Concern about chemical protection

Army, Jan 2003

Congress is concerned that equipment used to protect U.S. forces from a chemical attack is either inadequate or in short supply. In October, the House Democratic Caucus was briefed by the U.S. General Accounting Office and provided with testimony from the Defense Department Inspector General that 250,000 defective protection suits that had been delivered to commanders in the field could not be located or recalled because of flawed inventory controls. The caucus also received information that other equipment was in short supply and that training for possible biological and chemical attacks was at a questionable level.

On November 27, Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL) wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld asking him to certify that troops being deployed against Iraq are provided with "equipment to protect against chemical and biological attacks in quantities sufficient to meet minimum required levels previously established by the Department of Defense." As we went to press, Rumsfeld had not yet responded to the letter.

There are concerns that Iraq will use chemical and biological weapons should a U.S.-led attack occur.