This diplomatic ‘triumph’ over Syrian WMD could be disastrous

The age-old question cui bono (who benefits) should be asked regarding Russia and the United States’ diplomatic agreement on the international control and subsequent destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons. Amidst the hopefulness and optimism, the answers to this question prove disturbing. We must remember that it might take a disaster even worse than 100,000 dead and the use of WMDs against civilians before this light touch regulation of crimes against humanity is shown to be immoral and flawed.

Who benefits? The Syrian government’s response is indicative, with Ali Haider, who has the Kafkaesque title of Minister of National Reconciliation, claiming ‘a victory for Syria won thanks to our Russian friends’. The Assad regime clearly feels it is has benefitted by avoiding potentially devastating US and French military attacks. It may calculate that since the West has no stomach to intervene when its own red lines on WMDs are crossed, further ‘conventional’ war crimes can be committed with impunity, particularly given that these were never defined by the West as ‘red lines’.