By David Dolan
DDolan.com
Israeli officials were heartened last week when officials with the United Nations announced that the prolonged process to destroy Syria's large chemical weapons arsenal has begun.
The announcement was confirmed on the ground inside Syria by inspectors working for the UN-backed Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
One of them told a French news agency that, "Today is the first day of destruction, in which heavy vehicles are going to run over and thus destroy missile warheads, aerial chemical bombs and mobile and static mixing and filling units."
Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons
The actual chemical weapons arsenal itself is expected to be destroyed overseas, with the country of Norway the possible site where that will take place. This is due to the fact that the Scandinavian European country has lots of open land and abundant water, which is essential in the process to neutralize and eliminate all deadly agents in the Assad regime's chemical weapons arsenal.
However, a recent military defector from the Syrian army, Brig.-Gen. Zaher al-Sakat, expressed strong skepticism about the Syrian regime's agreement to hand over its entire chemical weapons arsenal for destruction by the international community.
- Syria chemical weapons inspectors hail progress • BBC
- Push to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons may extend Assad's rule • Los Angeles Times
- Chemical weapons watchdog says confident on Syria deadlines • Jerusalem Post
- Russia, U.S. deny date set for Syria peace conference • Reuters
- Long Syrian convoy transports chemical arms from Al Safira to Hama • DEBKAfile
