Guest #1 January 4, 2009 Story Where Has All The VX Gone NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS January 3, 2009: The United States has completed the destruction of the last of its nerve gas weapons stored in the United States. The 66 month effort destroyed 293,000 gallons (over a million liters) of VX and Sarin nerve agent, by incineration. These weapons were stored, for nearly half a century, in underground bunkers in the Anniston Army Depot, 80 kilometers east of Birmingham, Alabama. Last year, the last of 478,000 M55 115mm nerve gas rockets were destroyed. These 78 inch long, 57 pound, weapons, each carried ten pounds of VX or GB liquefied nerve gas. These rockets were manufactured from the late 1950s, to the early 1960s, and were soon considered obsolete (because of short range and poor construction). It was believed that the propellant would become increasingly liable to spontaneously ignite. Another problem was that the warheads leaked, and required constant monitoring. Over the last 18 years, about half the U.S. stock of 31,500 tons of chemical weapons (mainly nerve and mustard gas). The destruction is taking place at seven sites. The incineration plant at Anniston will be closed, for about six months, and converted to destroy the mustard gas stored there. Mustard is a more complex chemical, as far as incineration goes, but is less lethal than nerve gas. --------------------------------------- I know what you're thinking: the story says "VX and Sarin in the US", but makes no mention of stuff stockpiled overseas. I'm wondering about this as well. We really should get rid of it all. Nerve agents (aka "Insecticide for Humans") really aren't worth the hassle, and their effectiveness is debatable. Consider the Sarin attack on the Tokyo subway by the Shinriku cult. Hardly killed anybody. Made a lot of people ill, but hardly in the "just one drop can kill 10,000 people" stuff we've read about over the years. mh ."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #2 January 4, 2009 Can only be a good thing. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gawain 0 #3 January 4, 2009 It doesn't account for other chemical agents. CMA notes on their web-site http://www.cma.army.mil/umatilla.aspx# that they're on the way...not done yet though. Edit to add: Blue Grass Depot still has a stockpile of VX though. http://www.cma.army.mil/fndocumentviewer.aspx?docid=003679774So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nerdgirl 0 #4 January 4, 2009 QuoteStory --------------------------------------- I know what you're thinking: the story says "VX and Sarin in the US", but makes no mention of stuff stockpiled overseas. I'm wondering about this as well. The spirit of your post is a good one. Unfortunately, the thread title and content are incorrect in many ways. US overseas chemical agents were brought to Johnston Atoll (north Pacific) in the 1970s and 1980s. There are no more US overseas stockpiles of CW. The US started destroying nerve agent stocks in the 1980s (more than 66 months ago) at Johnston Atoll. At the end of December, VX stocks that were under the Army’s Chemical Materials Agency *incineration* program (all demil sites but Pueblo & Anniston which are under the ACWA program) were demilitarized and the last VX-containing landmine was destroyed at Anniston. That was the story. That’s different than “all” VX stocks or all nerve agents in the stockpile. Blue Grass Chemical Activity has over 85,000 munitions containing GB and VX (as M55 rockets, M56 warheads, 155m & 8-inch mortars). Tooele still has GA rockets as well. As far as other declared stockpiles: UK and Canada destroyed all of their nerve agent stocks before 1997. India, and “another state party” [i.e., ROK, possibly the world’s least well-kept secret in international diplomacy] have destroyed nearly all of their chemical stockpiles. Russia has destroyed ~30% of its declared stockpile, including stockpiles of nerve agents. Only 3 destruction sites are currently operating in Russia. VR/Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akarunway 1 #5 January 4, 2009 "stored in the United States"========================Speaks volumns. And do you really believe anything your govt. has printed for you? I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
