Page 122 - American Survival Guide - October 2017

It is worth recalling that in March 1988, In all, it was estimated that something like 12,000 people were affected—almost all
tyrant Saddam Hussein went on to of them civilians. Thousands more have subsequently yielded to complications that
murder up to 5,000 of his own people included related diseases and birth defects.
by using chemical weapons against the
civilian residents of the northern Kurdish MURDERERS WHO DIE WITH THEIR VICTIMS
town of Halabja. The single biggest problem linked to modern-day terrorism is that those who commit
According to reports that emerged after these crimes are not afraid to die while attempting to murder innocents.
Gulf War 1 (Operation Desert Storm), the Their creed is well worn, and a lot of people are paying a price for what these
Iraqis repeatedly bombed the town with a jihadis believe. In the process, they take many lives—the old, the young, the healthy
variety of nerve gasses that included sarin, and the diseased.
soban, VX and tabun, as well as the blood The 9/11 World Trade Center attack is a case in point. So is the murder of 55 British
agent hydrogen cyanide. commuters in London in July 2005 by a group of youthful jihadis. Moreover, suicide
Human Rights Watch subsequently bomb attacks are a daily feature of life in so many countries east of Suez and
reported that survivors remembered increasingly in those parts of Africa where Islamic militants are active.
the gas smelled of “sweet apples.” They There have been thousands of these terror attacks during the course of the past
maintained that people died in a number decade. There will be more to come … .
of ways, which suggested a combination of We, in the West, have to accept that this is a problem that is going to be with us for
toxic chemicals. Some victims “just dropped ‹ Below: Part of the a very long time. We also need to accept that some of the tactics employed by these
dead,” while others “died laughing.” Still aftermath of alleged lunatics often defy logic.
more took a few minutes to succumb, fi rst Syrian government We are now also critically aware that the fanatic who disseminates this terror
chemical attacks in
“burning and blistering” or coughing up Damascus in August weapon—often according to their Quranic beliefs—embraces the prospect of their own
2013 (Photo: Human
green vomit. Hardly a pretty picture. Rights Watch) death in the process.

122 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [OCTOBER 2017]

ASG_120-129_1710_CHEMICAL.indd 122 7/17/17 1:53 AM