Syrian regime makes chemical warfare threat

The Syrian regime has threatened to use its chemical and biological weapons in case of a foreign attack, in its first-ever acknowledgement that it possesses weapons of mass destruction.

Foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi vowed, however, that Damascus would not use its unconventional arms against its own citizens. The announcement on Monday comes as Syria faces international isolation, a tenacious rebellion that has left at least 19,000 people dead, and threats by Israel to invade to prevent such weapons from falling into rebel hands.

Syria's decision to reveal the long-suspected existence of its chemical weapons suggests a desperate regime deeply shaken by an increasingly bold rebellion that has scored a string of successes in the past week, including a bomb attack that killed four high-level security officials, the capture of several border crossings and sustained offensives on the regime strongholds of Damascus and Aleppo.

"No chemical or biological weapons will ever be used, and I repeat, will never be used, during the crisis in Syria no matter what the developments inside Syria," Makdissi said in news conference broadcast on Syrian state TV. "All of these types of weapons are in storage and under security and the direct supervision of the Syrian armed forces and will never be used unless Syria is exposed to external aggression."

While the statement Makdissi read out promised not to use the weapons against the Syrian people, he later noted that Syria is not facing an internal enemy in the rebellion, which the regime has described as being funded from abroad and driven by foreign extremists.

Syria is believed to have nerve agents as well as mustard gas, Scud missiles capable of delivering these lethal chemicals and a variety of advanced conventional arms, including anti-tank rockets and late-model portable anti-aircraft missiles.

Israel has said it fears that chaos following Assad's fall could allow the Jewish state's enemies to access Syria's chemical weapons, and has not ruled out military intervention to prevent this from happening.

A senior US intelligence official said on Friday that the Syrians have moved chemical weapons material from the northern end of the country, where the fighting was fiercest, apparently to both secure it, and to consolidate it, which US officials considered a responsible step.

But there has also been a disturbing rise in activity at the installations, so the US intelligence community is intensifying its monitoring efforts to track the weapons and try to figure out whether the Syrians are trying to use them, the official said.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity as the investigation remains ongoing.

Is this game over for Assad? Surely if Britain is willing to invade Iraq on suspicion of weapons of mass destruction, then they will have no problem invading Syria? I'm also wondering how they got their hands on these weapons, do you think they were manufactured in Syria, or where they given to it by an ally?

Chemical and biological weapons are easily made or bought and are nothing compared to nuclear weapons. Also I wouldn't really say it is a threat, the whole point of having weapons is to use them on invaders so it is a really dumb obvious statement by Syria.

Game over? I doubt anything's 'over' until he's dead - it doesn't seem like he'll ever give up or surrender, that point was passed ages ago.

And I doubt the UK, nor any other country tbh, will really interfere with the middle east, especially after all the criticism it got about the Iraq war. We interfered in Libya simply because it was quite easy, with few worrying consequences. Syria on the other hand, is a much stronger, more resourceful, more internationally influential country with powerful allies - it would be dangerous for us to interfere, as the backlash from countries like Russia for instance would be immense.

As for the weapons, wouldn't be surprised either way, but mustard gas isn't that difficult to get your hands on I'm guessing??

Interesting article though, what are your thoughts?

Regardless of how much a threat it is, stockpiling chemical weapons have been illegalised under the chemical weapons convention, and considering that the regime thinks the rebels are an "invading force" I think that they will use them if they start to get more desperate.

I think Isreal will percieve this a clear threat, and they will probably retaliate against Syria now. The reason we got into crap because of Iraq was that there was no WMDs, but there seems to be more evidence of WMDs in Syria now. So, I think Britain and America will get involved in any action Isreal takes. I also don't think Russia can now stop any action being taken. They have been stopping any action being taken because they believe that it is just a civil dispute, but these illegal weapons (assuming there is more than 1 tonne of them stockpiled) show that they are willing to attack internationally. I'm hoping Assad will take the safe passage he's been offered, otherwise Syria is just going to become a worse version of Iraq.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/23/syria-chemical-warfare-threat-assad



Is this game over for Assad? Surely if Britain is willing to invade Iraq on suspicion of weapons of mass destruction, then they will have no problem invading Syria? I'm also wondering how they got their hands on these weapons, do you think they were manufactured in Syria, or where they given to it by an ally?

The chemical weapons they have are, in my opinion, Saddam's weapons that never were.

The likely hood of Britain or the US going in is very slim because Russia and China are vehemently refusing any action and veto such actions, most likely due to the arms deals they have with Assad's regime. (Admittedly this hasn't stopped us from intervening in places in the past).

The more likely, but potentially much more dangerous, result is Israel go and do something about it due to it's proximity with the country, then again, Israel has got other things on its mind with the 'Iranian' bombing of Israeli civilians in Bulgaria (which I don't buy into at all). Chances are nothing will happen, the rebels will kill Assad and take control of the country. There's no doubt, though, that there will already be SAS and/or Seals in action over there, probably has been for months. Unless, of course, the media begins a scare campaign that these chemical weapons could be used against us, backed with over-exaggerated or entirely untrue stories of the use of them against the Syrian population.

You think Israel would attack and kill Jews to gain support?

That's not what I said. But when the initial reports came in I knew Iran was getting the blame.

Well if it wasn't Iran who was it?

Well if it wasn't Iran who was it?

Syria is a soveriegn state which has full right to unleash all chemical and biological weapons against invaders should the west interfere in Syria internal affairs, the whole point of having such weapons is to use them against invaders in teh event tthat detrrence does not deter interfering clans like Britain and the USA. If Britain was invaded it would use its WMDs on the invading country and would use its nukes if the invading country had no nukes. Syria is basically telling willy boy to mind his own business. If we mind our own business we will nto be affected. If we fail to mind our own business we deserve all the chemical wepaons that shower upon us. Moral of the story: Mind your own business and stop interfering and invading

I don't know, but of course they are going to blame Iran. Even if it was an Iranian that did it, does not warrant a 'rapid and forceful' response against Iran as a nation. The Bulgarian authorities had not pieced together the origin of the individual but even before they had Israel were blaming Iran.

Syria is a soveriegn state which has full right to unleash all chemical and biological weapons against invaders should the west interfere in Syria internal affairs, the whole point of having such weapons is to use them against invaders in teh event tthat detrrence does not deter interfering clans like Britain and the USA. If Britain was invaded it would use its WMDs on the invading country and would use its nukes if the invading country had no nukes. Syria is basically telling willy boy to mind his own business. If we mind our own business we will nto be affected. If we fail to mind our own business we deserve all the chemical wepaons that shower upon us. Moral of the story: Mind your own business and stop interfering and invading