Wie Syrien seine eigene Bevölkerung mit Giftgas bewarf und die Welt zuschaute

Anthony Deutsch beschreibt in einem sehr lesenswerten Essay, wie seit Jahren - vermutlich gestern erneut - das syrische Regime Giftgas gegen die eigene Bevölkerung einsetzt und der Westen zuschaut. Außerdem scheint seit langem bekannt zu sein, dass Syrien sich offen weigerte, auch nach Unterzeichnung des Giftgasdeals im Jahre 2013 sein Arsenal abzuliefern:

The extent of Syria's reluctance to abandon chemical weapons has not previously been made public for fear of damaging international inspectors' relationship with Assad's administration and its backer, Russia, which is giving military support to Assad. Now investigators and diplomatic sources have provided telling details to Reuters:

- Syria's declarations about the types and quantities of chemicals it possessed do not match evidence on the ground uncovered by inspectors. Its disclosures, for example, make no mention of sarin, yet there is strong evidence that sarin has been used in Syria, including this year. Other chemicals found by inspectors but not reported by Syria include traces of nerve agent VX, the poison ricin and a chemical called hexamine, which is used to stabilize sarin.

- Syria told inspectors in 2014-2015 that it had used 15 tonnes of nerve gas and 70 tonnes of sulphur mustard for research. Reuters has learned that inspectors believe those amounts are not "scientifically credible." Only a fraction would be needed for research, two sources involved in inspections in Syria said.

- At least 2,000 chemical bomb shells, which Syria said it had converted to conventional weapons and either used or destroyed, are unaccounted for, suggesting that they may still be in the hands of Syria's military.

- In Damascus, witnesses with knowledge of the chemical weapons program were instructed by Syrian military officials to alter their statements midway through interviews with inspectors, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.