Nearly 1,500 Syrians were killed in chemical attacks carried out by their government last month. Now a national debate has erupted over how the U.S. and its allies should react.
“This debate is about the world’s red line. It’s about humanity’s red line,” Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And it’s a line that anyone with a conscience ought to draw.”
Though President Obama and Secretary Kerry are supportive of limited military action in the region, the prospect of intervention has faced significant push back from legislators.
But Syria is believed to possess mustard gas and sarin, a highly toxic nerve agent, and is estimated to have stockpiled approximately 1,000 tons of chemical weapons–raising the question of what’s at stake in the future of chemical war in the region.
Joining us to discuss this is Joseph Cirincione, president of Ploughshares Fund, a global security foundation, and a member of Secretary Kerry’s International Security Advisory Board. He explains the threat of chemical weapon proliferation in Syria, and what can be done to stop it.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.