VX is a very persistant chemical, and readily combines with wood, cement, and other readily encountered building materials. It also volatilizes readily, but in a metered manner (it will constantly vaporize to remain an inhalation hazard) What this means is, once an area is contaminated, it is deadly for a LONG time.

Several tons of VX remain in the US arsenal however. There was an emergency at the Bluegrass army armory in Kentucky a couple of weeks ago, where a 155mm shell containing VX started leaking (was contained within its storage bunker).... However, if the bunker had been compromised, they would likely have evacuated large parts of, if not all of Lexington KY.

who would of thought, nuclear warfare is more humane than another weapon of mass destruction. i really hope that president Bush is wrong and Iraq doesn't have any of this stuff, but i'm afraid that he's probably right. I pray for our soldiers that are going into harms way, and may you all come home safe.

Well Bush isn't wrong about Iraq having VX, because Iraq has had limited quantities of VX for many years now, and has been trying to up its production amounts, but I think Saddam is more focused on UFVs and Ballistic Missiles and his nuke at the moment.

Sh.it I just looked it up, Iraq has about 3.9 tons of unaccounted for VX gas.

Sincerely,
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[Edited on 9-2-2003 by FreeMason]

A few other unsettling facts about VX... Iraq is known to have upwards of 3.5 metric tons of it (according to a knowledgeable source, if properly distributed, this is enough to wipe out the entire US eastern seaboard). Also, it is a known fact via the CIA that an Al Queida member was given a small man portable amount of VX (between 5 and 10 liters, enough to wipe out at least the downtown area of any decent sized city). Also, the standard issue USGI MOPP NBC chemical protective equipment WILL NOT protect against VX. (About 95% of all circulating gas masks use a silicone rubber face bank, which VX will readily penetrate. The only masks used with VX use butyl rubber face banks.)

Whilst VX is an extremely potent chemical, the dissemination of the gas is much harder to do properly. 3.5 tons maybe enough to wipe out the Eastern seaboard in theory, but in actual fact it would be impossible to achieve casualties anywhere near that. Weather condtions also play a huge part in the effectiveness of such an attack ie. the winds and temperature effect the spread and persistence of the agent.
Not that any attack using duch a weapon wouldn't cause massive injury and death.

Actually, I discussed this subject with a friend, recently retired from active duty who specialized in chem warfare (who indicated just how poorly trained and prepared we are for such).

My personal inclination for a massive VX attack, if launched from out of the country, would be in MIRVs, set to detonate in the gulf stream somewhere near the west coast. After discussing this scenario with my friend, it is likely that the VX would ride the gulf stream west to east, probably to around Denver or so (the VX would freeze in the cold air and drop out as a solid).

Depending on the weather conditions at ground level and elevation of the ground where it came down, the VX would likely come down as either a solid or liquid (more likely a liquid). Once on the ground, it would contaminate whatever it landed on, permeating it. Once the sun came out, it would start to slowly volatilize, becoming a serious inhalation hazard (god help anyone who were to touch a contaminated surface.)

Our best guess, if the entire amount was distributed in such a way, if set to go off and begin landfall on the California coast, it would likely spread from California at least to Denver, and from the Baja peninsula possibly to the Oregon state line (approximate).

However, what really scares me is the small amount (5- 10 liters) of VX we KNOW left Iraq, with an Al Queida agent, went into Turkey, and disappeared. I am waiting for this to show up somewhere....

This amount of liquid VX, if say, were disseminated from a crop duster on a low pass across Times Square would likely cause 50,000+ fatalities in a matter of minutes.

Uh madscientists, some 50% of the population lives with in 5 miles of the coast.

And surely one as smart as yourself knows what seabreezes and landbreezes are?

You can spray this into the wind during morning, and everyone would wake up to a cloud of death, the entire length of the spray (which could cover hundres of miles, and possibly the ENTIRE east coast//west coast).

Winds, ARE predictable, nearer to the sea.

Sincerely,
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