoretical 1, Applied 1, Total 2.
C. Detection of the Nerve Agent via the Laboratory
Number of Hours: Theoretical 1, Applied 1, Total 2.
D. Detection of Agent K.S that contain the element Arsenic.
Number of Hours: Theoretical 1, Applied 1, Total 2.
E. Detection of the Sulfuric Mustard via the Laboratory.
Number of Hours: Theoretical 1, Applied 1, Total 2.
F. Detection of Agent K.S that contains Cyanide
Number of Hours: Theoretical 1, Applied 1, Total 2.
G. Detection of Tabun in the Laboratory.
Number of Hours: Theoretical 1, Applied 1, Total 2.
H. The method to examine the Decontamination Detergents via the Laboratory.
Number of Hours: Theoretical 1, Applied 1, Total 2.
Detection of the Agent V.X in the Laboratory.
Number of Hours: Theoretical 1, Applied 1, Total 2.
End of partial translation of page 153.
Beginning of Partial translation of pages 101 and 103 (1996 Chemical Training Program) of BIAP 2003-003543
Top Secret
Date 2/1/96
Hours 2, 3, 4
Organizing the paper work to fix the Chemical equipments and devices
Date 10/1
Hours 2, 3, 4
Detection of The Nerve Agents via the Field Laboratory
Date 28/1
Hours 2, 3, 4
Detection of KS agent that contain Cyanide
Date 29/1
Hours 2, 3, 4
Detection of the Sulfuric Mustard in the Laboratory.
Date 30/1
Hours 2, 3, 4
Detection of of Mustard and Sulfurs in the Laboratory
Date 13/2
Hours 2, 3, 4
Detection of the V.X Agents in the Laboratory
End of Partial Translation of Page 101 and 103.
Translation by JV
