Chemical Weapons

Resurgence of Chemical Weapons Use, and More from CRS July 26, 2018

Noteworthy new reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following. Resurgence of Chemical Weapons Use: Issues for Congress, CRS Insight, July 24, 2018…

Avoiding Needless Wars, Part 9: Iraq October 31, 2013

The two reasons given for invading Iraq in 2003 were baseless: Saddam Hussein’s WMDs were illusory, as were his connections to al Qaeda. While this needless war is often attributed to an intelligence failure, we all are at fault. Our elected officials failed to ask the questions they should have before going to war. So […] The post Avoiding Needless Wars, Part 9: Iraq appears on ScienceWonk, FAS's blog for opinions from guest experts and leaders.

Event: The Chemicals, Conflict and Challenges in Syria October 10, 2013

With pressure from the U.S. and Russia, Syria acceded to the Chemical Weapons Convention in September 2013 and agreed to participate in an accelerated process to destroy the chemical…

Avoiding Needless Wars, Part 8: Syria August 28, 2013

There are strong indications that President Obama will take military action against Syria, even though several key questions have not been answered. First, what good will an American attack do? Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey recently told Congress, “Syria today is not about choosing between two sides but rather about choosing […] The post Avoiding Needless Wars, Part 8: Syria appears on ScienceWonk, FAS's blog for opinions from guest experts and leaders.

Video Podcast: Crisis in Syria September 4, 2012

Syria has one of the most sophisticated chemical weapons programs in the world, and is suspected to have an active biological weapons program. Additionally, there are reports that Syrian rebels…

AEI panel: U.S. must intervene in Syria June 19, 2012

President Bashar al-Assad has left the United States with no option other than military intervention, according to a panel hosted by the American Enterprise Institute on June 25, 2012. Arizona Senator John McCain spoke to a room of about 100 people. He argued that given Assad’s military domination of the opposition, Assad had little reason to consent to diplomatic efforts by the international community. Regarding the violence “the clear trend is toward escalation,” McCain said.

“Dr. Death”–Head of South Africa’s Biological & Chemical Weapons Program May 28, 2010

Cape Town, South Africa Credit: NASA The South African chemical and biological warfare program, called “Project Coast,” was established in 1981 under the apartheid regime, violating the Biological Toxins and Weapons Convention of 1972. The project’s researchers studied Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), Vibrio colerae (cholera), salmonella and Botulinum toxin, in addition to a variety of chemical agents, such as MDMA (ecstasy), PCP, muscle relaxants and nerve agents. Unlike the chemical agents, the biological agents were not produced on a large scale and were neither weaponized nor meant for combat. Instead, the program focused on using biological agents for assassination of those who challenged the government. The agents produced were used by the South African Defense Force and police. The secretive Project Coast had no civilian and extremely limited military oversight. Only the former head of Project Coast, Dr. Wouter Basson, knew the agents being studied, how they were used and how much they cost. Dr. Basson was nicknamed “Dr. Death,” and allegedly arranged the killing of many political dissidents. In one case, he arranged for the South West African People’s Organization’s (SWAPO) water supply to be contaminated with V colerae, killing 200 people. Court testimonies indicate that Dr. Basson directed work on contraceptives, with the intent to deliver them to unknowing individuals. Project Coast ended in 1993 due to diplomatic pressure from the United States and the United Kingdom.