The use of chemical weapons particularly in the Syrian’s civil war has been creating so much concern to the international community. According to the reading, “The Future of Chemical Weapons” raises questions about the civil war norm and mot importantly analyzes the Syrian case and its role in further proliferating the use of chemical weapons. The reading discusses three crucial points, first is that chemical weapons have demonstrated limited military utility in Syria. Second, the costs of use have been repeatedly demonstrated by the international reaction to their use. Lastly, the use of sarin—a nerve agent—has attracted a stronger international response than the use of chlorine.
Recently, according to the Middle East monitor article “Syria’s representative to UN: Damascus did not use chemical weapons and does not possess them anymore”, Bashar Jaafari confirms that Syria does not have chemical weapons anymore and did not use them. Also, Syria today is taking a different path through fully cooperating with the inspection organization in place. According to the latest news, “Syria is currently hosting a delegation of experts and inspectors who arrived two days ago and will stay until 24 November.”
Ghada,
Your post begs the obvious question of whether the Syrian denials and statements about their current behavior can be believed? Unfortunately, there is substantial evidence to the contrary regarding their prior use of CW–it is a certainty. We also have the evidence that they used the chlorine chemical in barrel bombs. So the credibility of the Assad regime approaches zero in this regard.
–Professor Wallerstein