The Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria
The use of chemical weapons in Syria can be traced back in the 1970s before the start of the Arab-Israeli war. According to a report done by a research service in the United States, Syria began piling their chemical weapons in 1973 after they were issued with small quantities of chemicals and deliveries by Egypt. Since early 1970s, Syria has been in the news headlines with a recent lethal chemical attack on 21st august 2013. As a result of continued use of lethal chemical weapons on citizens, protests and group activists have ardently demonstrated for a stop of chemical weapon on human beings (Commins, 2005). In this paper, some of the measures, internal and international that have been employed are to be examined, and their effectiveness analyzed.
Syria chemical warfare has been a major talk and a source of conflict between various world leaders and the Syrian government. According to some of Western world leaders, use of chemical weapons in Syria required a military intervention. Chemical weapon warfare has been highly recorded in the Damascus, the capital city of Syria. There has been numerous activists organizing demonstrations in Syria to put into an end the use of chemical weapon. However, the peaceful demonstrations have been in vain since even today Syria uses chemical weapons on human. Demonstrations across the streets have been tagged in order to end to the adoption of chemical weapons in the country (Commins, 2005).
However, the demonstrations have not shown any signs of a successful end to the war against the Syrian use of chemical weapons. Consistently, there have been reports of the chemical attacks in the region. According to reports, the attacks come from a military base through their testing expeditions. Human rights activists have been leading peaceful demonstrations in combating the use of chemical weapons in the country. However, internal measures to solve the situation have been in vain. Over the recent years, chemical weapon attacks have claimed the lives of many innocent citizens as a result of the uprising in the country (Hoenig, 2000).
Syria activists have urged international leaders to come into their rescue before the situation deteriorates. The United Nations has been one of the many organizations, which have intervened in the adoption of chemical weapons in the Syria warfare. Furthermore, the UN prohibits the use of chemical weapons on the human race. On the other hand, the Human Rights Watch has been following up various incidences of chemical attacks in Syria in order to ascertain the individuals behind the killings. In their report, the organization has traced several chemical weapon rockets from a large military base in Syria (Croddy, 2003).
According to intelligence, Syria is said to have over a thousand tons of chemical agents and precursor chemicals in their possession. Human rights organizations signal and geospatial intelligence confirmed that the chemical weapons were prepared in the capital city of Damascus. The United States and Russia government have raised concerns about the situation in Syria and an effective way to eliminate the chemical weapons in the region. Accordingly, the fight against chemical weapons in Syria seems to have no end. In 2012, Syrian foreign minister had stipulated that no biological and chemical weapons shall be used in Syria. However, it is reported that chemical weapons were tested the same year in a military base around Aleppo.
According to United States president, Barrack Obama, the use of chemical weapons on a mass scale is in contrary to the standards of the majority of the nations since after the World War I such warfare was eliminated. In addition, the adoption of chemical and biological weapons on a large scale is against the national interest and a major concern to the world. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has mentioned that Syria has been cooperating in the elimination of chemical weapons in the country. According to their report, Syria chemical warfare could come to an end by mid 2014 if they gained support from various sides in the civil war (Russell, 2006). According to the Geneva protocol of 1925, the use of chemical weapons on the human race was banned. The Geneva protocol was necessitated by the horrible scenes experienced during the World War I. Generally the use of chemical weapons caused massive deaths during the world war I. For instance, the use of chlorine, phosgene and mustard gas caused the death of over 100, 000 people.
Early in the month of September 2013, Syria had submitted a full declaration of their chemical weapons arsenal to the OPCW though the details had not been disclosed. According to the organization, the Syrian government has been cooperating to eliminate chemical weapons of mass destruction, in the country. The united nation has also been supportive to the OPCW in their efforts to eliminate chemical weapon in the region. Initially, organization’s agents have experienced several attacks in their mission to end weapon warfare in Syria. For instance, the chemical weapon team faced a dangerous attack by Syrian rebels.
However, according to the United Nations secretary, the situation has culminated and more weapons inspectors’ teams and medical personnel have been deployed in Cyprus. United Nation and OPCW are determined to end the adoption of chemical weapons in Syria by 2015. Training sessions and procedures are under way in Cyprus in order to disarm and put to an end the preparations of chemical weapons in the country. Syria has shown interest in cooperating with the international teams in eliminating all the chemical weapons in the region. The United Nations, on the other hand, has set very tight guidelines and objectives of their strategies towards Syria (Mauroni, 2004).
The intervention of superpower international countries and humanitarian organization in the preparation and use of chemical weapons, in Syria shows the global concern the use of chemical weapons. The United Nation in concert with the Organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons has exhibited great potential in restoring peace in Syria. In addition, some of the great nations are providing necessary support for organizations in order to see to it that the outlined goals and objectives have been achieved within the stipulated time (Hoenig, 2000). Therefore, the persistent efforts of several organizations and collaboration with leaders from various nations seem to be working out the current situation in Syria. The Syrian president, on the other hand, has managed to support the move by the United Nations in ensuring a free chemical weapon zone.
In conclusion, mission by OPCW in Syria to put into end chemical weapons of mass destruction has so far proved successful. The organizations involved in the Syrian operation against anti chemical weapons have strict rules and guidelines which are to be followed throughout the mission. Therefore, current strategy employed by the organizations should be effective in eliminating Syrian chemical-warfare in the future.
References
Commins, D. D. (2005). Historical Dictionary of Syria. Chicago: Scarecrow Press.
Croddy, E. (2003). Weapons of Mass Destruction. California: ABC-CLIO.
Hoenig, S. L. (2000). Handbook of Chemical Warfare and Terrorism. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Mauroni, A. J. (2004). Chemical and Biological Warfare: A Reference Handbook. California: ABC-CLIO.
Russell, J. A. (2006). Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
