The Danish military said today that initial tests of rounds found buried in Iraq show the chemical agent blister gas.
The initial tests, which have yet to be confirmed, were taken after Danish troops found 36 120mm mortar rounds on Friday hidden in southern Iraq. The Danish army said the rounds had been buried for at least 10 years.
“All the instruments showed indications of the same type of chemical compound, namely blister gas,” the Danish Army Operational Command said on its Web site. […]
Blister gas, an illegal weapon which ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news – web sites) said he had destroyed, was extensively used against the Iranians during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.
If true, this is huge for those who believe Saddam might have buried his WMD underground, therefore lessening the chances of such weapons being found in a nation the size of California. And if it’s taken more than 10 years to find these rounds, imagine how long it may take to find more recent WMD.
Update (1/16): It seems to have been a false alarm.