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originally posted by: FredT
If true this is an act of war. They could have wiped out the whole terminal if they were not careful. The US treats nerve agents as WMD's. and I don't see Malaysia sitting still after this revelation.
originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: schuyler
I think it's important to scale a discussion like this both up and down. For example, what if the VX had killed 200 people instead of just Jong Nam? What if it was 1,000? Or, 1,000,000? Would it be different then?
Motive, method and opportunity...game, set, match.
originally posted by: schuyler
Against whom by whom? The perpetrators have yet to be identified. Malaysia was just the location. There is no evidence they were involved. Against North Korea?
So what if the US treats this stuff as WMD? As far as we know, the US wasn't involved. This is for Malaysia to investigate and everyone else to speculate. No country is going to war because this guy was killed. It's not like he was Arch Duke Ferdinand. He wasn't that important.
originally posted by: FredT
Chemical nerve agents (of which VX is) as a WMD under international law. Its not just a US thing. The US's position is that if hit by NBC agents they reserve the right to reply in kind with nuclear WMD's
originally posted by: Miracula2
I just did a google search and found a web page describing in detail the procedure for synthesis of sarin and VX nerve agent.
originally posted by: Miracula2
I just did a google search and found a web page describing in detail the procedure for synthesis of sarin and VX nerve agent.
Most complicated piece of equipment was a chemistry reactor. Cheap ones are 200 dollars on Ebay. More complicated ones 1500 dollars.
Using chemicals that are over the counter or contain chemicals that are easily extracted from over the counter products.
originally posted by: Miracula2
originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
this would mean it had to be government sponsored.
originally posted by: pteridine
What do you mean by "over the counter?" If you mean purchasable at a chemical supply house, that is correct.
originally posted by: Miracula2
originally posted by: pteridine
What do you mean by "over the counter?" If you mean purchasable at a chemical supply house, that is correct.
I mean purchasable without a license. The Boston Bombers were from the Caucaus regions if I remember correctly. Not American, and yet purchased materials in the US that aren't regulated.
originally posted by: Miracula2
originally posted by: pteridine
What do you mean by "over the counter?" If you mean purchasable at a chemical supply house, that is correct.
I mean purchasable without a license. The Boston Bombers were from the Caucaus regions if I remember correctly. Not American, and yet purchased materials in the US that aren't regulated.
originally posted by: Miracula2
I just did a google search and found a web page describing in detail the procedure for synthesis of sarin and VX nerve agent.
Most complicated piece of equipment was a chemistry reactor. Cheap ones are 200 dollars on Ebay. More complicated ones 1500 dollars.
Using chemicals that are over the counter or contain chemicals that are easily extracted from over the counter products.
originally posted by: pteridine
Consider that seeing the synthetic pathway and running the reactions without killing yourself are two different things. This synthesis requires skills not taught in a college organic chemistry course or even found in a graduate level lab.
originally posted by: FredT
You cannot walk into a Home Depot and get VX precursors.
originally posted by: Bedlam
originally posted by: pteridine
Consider that seeing the synthetic pathway and running the reactions without killing yourself are two different things. This synthesis requires skills not taught in a college organic chemistry course or even found in a graduate level lab.
That's true, too. But a really pissed off post grad with some money to blow could do it.
We once sort of played around with a concept of something like a 3D printer for running dangerous syntheses in small continuous batches away from the house. Something solar powered you could dump reagents into, hit the start switch, and monitor it by internet a mile away. Come back and collect your ill-gotten results in small runs later, something you could hide, and if you lost one or two your entire production capacity wouldn't be compromised.
Grant you, we were looking at running a commonly useful explosive base material, but still, you could adapt it to other products.