Syria has now destroyed/shipped out all its chemical weapons

[Roma_Victrix]

Syria hands over final chemical weapons for destruction: Remaining 8% of Assad's acknowledged chemical weapons and precursors arsenal sent to Italy as UN deadline draws near

For more information, see the Wiki article on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destruc...emical_weapons

So is this a major achievement for the Obama administration, which last year had threatened to bomb Assad's facilities due to the chemical weapons attacks on civilian areas? Should Russia's involvement in the negotiation be rightfully acknowledged? The Obama administration seemed almost reluctant at first to accept the deal, but was that a ruse to make Assad move quicker to appease the US and avoid a bombing campaign? Discuss.

Also, little side note to the story, Italy technically has Assad's chemical weapons now...time to settle some scores, Italy?



Just kidding.

[wilpuri]

So is this a major achievement for the Obama administration, which last year had threatened to bomb Assad's facilities due to the chemical weapons attacks on civilian areas?

Its an achievement for the Putin administration, which made Horse-faced Man (I think his real name is James or Jerry or Jack Kerry) and the Obama regime look like muppets.

[Vanoi]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...stockpile.html

US, UK, and France all believe Assad did not declare all of his chemical weapons. Of course Assad still also has his biological weapons program.

Dictators hiding their chemical weapons is nothing new. Gaddafi was supposed to have declared all of his chemical weapons in 2004, but in 2011 when his regime fell rebels found sulfur mustard agents and other chemical components he had not declared.

[Roma_Victrix]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...stockpile.html

US, UK, and France all believe Assad did not declare all of his chemical weapons. Of course Assad still also has his biological weapons program.

Dictators hiding their chemical weapons is nothing new. Gaddafi was supposed to have declared all of his chemical weapons in 2004, but in 2011 when his regime fell rebels found sulfur mustard agents and other chemical components he had not declared.

If he truly does have some undeclared chemical weapons tucked away for a rainy day (i.e. an emergency when his regime is on the verge of collapsing), then we'll see if he has the cojones to use them after sending the UN truck-loads of what is supposedly his entire stockpile, and making a big PR stunt out of it too. And yes, there are the biological weapons to consider...AFAIK, he hasn't used them at all during the civil war.

[FireElemental]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...stockpile.html

US, UK, and France all believe Assad did not declare all of his chemical weapons. Of course Assad still also has his biological weapons program.

Dictators hiding their chemical weapons is nothing new. Gaddafi was supposed to have declared all of his chemical weapons in 2004, but in 2011 when his regime fell rebels found sulfur mustard agents and other chemical components he had not declared.

Western Intelligence

[alhoon]

Of course he CAN'T use his biological weapons. Since, you know they are not contained. His own people will be infected. The Chemicals are over within minutes. Bombs within microseconds. Biological weapons? Active for a day or more.

And yes, I consider it's good for the Obama administration AND Russia

[Admiral Piett]

His own people will be infected.

No he would never let something like that happen to his own people. He has done a lot to ensure that there are no collateral deaths in his clasp on power. /sarcasm

[alhoon]

No he would never let something like that happen to his own people. He has done a lot to ensure that there are no collateral deaths in his clasp on power. /sarcasm

Well, good point, but I don't mean a few dozen of his supporters. I mean THOUSANDS of his supporters will die. Would that be enough to stop him? Weeeeeeell... as you quite unnervingly pointed out, it's not sure.

[I WUB PUGS]

Too bad you can't also make him hand over the people that can remake those weapons at any time.

[Condottiere 40K]

Feed him intelligence that they're planning to defect to the FSA.

[Condottiere 40K]

Considering current sanitation and prevailing immigration in Syria, a release of biological weapons would probably be regionally devastating.

[Roma_Victrix]

Assad is a big fan of murdering innocent women and children by chemical agents, but I would imagine even he knows the difference between the effects of applying chemical weapons versus biological weapons. It would also be rather obvious who introduced them to the general public should an outbreak occur.