Chemical overreaction

ENAR

Last month, a key American legislator again sounded the alarm over Syria’s chemical weapons. These so-called ‘weapons of mass destruction’ “could be used at a moment’s notice,” House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers told Reuters. Rogers’ claim came hot on the heels of escalating warnings over the weapons by international leaders, including United States President Barack Obama and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The flurry of admonitions has accompanied American media reports, citing anonymous US government officials, that the Syrian government recently prepared part of its chemical agent stockpile for use on the battlefield. If true, the development would be worrying, however the practical challenges and limitations of actually using chemical weapons are many and complex. See also: The quick guide to chemical weapons Interactive map of Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East Alarmist pronouncements such as Rogers’ often ignore the steep technical barriers to the use of