KUWAIT: U.S. GERMAN AND CZECH TROOPS CARRY OUT CHEMICAL WEAPONS DRILL OUTSIDE THE U.S. EMBASSY IN KUWAIT CITY

Record ID: 645773

  • Title: KUWAIT: U.S. GERMAN AND CZECH TROOPS CARRY OUT CHEMICAL WEAPONS DRILL OUTSIDE THE U.S. EMBASSY IN KUWAIT CITY
  • Date: 13th December 2002
  • Summary: (W4) KUWAIT CITY (DECEMBER 13, 2002) (REUTERS) WS: EXTERIOR U.S. EMBASSY COMPOUND/ MILITARY VEHICLES OUTSIDE MV: KUWAITI POLICE CARS SCU/MV: SOLDIER IN GAS MASK IN VEHICLE/ AUDIO OF SIREN (2 SHOTS) SV: MAN "WOUNDED" IN "CHEMICAL ATTACK" BEING HELPED OUT OF BACK OF TRUCK WIDE OF TREATMENT TENT SV: "WOUNDED" MAN LYING ON STRETCHER CLOSE UP "WOUND" SV: SOLDIERS MOVING STRETCHER WITH "WOUNDED" MAN SLV: GERMAN APC MOVING/ KUWAITI POLICE CARS IN BACKGROUND SV: "WOUNDED" BEING WHEELED OFF ON STRETCHER ONTO AMBULANCE SLV/SV: "WOUNDED" MAN BEING TREATED IN TENT (2 SHOTS) PAN: "WOUNDED" MAN BEING HELPED OUT OF TENT SV: SOLDIERS IN CHEMICAL SUITS SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. AMBASSADOR RICHARD JONES: "Our goal is to disarm Iraq. And we don't' think war is preordained. We think that the choice for war is really up to Saddam Hussein and his government. If they can cooperate with the international community, abide by U.N. Security Council resolutions, war is not inevitable." WIDE OF MEDIA AROUND JONES VARIOUS OF CZECH DECONTAMINATION SYSTEM/ VEHICLES BEING DECONTAMINATED WITH SPRAY (6 SHOTS) Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 28th December 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT
  • Country: Kuwait
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVADKDJNTQTJN9Y5U6OQBMVY5R02
  • Story Text: U.S., German and Czech troops in Kuwait City have carried out a chemical drill outside the U.S. embassy, amid increasing security threats and intensifying tensions over the possibility of war with Iraq.
    The military drill on Friday (December 13) was a joint exercise between the Combined Joint Task Force-Consequence Management (C/JTF-CM) and local Kuwaiti agencies to test their response to a hypothetical terrorist attack on the U.S.
    embassy.
    Established in October 2001, the special unit arrived in Kuwait in November last year. It is composed of specialized forces from the United States, Germany and the Czech Republic, all trained in dealing with the aftermath of a chemical, biological or nuclear attack.
    Working closely with Kuwaiti emergency services and the National Guard, their mission is to provide prompt assistance to Kuwait and other countries in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility in the event of such an attack.
    The exercise involved a mock Sarin chemical attack at the front gate of the U.S. embassy.
    The troops evacuated the buildings, taking the wounded for treatment by Kuwaiti forces at a mobile field hospital nearby.
    The United States ambassador in Kuwait Richard Jones said that the Kuwaiti embassy was one of the best prepared in the terms of supplies and drills.
    He added that the threat of a war could be avoided if Saddam Hussein cooperated with the international community.
    "Our goal is to disarm Iraq. And we don't' think war is preordained. We think that the choice for war is really up to Saddam Hussein and his government. If they can cooperate with the international community, abide by U.N. Security Council resolutions, war is not inevitable."
    Cars were decontaminated using a Czech spraying system.
    Kuwaiti emergency services have the primary responsibility for all consequence management operations in Kuwait and the joint operations would be conducted only after receiving a request from the government of Kuwait.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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