The bottom line is clear:
quote:
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The Relevance of Yesterday's US Hypocrisy Today
by ELSON E. BOLES
You may feel disgusted by the hypocrisy of US plans to make war on Iraq and sickened at the inevitable slaughter of thousands of people. But if you could only vaguely recall the details of how deep the hypocrisy goes, then read on.
The US not only helped arm Iraq with military equipment right up to the time of the Kuwait invasion in 1989, as did Germany, Britain, France, Russia and others, but also sold and helped Iraq to integrate chemical weapons into their US-provided battle plans while fighting Iran between 1985-1988.
According to a New York Times article in August, 2002, Col. Walter P. Lang, a senior defense intelligence officer at the time, explained that D.I.A. and C.I.A. officials "were desperate to make sure that Iraq did not lose" to Iran. "The use of gas on the battlefield by the Iraqis was not a matter of deep strategic concern," he said. One veteran said, that the Pentagon "wasn't so horrified by Iraq's use of gas." "It was just another way of killing people _ whether with a bullet or phosgene, it didn't make any difference."
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http://www.counterpunch.org/boles1010.html
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Damn...I am impressed with the ramblings of the Professor...not. Many people write many articles...and in the scheme of things are of little import.
Col. Water P. Lang's statement is probably true...as the US did not want either country to suffer a decisive defeat...and assisted both Iraq and Iran...to some extent. Bottom line...being disembowled by the shrapnel from a mortar round or being stiched by bullets...or meeting your death by gas are all horrific... and FYI gas is not easily deployed as an effective killing tool.