Months following Syria’s agreement to destroy its chemical weapon arsenal the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has yet to find a nation willing to host the destruction of the 1300 tons of chemical munitions. Albania became the second nation after Norway to reject the American request to host the destruction of the weapons leaving Washington to continue looking for a suitable candidate for the program. Albania is a suitable host but faced strong opposition from both lawmakers and citizens alike. Russia and the US want to move the weapons out of Syria by the end of the year and want the stockpile complete eradicated by mid-2014. Since the announcement of the plan many nations that could possibly host the program have raised concerns over the amount of toxic waste that would be left over from the destruction of the weapons. Syria has since confirmed the destruction of 22 of 23 chemical weapon sites. The munitions are far more difficult to get rid of due to the fact that the weapons have to be moved across hostile territory to a suitable port. The O.P.C.W. is concerned with the protection of the munitions from thieves or militants. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons remains positive that the mid-2014 deadline is still within reach.
With a deadline so close, i wonder if we are going to be able to make it. To take on a task like this is a big deal so i understand why Albania declined America's request. So the question is, will we ever find a suitable place to destroy the weapons? The concerns of the amount of toxic waste that would result in the destruction of the chemical weapons not only takes the situation in Syria to a war and terror aspect but also an enviromental one. It seems that with the social problems that we are faced with that they always seem to find a way to intertwine with another social issue. With no where to destroy the chemical weapons and the concerns over chemical waste i don't think that we'll be able to meet the end of the year deadline. But this situation will show us how capable and serious our government is when it comes to situations like this. If another event like the chemical attacks were to happen later down the line, we'll be able to used what we've learned from this to accomplish what we want but in a more effective way that won't bring harm to the people through the results of doing such tasks.
Kateland Patino
11/15/13
4:53pm
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