The Ilhan Omar Attack: A Modern Chemical Exposure Event

To be clear, the chemical involved was apple cider vinegar and Representative Ilhan Omar emerged unharmed. However, for a brief moment when watching the event unfold in real time, our heads were spinning as to the nature of this concoction. Apple cider vinegar never made the list, but a great deal of other chemicals did. Was this a simple household item like bleach? Did the attacker have any sort of chemical engineering background where he had access to some extremely potent agents? We considered how much danger the Representative was in along with everyone else in the room. Thankfully the event ended well for all, but there are key survival lessons we can learn along the way. 

Understand Your Fight or Flight Response

Image source: MIRA Safety

From watching the video, it is clear that Representative Omar’s natural response was to fight. After the initial shock of the encounter wore off, she charged the assailant with her fist. While we applaud anyone willing to throw punches when attacked, this was unfortunately the wrong response when an unknown chemical is used. 

The threat was no longer the man  as he was being subdued by security. What Ilhan Omar failed to recognize was the immediate danger rested with the unknown substance on her shirt. It doesn’t matter that it wound up being apple cider vinegar. Until the substance is known, one has to assume the worst when any chemical agent is used. Flight should have taken precedence over fight. 

As soon as the chemical made contact there should have been an immediate clock that went off in her head to remove the contaminated clothing. Don’t look down and smell it to identify the substance. Don’t touch it with your hand and bring your hand up to your nose. Exit the scene and remove the clothing while touching as little of the clothing as possible. The room should have been cleared and the people monitored for immediate symptoms. If security in the room had any CBRN training, they would have done so. 

Keeping Yourself in the Fight Takes Priority

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In the Marine Corps, the words “gas, gas, gas” will force a Marine to stop whatever they are doing and put on their gas mask. Yes, this includes stopping the fight. Take cover, put on the gas mask, and then resume the fight. That’s because despite the fact that there are bad guys shooting at you, you won’t be able to shoot back if you can’t breathe. Like Omar, your instinct may be to fight, but you have to address the immediate threat first. 

Immediate action drills like this are practiced often in the Marine Corps and 99 times out of 100, there is no actual threat. It is a false alarm and there was never any danger. It is practiced as such because it just takes one time for them to be right. That’s what makes Illhan Omar’s response troubling. She was far too cavalier for the nature of the unknown threat. Had this substance actually been toxic, that precious first minute was wasted on the wrong fight or flight response. 

Chemical Attacks On Dignitaries Are Not New

Image source: Britannica

While the incident with Illhan Omar may come as a shock to many, the reality is that using chemicals to attack high-profile individuals is nothing new. Socrates, Alexander the Great and even a pope met their end thanks to poison chemicals. In modernity the primary state actors using chemicals to poison political foes would be North Korea and Russia. 

The brother of North Korean dictator, Kim Jung-un was executed in a Malaysian airport when a dose of VX was applied to his face. Russia has proven to be a fan of the Novichok-class nerve agent, using it to poison former intelligence officers in the U.K. and now deceased political rival Alexei Navalny. 

What makes these attacks striking is that both North Korea and Russia have conducted these attacks on foreign soil in western countries. There is a better than average chance that such clandestine activities could take place on U.S. soil as well. Meaning these poisons may already be in this country waiting for the orders to strike. 

Homemade Chemical Agents are Easier than Ever to Create

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The average American home is basically a miniature chemical lab full of agents that prove harmful or deadly. With the advent of artificial intelligence, the instructions on how to combine or weaponize these agents are at your fingertips. Had the attacker been just a little bit curious, he could have done real harm to the representative and those in the room. Below are just a few of the dangerous agents that can be found in the average household: 

• Bleach (sodium hypochlorite)

• Ammonia based cleaners

• Oven and drain cleaners

• Nail polish remover

• Rubbing Alcohol

• Paint thinners/solvents

• Glues

• Automotive fluids

• Insecticides

• Rat Poison

• Battery chemicals

Now, we’re not going to tell or suggest that these become weaponized. We also don’t recommend doing any research on how to do as the internet remembers everything and you wind up some watch list as a result. Rather, we just want you to know what any attacker could have at their disposal should they try to cause harm to others.

The average Joe is not sitting on top of barrels of anthrax or mustard gas. However, chemicals that are used in farm operations can be bought by the truckload and weaponized. That’s what happened in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing when agricultural agents were used to level the federal building. In the crazy world in which we live, one must assume that any agent sprayed on them is the worst of them all and act accordingly. 

How the Average American Can Prepare for Chemical Warfare

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It is unfortunate to say, but the average American family should be putting together plans and immediate action drills regarding chemical warfare. We are in a heightened season of political tension in the United States and with the upcoming midterms, people have found themselves justifying political violence across the political spectrum. 

In this case, the man used apple cider vinegar and it is unclear if she was trying to make a statement or do real harm. Next time you are attending a political rally you may not be as lucky. The first step in preparation is to have the right gear on hand and at the ready. We’re not saying you need to walk around in full MOPP gear anytime you are out in public. However, having a quality gas mask in your car when you come across a political event that may get out of control. Most won’t have one and at the first sign of chemical danger, you’ll know to head immediately to your vehicle and gain access to clean air. 

Again, we hate to say it, but logic and history dictate that political violence will get worse before it gets better. All sorts of lunatics who never really thought about chemical warfare now have it on their minds as a result of this incident. Where this attacker failed, others may succeed. It’s on you to be ready for the survival of your family. Just like we saw in the Omar attack, security is a minute too slow and a minute too late to intervene in time. Assume exposure to agents is possible and prepare accordingly. 

Here we point out the difference between probability and possibility. We use the word possible intentionally. We have homeowners insurance on our homes, not because a catastrophic fire is probable. The odds are actually quite low and yet, we pay exorbitant prices for insurance. We do so because a fire is possible and the cost of that fire is too much to bear if unprotected. So it is with chemical warfare agents. It is not that it is probable, but that it is possible, and the cost to your family may be too much to bear. 

Recapping the Security Failure at the Ilhan Omar Speech

Image source: Envato

We don’t do politics here at MIRA, but we do survival and safety. As such, we have to point out the failure in security at this particular speech. It is highly likely that this individual was displaying signs that he was up to no good. He would have been nervous about his impending action and his body would have shown signs. 

The Secret Service does an excellent job at protecting Presidents and much of this is due to behavior recognition. Since we know you can’t count on security to get it right, you have to trust your gut when it comes to individuals displaying concerning behavior. If you get a bad feeling about someone, don’t sit next to them. If you don’t like the behavior of the people in the room, sit closer to the exit. When in doubt, trust your gut because that is a survival instinct. For resources on managing fear, this is a great video to get started.

There is no reason this guy should have been that close to the front without being detected as a possible threat. While we appreciate the Representative’s willingness to fight, it was the wrong response and her security team should have known that. When an unknown chemical agent is used, she should have been ushered out of the room to remove the contaminated clothing. Assume every CBRN threat is real until it is proven that it is not. 

Use the Ilhan Omar Attack as a Training Video for Your Family 

Image source: Ironclad family

Show this video to your spouse and kids if you deem them old enough. Ask them what their response would have been if they were in the room unattended. If their response is not to start heading for exit, this is the perfect opportunity to train them. It would be different if the man threw a punch or even if he used a firearm. Once an unknown chemical agent enters the fray, it is time to leave the scene. 

Most won’t recognize the threat and this gives you a chance to leave before the exits become jammed full of people. In this case, it was apple cider vinegar and you could have used it as dressing on your salad. However, if Omar had started showing symptoms of a chemical attack you can trust that panic would have set in throughout that room. Don’t wait for the panic and have a plan to get to clean air sooner rather than later. 

We hope that this is the last incident of political violence that we will see in this country, but our gut tells us this is not the case. We are passionate about the survival of your family and we will do everything we can to prepare you for a possible tumultuous season in American history. If we can be of any help to you, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are genuinely happy that the Representative and every person in that room came out unscathed. We just know too much about the nature of CBRN threats to assume that will always be the case. Stay safe and keep training for the day that most people dread.