It's not a statement of fact to say:

"It is less toxic than most things that Americans have under their kitchen sink at this point"

Since he doesn't know what is under the sinks of Americans this statement means nothing. Unless you have fresh Sarin under your sink this stuff is probably FAR more toxic than your dishwashing detergent.

And why on earth would someone say this:

"And any of Iraq's 1980s-era mustard would produce burns, but it is unlikely to be lethal"

Why is trying so hard to give the impression the stuff is safe? Mustard gas? Implied safe? Same sentence? What?

David Kay has been in CYA mode since he failed to find anything. He felt he was going to be made the fall guy and so lashed out at the right and tried to become a poster-boy soundbite recrimination artist for the left.

If he is so certain the stuff in those shells is safe, as he implies, he should volunteer to be exposed to the stuff. If he is unwilling, he should keep his prognostication about their "lethal" level out of his media sought out soundbites.

But no one would quote him if he did.

A leftist media whore is born.