Pot/Kettle: US to Target Syria for Sarin Gas Use ..Yet, USA Helped Saddam Use Sarin Gas on Iran?

[KoKo]

CAN YOU MAKE THIS STUFF UP?

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New Docs Detail U.S. Involvement in Saddam's Nerve Gas Attacks

Abby Ohlheiser Aug 25, 2013
http://cdn.theatlanticwire.com/img/upload/2013/08

The U.S. knew about, and in one case helped, Iraq's chemical weapons attacks against Iran in the 1980's, according to recently declassified CIA documents obtained by Foreign Policy. Their detailed timeline, also constructed with the aid of interviews with former foreign intelligence officials, indicates that the U.S. secretly had evidence of Iraqi chemical attacks in 1983. The evidence, FP writes, is "tantamount to an official American admission of complicity in some of the most gruesome chemical weapons attacks ever launched."

Ever since last week's devastating evidence of chemical attacks in Syria, analysts have looked for benchmarks to predict the U.S.'s response. On Sunday, a U.S. official suggested that the U.S. is moving closer to possible military action in the country as the U.S. has "little doubt" that an "indiscriminate" chemical attack took place. Officials are reportedly looking to the 1998 air war on Kosovo for a precedent — a similar humanitarian crisis in the face of virtually no chance of a U.N. Security Council resolution to authorize use of force, thanks to dissent from Russia. And while Foreign Policy's additional reporting places the Iraq situation in contrast to today's debate over Syria, the details reveal just how sharply, in the past, the razor of U.S. interests in the Middle East has cut: "it was the express policy of Reagan to ensure an Iraqi victory in the war, whatever the cost," the report explains. And apparently, that went up to and including helping Saddam Hussein gas Iran.

From 1983 until 1987, the U.S. more or less sat on (and internally discussed) intelligence containing strong evidence of Iraq's chemical weapons use — early on, that meant mustard gas. Retired Air Force Col. Rick Francona told the magazine that he first learned of Iraq's chemical weapons use in 1984. All that time, Iran was publicly saying that Iraq had used chemical weapons against them. They just didn't have any evidence to take to the U.N. Then, Iran concentrated a large number of troops near the Iraqi city of Barash, near a vulnerability in Iraq's defenses:

The U.S. authorized intelligence sharing with Iraq, and gave Iraq the location of those troops. Iraq then conducted a series of devastating sarin gas attacks. You can view all of the declassified documents (or read the whole report) at Foreign Policy.

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1988: Thousands die in Halabja gas attack
Thousands of people are reported to have been killed and many others injured in a poison gas attack on a Kurdish city in northern Iraq.



Up to 20 aircraft, said to include Iraqi Migs and Mirages, were seen overhead at around 1100 local time in Halabja.

According to experts, the chemicals dropped by the planes may have included mustard gas, the nerve agents sarin, tabun and VX and possibly cyanide.

The attack on Halabja, which is about 150 miles (241km) north-east of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, is the latest in the Iran-Iraq war and follows its occupation by Iranian forces.

Iraq was said to be keen to avenge the fall of Halabja, which is seen as an important centre for Kurdish resistance in their struggle for autonomy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/16/newsid_4304000/4304853.stm

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Exclusive: CIA Files Prove America Helped Saddam as He Gassed Iran
The U.S. knew Hussein was launching some of the worst chemical attacks in history -- and still gave him a hand.
BY SHANE HARRIS AND MATTHEW M. AID | AUGUST 26, 2013

Situation report on the Iran-Iraq war, noting that each side is preparing for chemical weapons attacks (July 29, 1982)

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/08/25/secret_cia_files_prove_america_helped_saddam_as_he_gassed_iran?page=0,3

[Turbineguy]

1. Maybe it was to push Iran

to helping with arms for the Contra's? Sort of like, "hey we got Saddam to stop using this stuff on you!"

[iamthebandfanman]

2. i love how the faults of

two REPUBLICAN presidents and their illegal activity are suppose to mean that the united states should just become isolationists ....

the bush legacy lives on!

p.s.

I never knew there was any doubt about our sales of chemical agents to Iraq for the iran war... all the dead Iranians and then Iraqis should have been a pretty big clue

[Bluenorthwest]

4. So we sold them to Sadaam, who used them but using them is the red line?

How about selling them be the new red line? Also, our Sec of Defense is a Republican and Republicans have held that office since Clinton left office. So to say 'Democrats' are in charge of this is a stretch, it is bipartisan and centrist goodness!

[KoKo]

5. Many of us here knew about US helping Saddam...but, this new release

confirms what was only known by those paying close attention during Reagan Administration and before..

So, this new release of Documents proving that our hands are as dirty as those we claim are dirtier might have been designed to create more push back against the coming latest country we bomb according to the prescribed plan from Project for New American Century and the NeoCons who still seem to run everything.

I doubt that the release will stop whatever is planned for Syria, but at least a dialogue might open up to give strength to other forces who want this intervention in the ME to be stopped before the whole place blows up and Blowback comes home to us in even more terrible ways.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. December of 83 Rumsfeld went to shake Sadaam's hand.

5 months after that attack on the Kurds.

[KittyWampus]

9. thirty years ago.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Well, that was then

When Sadam was our BFF.



Just look at Rummy there, so young and good looking.

[KoKo]

7. Secretary Kerry was visibly upset in his Speech ...

.about those innocent children and family members ....the shocking videos on Social Media...the tragic results of chemical weapons that were used that must never be tolerated.

It was a long speech.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. I was at the radio station talking local politics

[Go Vols]

15. Wonder if he would be equally upset

if he did a google image search for "Depleted uranium babies in Iraq" and see what the US did to those innocent people.

Edit: no pics,just info. http://www.alternet.org/world/falluja-babies-and-depleted-uranium-americas-toxic-legacy-iraq

[cthulu2016]

8. So the US should not condemn slavery?

We were one of the last nations to abolish it, after all.

I don't see this argument about the USA and Sarin as meaning anything. Rather, it appears to mean something.

Is Barack Obama somehow obliged to agree with all Reagan positions?

[KoKo]

11. I think it morphs into Kerry being so emotional about Sarin Gas Use

in his speech today...when it just broke VERIFICATION that US helped supply Saddam with Sarin Gas for IRAN and that we did more than Supply Him. It seemed hypocritical that Kerry would use such an example given how long he's been in Senate and his "Personal Background." Many of us in his Generation found that Off the Charts on the "Morality Meter." Just saying..

So...there's that!

[DirkGently]

12. It means the U.S. is shocked & appalled mainly when its interests

are served by being shocked and appalled. The WMD bullshit used to justify invading Iraq was completely about employing false outrage and a false sense of threat to provide cover for a war planned before W even took office.

It is worth keeping in mind, at least, that whether we're talking nukes or chemical weapons or genocide, that our government's horror and outrage, and its assurances of who is doing what to whom and how critical it is for us to stop it, is driven by many factors, the least of which historically may be concern for human suffering.

[KoKo]

13. So True...as it all unfolds. We thought better of them at One Time..

Didn't we, though. Now, we know.

It's a cruel awakening for many...but, not for those who need it.

[DirkGently]

14. It's infuriating, but it's the nature of national

governments, too. They're less frequently driven by goodwill than the usual suspects for everything -- greed and lust for power.

I have vivid memories of the Iran hostage situation, and no adult I was aware of ever suggesting U.S. involvement in empowering and protecting the Shah and crushing his less U.S.-friendly compatriots might have been a factor. Just crazy Muslims, hating our freedoms. Would have been nice if we'd figured that one out a bit as a country back then.

[KoKo]

16. ...)