International watchdog the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons today announced that they have been able to confirm that all of Syria’s once substantial chemical weapons arsenal has been destroyed, and all byproducts from the arms similarly neutralized.
Syria agreed to dismantle its program in 2013, and did so under the watch of the OPCW. The process was slowed somewhat by the civil war making transportation difficult, but eventually all of the byproducts were sent to an offshore US vessel, where they were eliminated.
The US appears irked at the timing of the OPCW announcement, coming as US hawks make claims of chlorine gas attacks the basis for calls for more military escalation in Syria, and present them as proof that chemical weapons usage is ongoing in Syria.
How much of the chlorine gas release was deliberate and how much was just a function of fighting in cities with industrial areas is uncertain, but such gas releases are far afield from the advanced chemical weapons arsenal Syria once possessed, designed to wipe out entire cities.
Kind of convenient, isn't it. They diminish the Syrian government's ability to defend itself and the unleash IS on it.
Does anyone in Washington know how stupidly simple it is to weaponize chlorine? We're talking WW1-level technology here, folks- it's not rocket surgery. It is effective, but it's not in Syria's interest at all to use weaponized chlorine- after all, they supposed to cleaned out of chemical weapons- but it is VERY much in ISIS' interest to use the stuff, because they know the US is watching their six and will say Syria is using it and not hold ISIS at all accountable.