(BESA Center for Strategic Studies-Bar-Ilan University) Dany Shoham - Syria's chemical weapons are locally manufactured but contain the telltale prints of Iranian and possibly Russian assistance. An appreciable quantity of Iraq's chemical and biological arsenal was smuggled into Syria prior to and during the Second Gulf War and is now part of the Syrian stockpile. The most plausible scenario may be an attempt to transfer the arsenal to Iran towards the last days of the regime. The ability of concerned nations to act is severely limited. While the U.S. has held military exercises focused on chemical and biological weapons in Syria, a follow-up study found that 75,000 troops would be needed to secure Syria's chemical arsenal. Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Dany Shoham, a microbiologist, is a former IDF senior intelligence analyst.
2012-08-08 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive