Blog 8: Syria meets chemical weapons deadline amid fears of polio outbreak

Blog 8: Syria meets chemical weapons deadline amid fears of polio outbreak

It has been verified that weapons factories have been destroyed in Syria before the deadline; however there have been warnings of a worsening humanitarian threat.  Even though Syria complied with the chemical weapons target, the international community failed to look at the bigger picture (Black & Meikle, 2013). According to The Guardian, the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed that Syria in fact had declared the destruction of their chemical Weapons.  It was stated that, “It means that Syria can no longer produce any new chemical weapons, although it has yet to start destroying its existing stockpile. This is estimated at about 1,000 tons of chemicals and weapons, including mustard gas and the deadly nerve agent siren (Black, et. al, The Guardian, 2013).” This Syrian crisis is causing trickle down affects because one big action that transpired back in August is causing alarm.  This situation has been compared as the “deadliest chemical weapons incident” since Saddam Husain (guardian.com). Since then, there have been infectious diseases and a polio scare amid the collapse of Syria’s once publicized healthcare system. 

If people travel across the borders daily, they could possibly be unchecked.  Some of them may even travel to other bordering cities and countries such as Europe and Turkey. This situation could easily get out of hand and spread like a wildfire. This is causing displacement of children and families. So, as we can see here, the chemical weapons threat has affected many on a macro level, as well as the micro levels of society.  Moreover, some of the negative effects of war has had on us (The United States) is all around low morale. I am not a political person in the least bit, but thanks to very poor leadership decisions, we have actually created a new terrorist haven in the Middle East. It’s like the US and Iraq are frenemies.  War has seemingly made us one of the most hated countries in the world. It's also deflated our economy to the point of being entirely dependent on foreign loans, seriously who gives the richest people in the country a huge tax break and then wages a multibillion dollar war? Not to mention sending young men and women into harm's way for no legitimate reason. If anything our country is less safe now from terrorism than it was pre-9/11.

 

Black, I.  & Meikle, J. (2013, October 30). Syria meets chemical weapons deadline amid fears of polio outbreak. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/31/syria-meets-target-destruction-chemical-weapons?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

Erica Warren

11/1/13

1:55PM