Quote:
Originally posted by Kadath
I think if the people who employed this shell had known it contained sarin gas they would have tried to use it as it was intended rather than as they did. It seems that simply exploding it likely does not mix the binary elements, as it didn't, and the two soldiers who were exposed were bomb disposal experts who were working on the bomb itself, and were so minorly affected that they were later released and the area didn't have to be decontaminated. So it didn't disperse.
I don't argue that if these shells were employed as they were designed it would be catastrophic for our troops, but apparently this was just a special shell thrown in amongst the stockpile.
|
I'm fine with the belief that those using the shell didn't know what they had. Also fine with the concept that rigging it as a roadside bomb is not the most effective way to activate the ingredients. What I have a problem with is the seeming belief that the contents would not have been more dangerous than the typical non sarin roadside bombs. From the reports that I've seen the bomb did not fully explode. It was only a partial explosion so its effects were not what you'd see if it had fully fired.