The Open Wound

The Open Wound

The Iran-Iraq War (Also known as the longest conventional war of 20^th century) began in Sep 1980 when Iraq invaded \Iran. During the conflict. Iraq began to employ mustard gas and Nerve agents (Tabun. Sarin and Soman) delivered by bombs dropped from airplanes. Artillery and other means: it was the first large scale use of chemical weapons since world war one and a clear violation of international law including 1925 Geneva protocol.

Chemical weapons employed by Saddam Hussein killed and injured tens of thousands of Iranians. And even Iraqis. Iraq also taegeted Iranian civilians with chemical weapons. Many thousands were killed in attacks on populations in villages and towns, as well as front-line hospitals. Many still suffer from the severe effects.

According to Iraqi documents, assistance in developing chemical weapons was obtained from firms in many countries, including the United States. West Germany the Netherlands, the United Kingdom. France and China.*

About 1,000,000 Iranian soldiers and civilian were exposed to CW agents and at least 100,000 were hospitalized because of severe injuries: Majority of those who survived developed long term health effects including blood. Lung and skin complications.

Currently over 60,000 of survivors suffer from exposure related illnesses and seek medical treatment regularly. Many are still hospitalized with severe. Chronic conditions.

Despite the removal of saddam and his regime. There is deep resentment and anger in Iran that it was Western companies that helped Iraq develop its chemical weapons arsenal in the first place, and that the world did nothing to punish the perpetrators and their supporters for the use of chemical weapons throughout the war.**

*Lafayette. Lev (July 26. 2002). “Who armed Saddam?

Timmerman, Kenneth R. (1991) Death Lobby: How the West Armed Iraq. Houghton Mifflin.

ISBN o-395-59305-0 http://en.wikipedia.org/Chemical_warfare

1- Pechura, Constance M., and David P. Rall, editors. Veterans at Risk: The Health Effects of Mustard Gas and Lewisite. Division of health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Instiute of Medicine. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1993, pp.216-7.

2- United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), 6March 2003 Working document.