The CIA was aware of this intention as early as 1982. A 1982 document, titled Iraq-Iran: Situation Report Number. 27, outlines that both the Iraqis and the Iranians were preparing for chemical warfare. The report states, “Iraqis irregulars were recently issued protective masks and Iraqi artillery units were ordered to submit requirements for resupply of chemical equipment.” (1)

Military officials have always contended that they were unaware of Saddam’s intent to use chemical weapons because the Iraqi government never announced their intention to do so. However, documents released by ForeignPolicy.com actually show that the lack of an Iraqi announcement about chemical weapons was irrelevant due to the fact that the CIA was well aware of the intent.

Not only was the U.S. aware of the Iraqis’ use of chemical weapons, but the CIA documents also analyze the Iranian response to those attacks. Nevertheless, with all of this intel at their disposal, the U.S. government still supported Saddam with a variety of intelligence information.

Recent CIA documents reveal that the U.S. actually provided support to Saddam Hussein as he unleashed chemical weapons, including Mustard Gas, on the Iranian people during the Iran-Iraq War. For decades, the U.S. government denied turning a blind eye to the Iraqis’ use of chemical weapons; however, the CIA documents prove that military officials had a clear pulse on the situation.

Iraq Was Producing Nerve Agents

In a 1983 document, titled Iran’s Likely Reaction to Iraqi Use of Chemical Weapons, it was confirmed that, “Iraq has used both lethal and non-lethal chemical weapons against the Iranians during the war.”(1) This document proves that the CIA was well aware of the use of lethal chemical weapons. The document goes on to state how that the use of chemical weapons was not as effective as the Iraqis had hoped. Nevertheless, this information was known five years prior to the U.S. providing valuable intelligence information to Saddam. A 1984 document , titled Prospects for Use of Chemical Weapons by Iraq Against Iran Over the Next Six Months, points to the fact that Iraq was producing nerve agents and the fact that Saddam authorized its use.

By March 13, 1984, the CIA issued a memo titled Monthly Warning Meetings for February 1984, which actually predicted the widespread use of chemical weapons by the Iraqi government against the Iranians. The document further hypothesized that the Iraqis would have nerve agents available for deployment by late summer of 1984.

Barely two weeks later, the CIA issued a report confirming that Iraq used nerve agents. The document states, “Iraq has begun using nerve agents on the Al Basrah front and likely will be able to employ it in military significant quantities by late this fall.” (1)

Nevertheless, with all of this information at their disposal, the U.S. still provided satellite imagery, maps, and a variety of other intelligence that showed the movement of Iranian troops along with their resupply chains and key logistics points. All of which, the U.S. had to know, that the Iraqis would use the chemical weapons against.

U.S. knowledge of Iraq’s use of chemical weapons against the Iranians has been speculated for some time. Similarly, since the conflict, several officials have stated that the U.S. was aware of this prior to providing the intel. However, the recent release of these declassified documents provide definitive proof that the U.S. did not need Iraq to make an announcement about using chemical weapons, they possessed the intelligence. Yet, they still turned a blind eye to its use.