Nobel Peace Prize to anti-chemical weapons polarizes the Syrian conflict

Saturday, October 12th 2013 - 22:03 UTC

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Efforts to eliminate chemical weapons won a Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for the global watchdog trying to destroy Syria's stockpiles of nerve gas and other poisonous agents. By giving its prestigious prize to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the Norwegian Nobel Committee turned the spotlight both on Syria's devastating civil war and on a type of weapon that has horrified nations since World War I. Read full article

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BOTINHO
When Russian-made Sarin weapons were used last on civilians in Ghouta, 21.09.2013, the evidence was quite strong that the Syrian military was at fault. The US, UK, and France were ready to step in a take action in Syria.

The solution, first suggested by US Secretary Kerry, was picked up by Russia, which along with China had at that point vetoed any UN action against Syria.
Syria up to that point had denied having or using any CW.

For Syria now to say they are “ vindicated ” by the Nobel Peace Prize award is amazing spin. No one should be fooled by such theatre.

In recent years we have seen a few such Nobel awards made for work or accomplishments not actually achieved. In this case, the actual work has barely started. Has Syria actually cooperated fully and completely ? Have all CW and WMD been fully catalogued, accounted for, and dismantled ? Time will tell.

This award is premature.
Oct 13th, 2013 - 04:00 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Casper
“...vindication...” of what? And I'd love to know what, in the Syrian regimes' opinion, are the real causes of the war. Other than oppression that is...

It's a demonstration of how concerned Syria was that the U.S. might strike against them that they were so willing to admit that they do indeed have chemical weapons. I guess the irony of what happened to Saddam is not wasted on his spiritual buddy Assad.

The award may indeed be premature but I nonetheless salute OPCW for their courageous, necessary work.
Oct 13th, 2013 - 05:16 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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GeoffWard2
This has been a lever by which the international community can get into and exert pressure on Syria. We don't yet know what the US have had to give Russia to get them off the hook.
But it is totally ironic that the broker is Russia - the same Russia that put the chemical ordinance in Syria in the first place!

We are told that this POCW 'watchdog' has overseen the destruction of 80% of the world's stockpiles of chemical weapons. Pretty easy to do when the end of the Cold War necessitated that the Russian stockpiles were taken out of the equation because so much was being sold 'on the black market' to 'rogue nations'. But much remains in Russia itself and in the US.
I am even more exercised by biological weapons and binary chemical weapons (eg. DF/OPA) that exist in war-zones and in reserves - 'weapons' that are not covered by POCW conventions but which can be quickly amassed and deployed.
Oct 13th, 2013 - 01:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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