Does ISIS have chemical weapons?

2015-08-14T08:58:32-04:00

The Pentagon has released a statement informing that ISIS may have used mustard gas against Kurdish fighters. This mustard gas was apparently obtained when they began taking land in Syria.

In Cucullu & Fontana's book "Warrior Police", there is a chapter that describes how initial MP units entering into Iraq found caches of chemical weapons, but due to Rumsfeld's decision to not send enough MPs to secure these areas, they simply padlocked them & moved on until a larger force could come in & secure the area. By the next day, said caches were broken into & the contents removed. They believed said contents were moved to Syria.

With this discovery, does this ratchet up a notch the rhetoric that ISIS spouts? Will we make a move against them stronger than limited air strikes?

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 14 at 2015 9:03 AM

2015-08-14T09:03:38-04:00

If they DO have chemical weapons (and the evidence certainly supports that theory), we should fight fire with fire if you will, use our own chemical weapons against them.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Aug 14 at 2015 9:04 AM

2015-08-14T09:04:51-04:00

If that's the case what is the world going to do t oprevent them from using them? They best do something now and quickly!

Response by TSgt David L. made Aug 14 at 2015 9:05 AM

2015-08-14T09:05:00-04:00

Yes ISIS has chemical weapons. They've had access to everything Iran an Syria had, and whether y'all believe it or not, what stockpiles that Iraq had.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 14 at 2015 10:12 AM

2015-08-14T10:12:51-04:00

ISIS also recently captured chemical weapons from the Muthanna complex north of Baghdad.

http://www.rt.com/news/171388-iraq-loses-chemical-weapons-depot/

Iraq loses control of chemical weapons depot to ISIS militants

The Iraqi government has informed the United Nations that it has lost control of a former chemical weapons depot to Islamist insurgents affiliated with ISIS, or IS, and cannot carry out its obligations to destroy what’s stored in the compound.

Response by Maj Mike Sciales made Aug 14 at 2015 10:13 AM

2015-08-14T10:13:36-04:00

Who can say? Chems are fairly easy to make - delivery is the trick. In every event the use of Chems are prohibited under international law, however, ISIS is a secular, criminal organization so they never signed up to any agreements.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2015 10:30 AM

2015-08-14T10:30:02-04:00

It is much more likely that any chemical ordinance that ISIS came in possession of came from within Syria than any remnants from Iraq. US Forces were pretty thorough at tracking down and removing legacy chemical ordinance found in Iraq, outside of the initial invasion chaos.
Syria, on the other hand, has had defections from their military and a number of their military facilities have changed hands several times.
At any rate, use of chemical weapons is a serious escalation that requires a serious response. It'll be interesting to see what the US response will be.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2015 10:33 AM

2015-08-14T10:33:11-04:00

I am nearly certain ISIS has chemical and/or biological weapons. How sophisticated those weapons are and how effective their employment of them is a different story.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2015 11:33 AM

2015-08-14T11:33:31-04:00

Gas! Gas! Gas!

Response by SSG Mathew Ada made Aug 16 at 2015 7:54 PM

2015-08-16T19:54:40-04:00

It is most likely a possibility. There is without a doubt that the trafficking and creation of such weapons in the region is plausible. The rate of availability from what I remember about the area suggest that it is highly probable to encounter. Whether the chemical ordinance used is military grade or improvised; the resulting damage is noticeable and damaging.