DM 'holds off' on distributing gas masks he doesn't have
Defense Minister Ehud Barach (Ehud Fled) has decided once again not to distribute gas masks to the Israeli public at this time out of 'fear that it would provoke Syria to go to war.' Syria has a large supply of biological and chemical weapons, mainly sarin (a nerve gas) and mustard gas, and it is in the process of weaponizing VX (a very powerful toxic nerve agent). Of course, those of you who are regular readers already know the real reason why Barak is not distributing gas masks: We don't have enough to go around. The Jerusalem Post reports this morning that nothing has been done to procure gas masks since I first reported the problem two months ago. Thus if Olmert and Co. guess wrong and Syria really does attack us, we Israelis are all exposed: According to the Global Security Web site, the Syrian arsenal is comprised mostly of large amounts of Sarin and mustard gas and Syria is reportedly producing and weaponizing VX.'Considering proposals'? What is wrong with these people? This isn't even a question for which a decision maker needs to have courage (like, for example, invading Gaza) - it's a question of having the common sense to be prepared!
The US, the report says, has estimated Syria to possess several hundred liters of chemical weapons with hundreds of tons of agents produced annually.
Defense officials recently revealed that if war were to break out in the coming months, the Home Front Command would only have enough gas masks for 1.5 million adults and half a million children.
As a result, the Defense Ministry is currently considering proposals to make emergency purchases of gas masks from Israeli and American companies, if the need arises.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:26 AM
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