It has been alleged that the British used chemical weapons in Mesopotamia in 1920, during the Iraqi revolt (Ath Thawra al Iraqiyya al Kubra), in the period of the British Mandate. It is clear that the use of tear gas, rather than a lethal gas, was considered, as a War Office minute of 12 May 1919, shows, in which Winston Churchill argued
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| - Alleged British use of chemical weapons in Mesopotamia in 1920
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| - It has been alleged that the British used chemical weapons in Mesopotamia in 1920, during the Iraqi revolt (Ath Thawra al Iraqiyya al Kubra), in the period of the British Mandate. It is clear that the use of tear gas, rather than a lethal gas, was considered, as a War Office minute of 12 May 1919, shows, in which Winston Churchill argued
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abstract
| - It has been alleged that the British used chemical weapons in Mesopotamia in 1920, during the Iraqi revolt (Ath Thawra al Iraqiyya al Kubra), in the period of the British Mandate. It is clear that the use of tear gas, rather than a lethal gas, was considered, as a War Office minute of 12 May 1919, shows, in which Winston Churchill argued "I do not understand this squeamishness about the use of gas. We have definitely adopted the position at the Peace Conference of arguing in favour of the retention of gas as a permanent method of warfare. It is sheer affectation to lacerate a man with the poisonous fragment of a bursting shell and to boggle at making his eyes water by means of lachrymatory gas. I am strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilised tribes. The moral effect should be so good that the loss of life should be reduced to a minimum. It is not necessary to use only the most deadly gasses: gasses can be used which cause great inconvenience and would spread a lively terror and yet would leave no serious permanent effects on most of those affected."
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