Washington Post Article, "Rockville Firm Shipped Germ

Filename:009me.94d
To:   Dr. Kriese
      Mr. Romano
      Mr. Berbrick
      MG  Clapper

From:  [   (b)(6)   ]

Subject:  Washington Post Article, "Rockville Firm Shipped Germ
Agents to Iraq, Riegle Says", Page A8, Thursday, Feb 10, 1994.

1.    The information provided in subject article is not entirely
accurate. The article suggests that biological cultures shipped to
Iraq during the 1980s could be the cause of the so-called "Gulf 
War
Syndrome".  AFMIC analysts have followed the Iraqi BW program for
almost 10 years and would like to offer the following insights 
into
the present controversy:

a.    We have known for several years that Iraq had Bacillus
anthracis (the causative agent of anthrax) and botulinum toxin in
its inventory. Cultures of these agents have legitimate commercial
and health-related uses and banning their sale by US firms would
not have precluded their acquisition by Iraq.

b.    There is no indication that Iraq used any BW agents during 
the Gulf War.  Neither were there intelligence reports of allied 
or
Iraqi military or civilian casualties which could be attributed to
BW agent exposure.

c.    The agents referred to in subject article all cause acute
illness--not chronic, with fairly rapid onset of symptoms leading
to rapid recovery, if treated, or to death.  If troops had been
exposed to these agents, manifestations consistent with exposure
would have been apparent soon after exposure and would have been
diagnosable.  These illnesses would not have been passed along to
family members.   In fact, botulinum toxin is not an infectious
agent at all, but a toxin obtained from the Clostridium botulinum
organism.

d.    Illnesses caused by biological warfare agents, including the
ones mentioned in the article, are easily diagnosed.