Thread: NBC threat in GW1 & 2

To settle an argument, can anybody tell me what the difference was (if any) in the NBC threat between the two conflicts? It was obviously sky-high in GW1 but was it the same in GW2? Furthermore, was there any actual shortage of NBC equipment and suits in either war?

I don't reall seeing as much evidence of Noddy suits in the most recent conflict whereas they seemed to be worn constantly in GW1.

GW1 was fought for a valid reason despite there being an NBC threat.

GW2 was fought because of an NBC threat despite there not being one.

I was on the original Telic and we took the NBC threat very seriously.

The Prime Minister had told us there was a threat (good old Tony wouldn't lie to us, would he?) and we weren't taking any chances.

I also was on the original Telic. The NBC threat was deemed sky high, were always told from the start that "it isnt if they will use it,it will be when."

Originally Posted by mushroom

I was on the original Telic and we took the NBC threat very seriously.

The Prime Minister had told us there was a threat (good old Tony wouldn't lie to us, would he?) and we weren't taking any chances.

Oh yes - stood there in my too small, temperate NBC suit because it was all we had left in the stores, worrying if my time expired but "5 year life span added" respirator was going to work....

Oh yes, we took it seriously!

Don't know about GW1 but the NBC threat in GW2 was grossly overstated (i.e. Tony Blair's "dodgy dossier") and to the best of my knowledge no evidence of chemical weapons was found post invasion. Perhaps its just as well that the Iraqis didn't have them because had they used them I think we would have taken casualties because of insufficient kit. I was issued with insufficient combo-pens because they were running out of stocks. Both of my respirator cannisters had pased their expiry date but it was all that was left and was re-assured by the numpty TA Private dishing them out at Strensall that "you'll be alright mate". I took great pleasure in reminding the little runt that I was not his mate and further bollocked the twat when I found out that he was not deploying to theatre (none of this was his fault but he was still a twat).
On arrival at 33 Field Hospital IIRC there were only 2 NBC cas-bags whereas there should have been one per bed. That left us 198 bags short so had chemical weapons been used patients unable to wear their own NBC IPE due to illness or injury would have been f*cked. Finally the much trumpeted "colpro" appeared to work but would not have done so in a chemical environment as the wrong filters were fitted.
So in a nutshell five years later I still struggle to reconcile that fact that our government sent us to war to remove the threat of a hostile regime that allegedly possessed chemical weapons but failed to ensure that its soldiers were adequately protected against the very threat that we were there to remove.
Nurse! Its time for my medication.