Kuwaiti officials held a comprehensive and unannounced test of the country’s ability to respond to a chemical weapons attack Saturday, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Nov. 13).

Authorities exploded several cars and released yellow smoke to simulate a missile attack involving VX nerve agent, all without warning local police, fire and health officials.  Emergency workers extinguished the fires from the car explosions and treated mock victims at the scene.  When emergency responders arrived at the site of the gas release they found fellow firefighters pretending to be dead and called in workers with decontamination suits.

“What I saw was a very well coordinated exercise,” said Col. Stephen Owen Thomas, a British military attache.

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is suspected of having illicit stores of VX and Kuwait is concerned about a chemical attack.

“Saddam maybe will go out of his mind at any time,” said Col. Abdulaziz al-Malalla, Kuwaiti chief assistant of operations for civil defense.  “Saddam has chemical weapons.  We are worried for everyone in this country,” he added (Associated Press, Jordan Times, Dec. 29).

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