A Middle East Free of Weapons of Mass Destruction: A New Approach to Nonproliferation by Seyed Hossein Mousavian & Emad Kiyaei

Author:Seyed Hossein Mousavian & Emad Kiyaei [Mousavian, Seyed Hossein & Kiyaei, Emad]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: International Relations, Security (National & International), Political Science, General
ISBN: 9781000071955
Google: f2DdDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2020-04-17T11:12:27+00:00

Syria’s chemical weapons

The Syrian war has been devastating in all aspects: human, material, historical, and environmental. On August 21, 2013, the war in Syria took a turn for the worse following the use of chemical weapons in the Ghouta suburbs near Damascus. The death toll reached 1,400, with opposition forces and the Syrian government blaming each another for using chemical weapons. Less than a month following the incident, on September 16, 2013, the UN published its report, stating that “the environmental, chemical and medical samples, we have collected, provide clear and convincing evidence that surface-to-surface rockets containing the nerve agent sarin were used.”68

The subsequent international outcry and the Obama administration’s “red line” on Syria’s use of chemical weapons escalated the situation to the point where Washington was on the verge of commencing punitive airstrikes on the Syrian government. At the eleventh hour, a rhetorical suggestion by then U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, on September 9, 2013, that “Syria turns over all of its chemical weapons within a week” received a positive response from the Syrian government.69 This sparked a series of steps, including high-level discussion between Iran, Russia, and Syrian officials, that ultimately led to the U.S.–Russia joint agreement on September 14, 2013, the “Framework for Elimination of Syrian Chemical Weapons,” which demanded Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles be destroyed by June 30, 2014.70 The framework agreement, specific timeline, and responsibilities of the Syrian government became binding with the unanimous passing of UNSC Resolution 2118 on September 27, 2013.71 The Syrian government promptly provided information on twenty-three chemical weapons sites to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and committed to provide unfettered access to all chemical weapons sites.72

Despite the compressed timetable and difficult conditions on the ground, the initial dismantling of Syrian chemical weapons stock and capability progressed relatively smoothly with OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzümcü stating that the Syrian government’s cooperation “has been quite constructive.”73 This early optimism faded when the Syrian government repeatedly missed deadlines. On June 24, 2014—ahead of the June 30 deadline—however, the OPCW announced that removal of Syrian chemical weapons material was complete.74

While it is undoubtedly a major achievement to rid Syria of its chemical weapons and capabilities, verification and monitoring remain challenging. The ongoing war in Syria makes it increasingly difficult, due to security concerns, for the OPCW inspections to visit all suspected sites. Regrettably, since the completion of the initial operation by OPCW, there have been multiple instances of chemical weapons use (sarin and chlorine gas) in Syria.75 In one chemical weapons attack on April 4, 2017, sarin gas was used in Idlib province and killed dozens of people. Initial reports alleged the Syrian government perpetrated the attacks based on the type of aircraft witnessed near the scene. The following day, on April 5, 2017, the UNSC held an emergency meeting that ended in no resolution and, instead, the Trump administration, on April 6, took unilateral military action to launch cruise missiles targeting a Syrian government airbase, where the aircraft suspected of conducting the chemical attack had originated.

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