WMD Phosgene from Iraq Found at United Nations

U.N. weapons inspectors who had been in Iraq discovered potentially dangerous chemical substances in their office near U.N. headquarters. One item may contain "phosgene, an old generation chemical warfare agent." Fox headline: Vials of Dangerous Chemicals From Iraq Found at United Nations Offices in NYC

"The office area was screened using UNMOVIC's chemical weapons detection equipment. No toxic vapors were found. There is no immediate risk or danger. UNMOVIC staff are still working on the premises," Okabe said.

She said the FBI was on its way to remove and dispose of the material.

The material in a sealed plastic bag includes "unknown liquid substances contained in metal and glass containers ranging in size from small vials to tubes the length of a pen in one of the sealed plastic bags," she said. "The only information we have of the contents of that bag is from an inventory of a 1996 inspection which indicates that one of the items may contain phosgene, an old generation chemical warfare agent." (WNBC)

Phosgene is a highly toxic chemical compound with the formula COCl2.

This gas gained infamy as a chemical weapon during World War I, but it is also a valuable industrial reagent and building block in organic synthesis. It is colourless, but can appear as a white or yellowish haze when released into air, due to refraction of light. In low concentrations, its odor resembles recently cut hay or green corn (maize): at higher concentrations, it may be strongly unpleasant

From RatherGate and Mark A. Kilmer - the blog

So the U.N. weapons inspectors found Saddam’s stuff from several years before the invasion and took it into the United States, stashing it in their offices.

Somebody print this front-and-center, front page, banner headline.

From Gay Patriot and Instapundit:

Just when you thought you wouldn’t be surprised by anything anymore….. [snip]

I really do hope (and expect) that complete incompetence by UN bureaucrats is the explanation. I also really do hope we actually get an explanation.

Doctor Bulldog:

First impressions are that this is just improper storage of hazardous substances by U.N. Weapons Inspectors.

Little Green Footballs:

Stupidity? Maybe so, but it could also have been something much worse.

Phosgene is not a “nerve gas,” as ABC’s Blotter reported; it’s technically classified as a “nettle agent” used in chemical warfare. More info at the CDC: Facts About Phosgene.

Wonkette (who never ceases to entertain with her posts):

WMD Finally Found, In New York, Inside United Nations HQ -- Colin Powell was right, ... , his sole error was in claiming those evil weapons were in Iraq, when they were actually in the UN headquarters itself, only to be found by a cleaning crew four-and-a-half years later.

The Opinionator:

.

.. how about the fact they were discovered last Friday and we are just hearing about it now? Hmmmm.......

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Comments

[Aakash]

Maybe the butler did it...

[Debbie]

DD2: You pointed out the stink in this. The Left didn't want this to get out. That's why it took so long to get reported. Who knows what goes on that we never hear about.

[dd2]

PS.
God to even think that this crap was sitting here in New York for 10 years in some Dim Wit's desk!
This was a Coke bottle sized vile.
This crap was taken from Saddam’s stock pile in one of his Chemical weapons plant.

Well DUH!
And get this, it wasn’t reported for a week after they found it. Who was hiding the fact that this was found for all that time? I’ll tell you, it was hidden away s o it shouldn’t be reported.
Where was Chuck Schumer then?

[DD2]

I heard this story, the thing that i just don't understand is that there wern't any WMD's!
So how could this be? Unless Bush "planted" them.

[2Cents]

Wow, inside the UN, huh? What else do you think we'd find if we went through those offices in detail? Osama bin Laden, hiding behind a copier?

[Stormwarning]

The "stuff" was a gram of 1996 vintage "stuff." The BIG question remains what country has what Saddam had, or contrary, as many believe, that Saddam was led to believe that he had new "stuff" by the scientists who enjoyed being on the R&D dole, even when he didn't but that caused him to obfuscate.

[Christi]

At the UN? Just when you think you've seen it all...

Debbie, I will never understand why there are so many people who don't want to believe that Saddam possessed WMD. He had them, he used them, and he wanted his neighbors and the world to believe he possessed them. Otherwise he would have allowed inspections. I could understand if he just wanted to keep his neighbors (Iran, etc.) guessing but since he was willing to die to keep the inspectors out, I would be willing to bet they were there.

[Rastaman]

I read that it was little metal bottles in a plastic bag. Very small quantities, just that no one knows how that bag got into the UN. I bet I know... one of those fine, upstanding Arabs with a diplomatic passport who is actually a terrorist as most of them are, brought it in to use on the American and Israeli ambassadors.

I betcha.

BTW, Sitemeter may be totally inaccurate. I just had a comment come in on a new post that Sitemeter never registered at all. So I'm keeping an eye on it. It better perform a lot better than that or out it goes.

Rasta

[Yankee Doodle]

Hey, so what if they didn't have the good stuff? International sanctions will do that to ya, ya know?

:)