FAS In-Depth: March 5, 2012 Fearful of a Nuclear Iran? The Real WMD Nightmare is Syria

FAS In-Depth: March 5, 2012

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Note: This is a new weekly newsletter which will be sent to FAS members, analyzing a current security threat, and FAS work on this issue. If you have any ideas for upcoming content, please contact Katie Colten, Membership Coordinator, at kcolten@fas.org.

Fearful of a Nuclear Iran? The Real WMD Nightmare is Syria 

Last week, Charles P. Blair, Senior Fellow on State and Non-State Threats, wrote an article in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, in which he argues that the international community should focus on Syria's weapons of mass destruction. With the recent insurgency, Syria's revolution will likely be an unpredictable, protracted, and grim affair.

Syria has one of the most sophisticated chemical weapon programs in the world, and it is suspected that they have an active biological weapons program. Syria signed the Biological Weapons and Toxins Conventionin 1972, yet has never ratified the treaty. Additionally, at least six formal terrorist organizations have long maintained personnel within Syria. Three of these groups -- Hamas, Hizbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad -- have already attempted to acquire or use chemical or biological agents, or both. The United States and its allies need to start planning now to keep Syria's WMD out of the hands of terrorists, should the revolution continue.


For more information on Syria and WMD, check out these FAS resources and much more on our website.


Weapons:

Syria Special Weapons

Syrian Nuclear Science Bibliography: Open Literature Citations

Review of Syria's Missile Strategy

Syria: Most Advanced in Arab World in Chemical Weapons

Terrorist Intelligence Operations


Chemical Weapons Convention:
FAS Launches Online Chemical Weapons Convention Archive to Mark 2nd Review Conference

Chemical Weapons Convention

U.S. Chemical Weapons Convention Implementing Legislation

The Chemical Weapons Convention: Effects on the U.S. Chemical Industry

 
Biological Weapons Convention:

Compliance with the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC)

Biological Weapons Convention


Congressional Research Service Reports:

Syria: U.S.Relations and Bilateral Issues

Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Weapons and Missiles: Status and Trends

Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, and Missile Proliferation Sanctions: Selected Current Law

Terrorism and National Security: Issues and Trends


Other Reports:

Strategic Culture: Refining the Theoretical Construct (DTRA)