ISIS is suspected of firing a shell with mustard agent that landed at the Qayyara air base in Iraq Tuesday where US and Iraqi troops are operating, according to several US officials.
One, a successful chemical attack requires a density of shells fired to blanket the target area with a thick enough blanket of poison gas to actually kill and wound those targeted.
A single ("poorly weaponized") shell is just a propaganda shot.
Two, isn't it funny how our entire nuclear arsenal did not deter ISIL from using chemical weapons?
Funny, that is.
UPDATE: We confirm chemical weapons use:
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee “mustard blister agent” was released in the vicinity of a military airfield in the western part of al Qayyara, about 40 miles south of Mosul, in northern Iraq.
Whether this was just a propaganda strike or a test prior to trying to launch a real chemical attack is unknown.
But we do know that killing with poison gas isn't beneath these jihadis.
UPDATE: That confirmation I reported was incorrect. I wrongly assumed CJCS would have full information. Apparently not.
I heard that more thorough tests show the shell was not a chemical weapon. Which is why I caveated my initial post. It made no sense to fire a single shot and field tests err to false positives--better to suit up to no threat than to have a threat and stay exposed.
