The U.N.’s Got A Lot Of Nerve

Did you hear? ABC New is reporting that 6-8 vials of a “dangerous nerve gas” (phosgene) were discovered at the U.N. building early this morning.

And despite Michael Chertoff’s “gut feeling” that terrorist attacks were imminent this summer, it appears al-Qaeda’s not to blame.

In fact, officials think it was probably just a bunch of silly U.N. officials who wanted to keep cannisters of “a poisonous, colorless gas with a suffocating odor like newly mown hay” as kitschy remembrances of the 1987 Iraq war.

On the plus side, “[assuming] it is properly sealed, it should not pose much of a threat unless it is dropped,” says former NYC emergency services director Jerry Hauer, who quickly concedes that “it shows immense stupidity to have that kind of thing sitting around as a souvenir.”

So, relax people! After all, why drive yourself crazy worrying about vague but persistent threats from international terrorism rings when you can just as easily concern yourself with the stupid, careless and potentially fatal oversights taking place right here in our backyard?