Syria has missed its latest deadline to finish removing Chemical agent and precursors from its territory.\u00a0 However, they almost made it–about 92% done.\u00a0 Bashar al-Assad clearly has moved to fulfill his obligation to get rid of his CW capability.\u00a0 There is no reason to doubt that the last amount won’t be shipped.\u00a0 In fact, given government successes in reclaiming territory from rebel groups, the shipment of chemicals to the port of Latakia where it is loaded onto ships has become easier.<\/p>\n
Clouding this “positive” step by Assad, is the reported use of chlorine as a weapon.\u00a0 Chlorine is a common but toxic chemical which was used in WWI.\u00a0 It is a lousy weapon since it is relatively heavy and thus doesn’t disperse well in the atmosphere.\u00a0 It also smells so you know where it is and can steer clear of it.\u00a0 Nevertheless, it seems Assad’s forces dumped some amount for some unclear purpose.\u00a0 Using Chlorine as a weapon is a violation of the Chemical Weapons Treaty that Assad just signed.\u00a0 Stupid on his part it would seem since he is giving up his “effective” chemical weapons and can accomplish whatever terror or military purposes he may have with non-chemical weapons.\u00a0 Assad would seem to be squandering whatever boost to his international reputation his divestiture of his real CW capabilities.\u00a0 Go figure.<\/p>\n
The international arms control\/disarmament community should still chalk Syria up as a win.\u00a0 They have pretty much gotten rid of everything.\u00a0 Remaining inspections will check detailed compliance and there will be a debate over the destruction or “inactivation” of factories used to produce weapons.\u00a0 And of course Syria has to ship out the last barrels of chemicals.\u00a0 But it looks on course to complete the job and the OPCW\/US destruction process on board the MV Cape Ray will proceed–probably meeting the next deadline of June.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, Syria is still in flames.\u00a0 The Russian role is even more complicated given the developments in Ukraine. And Iran is watching and calculating what to do regarding its negotiating deadline of July when either the negotiations have succeeded and sanctions are further reduced, or not.\u00a0\u00a0 This will be a really big deal though to regard American press, attention seems to be directed inward not outward.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Syria has missed its latest deadline to finish removing Chemical agent and precursors from its territory.\u00a0 However, they almost made it–about 92% done.\u00a0 Bashar al-Assad clearly has moved to fulfill his obligation to get rid of his CW capability.\u00a0 There … Continue reading