[mobglob-discuss] U.S. Releases Final Reports on Cold War Toxin Tests

[rick mccallion]

from nytimes

July 1, 2003
U.S. Releases Final Reports on Cold War Toxin Tests
By THOM SHANKER

WASHINGTON, June 30 — The Pentagon made public today a final set of reports
on a cold war program that tested the vulnerability of American forces to
unconventional attack, having identified 5,842 people who may have been
exposed to chemical or biological agents.

The end of the inquiry was criticized on Capitol Hill and by a leading
veterans' organization, whose leaders said they remained unconvinced that
all the tests had been documented and all those potentially exposed had been
identified.

The 10 test reports declassified today offered none of the revelations of
earlier Pentagon releases on the test program, in which deadly substances
like VX and sarin had been sprayed on sailors, ships and even on American
soil.

One new fact was the disclosure that military personnel used a substance
called Betapropriolactone to decontaminate naval vessels, structures and
clothing. Studies of mice, rats, hamsters and guinea pigs now indicate that
it may cause cancer, the Pentagon said, although the findings are not
definitive.

Under the testing program, which was known as Project 112 and Project SHAD
(for shipboard hazard and defense), the military conducted 50 exercises out
of 134 that had been planned, the Pentagon said. The names of those known to
have participated in the tests have been provided to the Department of
Veterans Affairs, because they may be eligible for benefits if medical
problems or disabilities can be linked to exposure.

"This release concludes a significant effort on the part of many people in
the Department of Defense to ensure important information was made available
to service members and the Department of Veterans Affairs," William
Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said.
"That effort reflects our individual and collective commitment to veterans
and their families."

But seven members of Congress wrote to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld
on Thursday stating that while they "appreciate the determination to
declassify information concerning known tests," any decision by the Pentagon
to "discontinue its investigation would be premature and would put thousands
of veterans at further risk."

An author of the letter, Representative Mike Thompson, a California
Democrat, said today: "There are still a lot of unanswered questions, and a
lot of new information is still coming out. I think we do need a hearing, or
at a minimum a briefing by the Department of Defense, to ask some of these
questions, in particular why they think it is necessary to shut this down."

Rick Weidman, director of government relations for the Vietnam Veterans of
America, said his organization had been contacted by retired military
personnel who provided information that suggested additional tests were
conducted and that other military units were involved beyond those described
in the Pentagon reports.
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