NCJ Number
189890
Date Published
April 2001
Length
52 pages
Annotation
This document examined the differences among the the United States, the United Kingdom, and French forces with regard to chemical and biological threats during the Persian Gulf War.
Abstract
These differences were in regard to their assessment of threats from Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD) immediately prior to the conflict and the extent to which they shared these assessments and information about associated targets. Also examined were their approaches to chemical, biological, and radiological defense, including use of protective gear and specific drugs and vaccines; and the extent of illnesses reported by each country’s veterans. Results showed that, with respect to biological agents, both the United States and the United Kingdom regarded anthrax and botulinum toxin as potential threats, but only the United Kingdom thought it likely that Iraq would use plague. France did not identify any imminent biological warfare threat. All three countries agreed that the Iraqis might use some form of chemical warfare, but they drew different conclusions about the specific agents that Iraq was most likely to employ. Finally, the United States concluded that Iraq had nuclear weapons production facilities but had limited information on device development; officials from the United Kingdom and France declared that these nations identified no nuclear or radiological threat. There was some evidence that threat assessments and target data were not spontaneously shared among the countries. They also took different approaches to defense against WMD. The sensitivity of the principal chemical detectors used by the three countries varied widely. French forces had greater access to collective protection while the United States and the United Kingdom made widespread use of vaccines specific to particular biological agents. They also differed in the drugs and vaccines they chose and in their policies on consent to administer them. The United Kingdom policy prescribed on the basis of voluntary informed consent while the United States required some of its military personnel to take certain drugs and vaccines. Veterans of the Gulf War conflict from the United States and United Kingdom reported higher rates of postwar illnesses relative to their compatriots deployed elsewhere while, 10 years after the war, French veterans have not reported as much war-related illness. 4 tables and appendices