Al Qaeda's Chemical Weapons Campaign

These aren't the kind of chemical weapons that the West was most worried about when the 2003 invasion of Iraq took place, but the use of very common and easily accessible chemicals that, when inhaled, cause suffocation, burns, and death. The latest attack using chlorine gas killed 15. Bill Roggio has more:

“The attack began at 6:33 a.m. with mortar fire, followed by two truck bombs and small arms fire. Iraqi Police identified the first suicide attacker and fired on the truck, causing it to detonate before reaching the compound,” according to the Multinational Forces West press release. “Iraqi Army soldiers spotted the second suicide truck approaching the gate and engaged it with small arms fire, causing it to also detonate near the entrance of the compound.”

Fifteen Iraqi soldiers, police and U.S. advisers stationed at the government center were injured in the blast, while “numerous Iraqi Soldiers and Policemen are being treated for symptoms such as labored breathing, nausea, skin irritation and vomiting that are synonymous with chlorine inhalation.”

This is the sixth successful chlorine gas suicide attack in Anbar province this year. Two other trucks laden with explosives and chlorine gas were seized in Ramadi, one just last evening. It is possible last evening's captured chlorine bomb was to be used in a coordinated attack, as al Qaeda conducted a near simultaneous chlorine attack in Ramadi, Fallujah and Amiriya on March 17.

The terrorists are using chlorine as a way to expand the effects of their bombing and the results are that such attacks are proving to be far more deadly and injurious than if they simply used just explosives.

It is a worrisome trend, and the jihadis don't seem to have a problem using chemical weapons on other Muslims - who happen to be the vast majority of those injured or killed in these incidents. The terrorists are using the chemical weapons as part of an offensive against the local government in an attempt to roll back the gains made by coalition forces and the Iraqi government in the area since last year.

So, how does the US and Iraqi forces stop these attacks? Interdicting the source of the gas may be the best manner, but many chemical and industrial processes require chlorine, so it is a huge job. Going after the terrorists is the other way, but it is just as difficult. In the meantime, US forces are being told to carry around their chemical weapons gear just in case of an attack so that they do not suffer the effects of chlorine gas inhalation.