Senator Santorum Makes Major Announcement Regarding Newly Declassified
Information Concerning Chemical Weapons Discovered in Iraq
“This is critically important information that the world community needs to
know” – Senator Santorum
June 21, 2006
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate
Republican Conference, joined Congressman Peter Hoekstra, (R-MI-2), Chairman of
the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today to make a major
announcement regarding the release of newly declassified information that proves
the existence of chemical munitions in Iraq since 2003. The information was
released by the Director of National Intelligence, John Negroponte, and
contained an unclassified summary of analysis conducted by the National Ground
Intelligence Center. In March, Senator Santorum began advocating for the release
of these documents to the American public.
“The information released today proves that weapons of mass destruction are, in
fact, in Iraq,” said Senator Santorum. “It is essential for the American people
to understand that these weapons are in Iraq. I will continue to advocate for
the complete declassification of this report so we can more fully understand the
complete WMD picture inside Iraq.”
The following are the six key points contained in the unclassified overview:
• Since 2003 Coalition forces have recovered approximately 500 weapons munitions
which contain degraded mustard or sarin nerve agent.
• Despite many efforts to locate and destroy Iraq’s pre-Gulf War chemical
munitions, filled and unfilled pre-Gulf War chemical munitions are assessed to
still exist.
• Pre-Gulf War Iraqi chemical weapons could be sold on the black market. Use of
these weapons by terrorists or insurgent groups would have implications for
Coalition forces in Iraq. The possibility of use outside Iraq cannot be ruled
out.
• The most likely munitions remaining are sarin and mustard-filled projectiles.
• The purity of the agent inside the munitions depends on many factors,
including the manufacturing process, potential additives, and environmental
storage conditions. While agents degrade over time, chemical warfare agents
remain hazardous and potentially lethal.
• It has been reported in open press that insurgents and Iraqi groups desire to
acquire and use chemical weapons.
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