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The Specter of Syrian Chemical Weapons
The unraveling of the al Assad regime in Syria will produce many
geopolitical consequences. One potential consequence has garnered a
great deal of media attention in recent days: the possibility of the
regime losing control of its chemical weapons stockpile. In an interview
aired July 30 on CNN, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said it
would be a "disaster to have those chemical weapons fall into the wrong
hands -- hands of Hezbollah or other extremists in that area." When he
mentioned other extremists, Panetta was referring to local and
transnational jihadists, such as members of the group Jabhat al-Nusra,
which has been fighting with other opposition forces against the Syrian
regime. He was also referring to the many Palestinian militant groups
such as Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine-General Command, which have long had a presence in Syria and
until recently have been supported by the al Assad regime.
The fear is that the jihadists will obtain chemical weapons to use in terrorist attacks against the West. Israel is also concerned that Palestinian groups could use them in terrorist attacks inside Israel or that Hezbollah could use such weapons against the Israelis in a conventional military battle. However, while the security of these weapons is a legitimate concern, it is important to recognize that there are a number of technical and practical considerations that will limit the impact of these weapons even if a militant group were able to obtain them. Read More »
The fear is that the jihadists will obtain chemical weapons to use in terrorist attacks against the West. Israel is also concerned that Palestinian groups could use them in terrorist attacks inside Israel or that Hezbollah could use such weapons against the Israelis in a conventional military battle. However, while the security of these weapons is a legitimate concern, it is important to recognize that there are a number of technical and practical considerations that will limit the impact of these weapons even if a militant group were able to obtain them. Read More »