Iraq: US dropped nuclear bomb near Basra in 1991, claims veteran

**Castellano** · 9th October 2008 12:20

Not sure if this thread belongs here, but I found a piece in a Spanish newspaper that lead me to this:

Iraq: US dropped nuclear bomb near Basra in 1991, claims veteran

Rome, 8 Oct. (AKI) - An American veteran of the first Gulf War in Iraq claims that the United States dropped a five-kilotonne nuclear bomb in 1991 in a deserted area outside the southern city of Basra on the Iranian border.

The claim by US war veteran Jim Brown was made during an interview included in a 30-minute current affairs report to be broadcast by Italian state news channel RaiNews24 on Thursday.

Brown told the Italian news channel that the bombing took place on the last day of the war in Iraq on 27 February 1991.

RaiNews24 claims to have conducted its own inquiry and found that a seismic event took place on that day equal to a five-kilotonne blast.

The network cited the online archives of the International Seismological Center, a non-profit UK-based organisation, as confirmation of its research.

The Italian journalist in charge of the inquiry Maurizio Torrealta told Adnkronos International (AKI) that there is no definitive proof of the nuclear blast and that it should not be taken as a fact.

Instead he asked the international community to further investigate the claims by Brown.

"We are asking journalists and the international community for help, in order to clarify this," said Torrealta.

However, in the documentary, which was shown to the media on Wednesday, Torrealta said that one of the possible reasons that the US may have dropped the bomb, was in retribution for the launch of Scud missiles on the US Dhahran military base in Saudi Arabia on 25 February.

Twenty-eight American soldiers died in the attack.

The US veteran, Jim Brown was not present during the alleged launch of the bomb and it is not clear how he obtained the information.

RaiNews24 said that 45-year-old Brown was originally a fourth-level engineer in the US Army and was demoted to third-level after health problems, following a vaccination against chemical weapons.

The injection deteriorated his health and he was eventually discharged from the army with honour.

He is now director of the GulfWatch I.N.S. organisation. Its website claims to have 350 supporters who are or were involved in coalition intelligence during the 1991 Gulf War.

"These people have agreed to work together to make sure that as much information about the war as possible is released about the activities prior to, during and after the war that have affected the health of potentially hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and their spouses and children," said a statement on the website.

The documentary included an interview with an Iraqi doctor, Jawad al-Ali, who told RaiNews24 that before the beginning of the first Gulf War in 1989 there were 32 cases of tumours, while in 2002 the number had risen to 600 in the Basra area.

Al-Ali also told RaiNews24 that tumours that used to affect older citizens had started to impact younger children. He then showed alleged photos of the tumours in the documentary.

During the RaiNews24 report , Torrealta said that the US State Department had rejected Brown's claims and said only 'conventional' weapons had been used during the first Gulf War.

The Spanish paper quotes Maurizio Torrealta as saying that:

- The Pentagon has explained the seismic event could be due to the use of BLU-82, which were used that day

- While he acknowledges that "there is no proof that the accusation is true, there isn't also any proof that is false"

If you think this is a joke, I have not seen the documentary but will be aired on Italian State Television RAI, with the images of cancer mutilated bodies and everything. The talkback in the Spanish newspaper shows that most people are taking it a face value, perfect excuse for gruesome diatribes against the US.

I don't know how could it be proved to be a fabrication, but the motive "retribution for the launch of Scud missiles on the US Dhahran military base in Saudi Arabia" sounds ridiculous.

It also doesn't say which was the objective. Fleeing Republican Guard Divisions that were on the run and incapable of putting almost any resistance?

**Officer of Engineers** · 9th October 2008 17:36

If it was a nuclear event, you can bet your your last dollar the Soviets would have confirmed it. There would still be radio isotopes left at the blast site. Anyone can walk out there, take a reading and confirm a nuclear event. There was none.

**Dreadnought** · 9th October 2008 17:37

IMO He's full of ****. Far too many tell tale signs that would be immediately evident and most important fact the US does not use nuclear weapons for revenge. Not now not ever. These people give themselves far too much credit to think for a moment that Basra would have been tougher then Korea or the Vietnam wars and we didnt use one there either. A 10 kiloton bomb would have been visible from not only land such as (Iraq itself,Iran and Kuwait) but also any where close to land in the Persian Gulf not to mention any nations satellite. I guess we just quiet everybody that saw it including Iran which jumps at the chance to point the finger at the U.S.

The guys full of ****. No doubt about it

**HistoricalDavid** · 9th October 2008 18:26

Originally Posted by Officer of Engineers

If it was a nuclear event, you can bet your your last dollar the Soviets would have confirmed it. There would still be radio isotopes left at the blast site. Anyone can walk out there, take a reading and confirm a nuclear event. There was none.

End of thread.

"there is no proof that the accusation is true, there isn't also any proof that is false"

There is no evidence for a pink rhino in my street (I'm sitting in a garden-facing room at the moment) but there isn't any against it... Should I hold the case open for pink rhino believers?

Absence of evidence where there should be some is strong evidence of absence.

**Castellano** · 9th October 2008 19:07

Originally Posted by HistoricalDavid

There is no evidence for a pink rhino in my street... Should I hold the case open for pink rhino believers?

Ha! That's what one of the very few skeptic talkback comments said: ask this "journalist" to prove Donald Duck doesn't exist before he publishes another "story".

All he had to do is check with someone knowledgeable like OoE. Even I have heard the word 'isotope', but I assumed there won't be any traces by now.

Never mind, this thing is making it into Italian State TV RAI, potentially millions of people will be exposed and some or many will buy it. I read it originally in Spain's most influential newspaper. This unbelievable low standard of journalism is maintained as long as is negative news about the US war efforts. Day in & Day out.

**Officer of Engineers** · 9th October 2008 19:09

We're still finding traces at Trinity and Hiroshima. What's more, those isotopes can even identify which nuclear power plant it came from.

**TopHatter** · 9th October 2008 21:32

Originally Posted by Castellano

The Spanish paper quotes Maurizio Torrealta as saying that:

- While he acknowledges that "there is no proof that the accusation is true, there isn't also any proof that is false"

The burden of proof is upon the accuser.

Got any real proof?

No?

Didn't think so.

**Shamus** · 9th October 2008 22:12

Originally Posted by HistoricalDavid

There is no evidence for a pink rhino in my street (I'm sitting in a garden-facing room at the moment) but there isn't any against it... Should I hold the case open for pink rhino believers?

**usplanefan67** · 5th November 2008 08:00

Yes why would the US need to drop a nuclear bomb in the first place. They had already won the war and there would have been no need to any payback, they shot off a bunch of scuds during the war. While any loss of life was tragic it wasnt very high during that conflict for the US or any of the allies. Why would they want to risk destroying the coalition they had going for that. Very dumb journalism.

**3ACR_Scout** · 5th December 2008 12:31

Originally Posted by Castellano

Not sure if this thread belongs here, but I found a piece in a Spanish newspaper that lead me to this:

RaiNews24 said that 45-year-old Brown was originally a fourth-level engineer in the US Army and was demoted to third-level after health problems, following a vaccination against chemical weapons.

Anyone know what that means? I've never heard of a "fourth-" or "third-level" engineer in my time in the (U.S.) Army. Is this some kind of Corps of Engineers title?

Originally Posted by Castellano

The Spanish paper quotes Maurizio Torrealta as saying that:

- The Pentagon has explained the seismic event could be due to the use of BLU-82, which were used that day

I think this is the most-likely source of this story. There were several reports after Desert Storm that Iraqi Soldiers (and even some British troops) thought the U.S. had dropped nuclear weapons on Iraqi forces that turned out to be Daisy Cutters - a 10,000 lb bomb makes for quite a bang.

Dave

**TopHatter** · 5th December 2008 12:52

Originally Posted by 3ACR_Scout

Anyone know what that means? I've never heard of a "fourth-" or "third-level" engineer in my time in the (U.S.) Army. Is this some kind of Corps of Engineers title?

2 possibilties:

It's a Spanish newspaper, so something could be lost in translation, mistranslated, Spanish military terms being used to describe American rank or position etc etc.

Or

Given the subject matter of the article itself, the whole "fourth-level, third-level" bit is, just like the article, a load of bulls--t.

**Johnny W** · 5th December 2008 13:37

Originally Posted by Castellano

Ha! That's what one of the very few skeptic talkback comments said: ask this "journalist" to prove Donald Duck doesn't exist before he publishes another "story".

All he had to do is check with someone knowledgeable like OoE. Even I have heard the word 'isotope', but I assumed there won't be any traces by now.

Never mind, this thing is making it into Italian State TV RAI, potentially millions of people will be exposed and some or many will buy it. I read it originally in Spain's most influential newspaper. This unbelievable low standard of journalism is maintained as long as is negative news about the US war efforts. Day in & Day out.

Regardless of the lack of proof, there are some that will believe it. There are some people who believe that professional Wrestling is real, and the moon landings were fake.

**Terminator** · 5th December 2008 15:38

It's so near to Iran.... and looking into the relationship of US and Iran. If there's really such incident, Iran would had use this incident to demand explanation from US. So, my speculation is this is a accusation.

**Albany Rifles** · 5th December 2008 15:44

So how's that pink rhino doing?

This such a crock of bull.

AFCENT briefed during the war abotuthese being dropped. The were dropped from SOC-CENT C-130s as part of the psyops campaign. Look at the end of this wiki entry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BLU-82

Also, when you set one of these off, like all large bombs, they tend to produce a mushroom shaped cloud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2ywi...eature=related

**BWFalcon** · 5th December 2008 17:09

Isn't it believed that the depleted uranium shells have caused some side effects like this also?

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