Weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a term used to describe a weapon with the capacity to indiscriminately kill large numbers of people. The phrase broadly encompasses several areas of weapon synthesis, including nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC) and, increasingly, radiological weapons.
My question is..would this be considered a WMD? I'm not trying to say "Look we found WMD" because this probably didn't come from the Saddam regime...it's just that I am wondering IF it is WMD why doesn't the media call it that????
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A U.S. military commander Thursday said a raid outside Falluja two days ago discovered a home-grown factory for car bombs that included a metal shop, explosives and cylinders of toxic chlorine gas and other chemicals.
Two deadly vehicle bombings this week and one last month used chlorine mixed with explosive devices, a new insurgent tactic.
The chemical attacks left at least 12 dead and more than 200 hospitalized in the past week.
Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of the Multinational Corps-Iraq, said U.S. troops discovered the canisters late Tuesday at a car bomb factory near Karma, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) northeast of Falluja. Both towns are in the Sunni-dominated Anbar province west of Baghdad.
"The unit discovered numerous artillery rounds, mortar rounds, bombs, rockets, gutted anti-aircraft shells, a pickup truck and three other vehicles that were already in various stages of preparations as car bombs as well as much detonation material," Odierno told Pentagon reporters via teleconference from Iraq.
"We also found ingredients to be used to devise or enhance explosives, such as fertilizer and chlorine cylinders. We also found the various components of a metal shop, including welders, burner stoves, circular saws, sanders and other items needed to build explosive devices."
Chlorine was employed by the military on both sides during World War I as a battlefield weapon.
Exposure to chlorine gas can cause difficulty in breathing, coughing, burning in the nose, throat and eyes, nausea and vomiting.
U.S.: Iraq bomb factory raid nets deadly chlorine supply - CNN.com