Assad Chemical Weapons Plans Blocked by Moscow

(Reuters) Samia Nakhoul - Analysts and diplomats do not doubt that the Assad government is capable of using agents such as Sarin gas if its survival is at stake. One Western diplomat said: "There was talk of them using it two weeks ago, but the Russians intervened quickly to stop him." "All of us think he (Assad) is capable of using it and will do it if he was pushed to the wall," the diplomat said, referring to credible reports that Assad was preparing to use Sarin gas against Syrian rebels. But "the Russians got hold of him and told him 'don't even think about it'." Dmitry Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, said, "Of course, nobody wants chemical weapons to be used, let alone to get into the hands of terrorists."


2012-07-25 00:00:00

Full Article

BACK

Visit the Daily Alert Archive