Study Finds No Proof Iraq Used Gas Against Kurds

WASHINGTON — A military study says the United States had no conclusive evidence when it accused Iraq of using chemical weapons against its Kurdish minority in September, 1988.

The report, written by three analysts at the U.S. Army War College before Iraq invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2, also says that “contrary to general belief, Iraq’s rulers enjoy significant popular support.”

The study examines Iraq’s performance in the Iran-Iraq War that ended in July, 1988.

“Claims that they (Iraq) won simply by using massive amounts of chemical weapons cannot be substantiated,” concludes the study titled “Iraqi Power and U.S. Security in the Middle East.”

The War College report raises questions about whether Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons against the Kurdish minority in Iraq in the fall of 1988.

“Having looked at all of the evidence that was available to us, we find it impossible to confirm the State Department’s claim that gas was used in this instance,” the authors said.