QuoteThe State Department has begun coordinating with Syria's neighbors to prepare for the handling of President Bashar al-Assad's extensive weapons of mass destruction if and when his regime collapses, The Cable has learned.
This week, the State Department sent a diplomatic demarche to Syria's neighbors Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia, warning them about the possibility of Syria's WMDs crossing their borders and offering U.S. government help in dealing with the problem, three Obama administration officials confirmed to The Cable. For concerned parties both inside and outside the U.S. government, the demarche signifies that the United States is increasingly developing plans to deal with the dangers of a post-Assad Syria -- while simultaneously highlighting the lack of planning for how to directly bring about Assad's downfall.
Source: http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/02/24/exclusive_state_department_quietly_warning_region_on_syrian_wmds
There were reports a few weeks ago that the WMDs were being used in Homs.
The report is vague but would the securing of the WMDs that are left be a covert sort of thing? No regular military involved?
No idea. It may depend on the circumstances on the ground.
If I read this correctly they're simply cautioning the neighbors to be on the lookout for bad guys smuggling across the border.
I wonder how neighbors would react to verified WMD use ? I wonder if it would spur any international response - I think Syria is pretty much immune from any Western interference given the way things are developing. Kinda scary.
Israel shares a very small portion of Syria's border.
Which probably represents a disproportionately large amount of security
WMDs again? Real ones this time or the Iraq kind?
The possibility exists that the mysteries if Iraq may be solved in Syria. More like is the current story: Saddam wanted the world to believe he had them, even when he didn't.
I guess the lesson is: don't pretend you have something you don't.
I could be totally making this up but didn't someone in the know (Brant?) prove with references that there were actual WMDs found in Iraq, and that they have become a sadly overlooked footnote? I could be wrong.
I read that as well in the latest book on the Osama take down. According to the author (Chuck Pfarrer) WMD's were found
Great read if yo get a chance:
SEAL Target Geronimo, The Inside Story of the Mission to Kill Osama bin Laden
I thought they found precursors or something.
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=15918 (http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=15918)
Yes WMD were found.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 26, 2012, 12:20:48 AM
WMDs again? Real ones this time or the Iraq kind?
You mean these? That actually existed but went against the dominant narrative at the time?
http://strayvoltage.blogspot.com/2006/06/well-looks-like-they-found-some.html (quoting Reuters article)
edit: full-text link to the article - http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/6/29/163659.shtml finding evidence of them in the files pushed out by WikiLeaks (DR combed through what was released and found the references)
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/10/wikileaks-show-wmd-hunt-continued-in-iraq-with-surprising-results/
and how about the President's case for action against them?
http://grognews.blogspot.com/2010/05/president-justifies-military-action.html
Will it play in Peoria? Sadly, probably not.
I knew I wasn't losing my mind, in this case.
Quote from: MIGMaster on February 25, 2012, 01:28:53 PM
I wonder how neighbors would react to verified WMD use ? I wonder if it would spur any international response - I think Syria is pretty much immune from any Western interference given the way things are developing. Kinda scary.
when you have Russia and China running interference for you .... man I hope those governments burn ....
Quote from: Gusington on February 27, 2012, 10:11:44 AM
I knew I wasn't losing my mind, in this case.
Don't be so sure - you're still hanging around here, in case you hadn't noticed.
^Crap.
one of the key links in what I posted was the last one
go read the President's case for Iraq's WMDs. It's pretty telling.
Quote from: bayonetbrant on February 29, 2012, 10:52:12 AM
one of the key links in what I posted was the last one
go read the President's case for Iraq's WMDs. It's pretty telling.
Yes it is.
Here's the link for folks who didn't follow the discussion from page 1:
http://grognews.blogspot.com/2010/05/president-justifies-military-action.html