Legacy and Concerns:
Lack of Transparency: The full extent of chemical weapons storage and disposal remains obscured, with ongoing concerns about environmental contamination and public health.
Potential Threats: There are persistent fears about the possibility of these old chemical agents being used in harmful ways or causing false illness outbreaks, especially given the unknown quantities and locations of disposed materials worldwide. But seriously, how does anyone really know if these chemicals were really destroyed?
Operation Steel Box (or Operation Golden Python) (1990)
Approved By: Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney.
Details: Chemical munitions from Germany were transported to Johnston Atoll for storage and destruction, in compliance with international chemical weapons agreements.
“The U.S. Military Sealift Command auxiliary crane ship SS Gopher State (T-ACS-4) as the ship arrives at Johnston Atoll during Operation Steel Box.”
Chemicals Involved: Nerve agents, mustard gas, and other chemical weapons.
Environmental Impact: Handling and destruction of these munitions on Johnston Atoll raised concerns about contamination of air, soil, and water. The potential for environmental degradation and long-term contamination remains a significant issue.