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Snag to Syria Intervention: Assad's Chemical Weapons

US, Jordan working on plans to secure them: Wall Street Journal

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 8, 2012 6:13 PM CST

(Newser) – As the world community considers what to do about Syria, one serious complication keeps coming up: Bashar al-Assad's huge stockpile of chemical and biological weapons. In fact, the US and Jordan militaries have begun working together on a plan to secure the dozen or so sites where they are thought to be stockpiled, reports the Wall Street Journal. (These WMDs are legit, unlike Saddam's, according to CIA documents. In fact, the chemical stockpile is thought to be among the world's largest.)

The US and Jordan are not considering commando raids, apparently, but making sure that securing the sites is a main focus of any Arab League peacekeeping mission that might materialize. The concern in the meantime isn't so much that Assad will unleash the weapons on anti-government forces, but rather that they will quickly fall into the hands of groups such as Hezbollah if his regime falls.

Video grab shows a Syrian tank driving through the city of Homs on December 26, 2011.
Video grab shows a Syrian tank driving through the city of Homs on December 26, 2011.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 16 comments
awojoone1
Mar 9, 2012 2:36 PM CST
Where do you think iraq's  w m d's went ????    Syria has a VERY ROBUST air defence  system!!!    We  would  lose our asses  to this air defense  system  !!   Syria also has  chemical AND biological  weapons that would wreak havoc on U.S.  forces !!!
Jeffrey-Lebowski
Mar 9, 2012 4:25 AM CST
They have Iraqs chemical weapons.
bewilderbeast
Mar 9, 2012 3:19 AM CST
And MOST likely those weapons came from the world's biggest arms smuggler: The USA, whose main salesman has just said "OK" to Israel 'buying' more bombs and planes. Anyone who think the USA is ACTUALLY looking for Middle East peace is seriously deluded.
 

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