Last of US Chemical Weapons Stockpile Destroyed in Kentucky Military Installation
The last of the U.S. declared chemical weapons stockpile was destroyed in eastern Kentucky at a military installation, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced on Friday. This milestone marks the end of a chapter of warfare dating back to World War I. The Defense Department confirmed that the last sarin nerve agent-filled M55 rocket was destroyed at the Blue Grass Army Depot. Workers at the depot have been working for decades to eliminate a chemical weapons stockpile that once totaled over 30,000 tons by the end of the Cold War.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell stated, “Chemical weapons are responsible for some of the most horrific episodes of human loss. Though the use of these deadly agents will always be a stain on history, today our nation has finally fulfilled our promise to rid our arsenal of this evil.” President Biden also praised the achievement, stating that it not only fulfills the long-standing commitment under the Chemical Weapons Convention but also marks the first time an international body has verified the destruction of an entire category of declared weapons of mass destruction.
Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth expressed her pride in the safe elimination of these obsolete weapons, stating that the Army played a key role in making this demilitarization possible. This accomplishment is not only significant for Richmond, Kentucky and Pueblo, Colorado, where an Army depot destroyed the last of its chemical agents last month, but also for arms control efforts worldwide.
The U.S. faced a September 30 deadline to eliminate its remaining chemical weapons under the international Chemical Weapons Convention, which was joined by 193 countries. The munitions destroyed in Kentucky were the last of 51,000 M55 rockets filled with sarin nerve agent. These rockets had been stored at the depot since the 1940s. By destroying these munitions, the U.S. is sending a strong message to countries that have not joined the agreement, effectively stating that these types of weapons are no longer acceptable in the battlefield.
While the destruction of the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile is a major step forward for the Chemical Weapons Convention, there are still a few countries that have not signed the treaty, including Egypt, North Korea, South Sudan, and Israel, which has signed but not ratified the treaty. Arms control advocates are hopeful that this achievement by the U.S. could encourage these remaining countries to join and serve as a model for the elimination of other types of weapons.
The journey to eliminate the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile began in 1986 when Congress mandated their destruction. The process started in 1990 on Johnston Atoll in the Pacific and continued at six more sites across the U.S. until 2012. In southern Colorado, workers at the Army Pueblo Chemical Depot started destroying the weapons in 2016 and completed their mission on June 22, 2023, neutralizing an entire cache of about 2,600 tons of mustard blister agent.
The elimination of these weapons has alleviated longstanding concerns in Colorado and Kentucky. The disposal of the weapons in Kentucky faced opposition from the local community due to fears of toxic pollution from incineration. Alternative methods were sought, leading to the completion of the disposal plant in 2015. In Pueblo, Colorado, workers carefully loaded aging weapons onto conveyor systems, where remote-controlled robots neutralized the toxic mustard agent. The projectiles and mortars were decontaminated and recycled as scrap metal.
The destruction of the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile is a significant achievement for the nation and a major step towards global arms control. It demonstrates the commitment of the U.S. to rid the world of these deadly weapons and serves as an example for other countries to follow.
Original Story at www.cbsnews.com – 2023-07-07 22:30:00
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