Pentagon Reportedly Hushed Up Chemical Weapons Finds In Iraq

[truebluefan]

The New York Times is reporting that on several occasions, U.S. forces involved in Iraq after the 2003 invasion came across aging stockpiles of chemical weapons and that several soldiers were injured by their exposure to toxic agents.

The Times reports in an extensive article:

"From 2004 to 2011, American and American-trained Iraqi troops repeatedly encountered, and on at least six occasions were wounded by, chemical weapons remaining from years earlier in Saddam Hussein's rule.

"In all, American troops secretly reported finding roughly 5,000 chemical warheads, shells or aviation bombs, according to interviews with dozens of participants, Iraqi and American officials, and heavily redacted intelligence documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act."

The newspaper says it found 17 American service members and seven Iraqi police officers who were exposed to nerve or mustard agents following the 2003 invasion. "American officials said that the actual tally of exposed troops was slightly higher, but that the government's official count was classified," it says.

Read more http://www.ideastream.org/news/npr/356360949