UNDER CONSTRUCTION

SYRIA CHEMICAL ATTACK AUGUST 21, 2013 - THE TRAGEDY AND AFTERMATH

Syria meets deadline to destroy chemical production facilities. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which won the Nobel Peace prize this month, said its teams had inspected 21 out of 23 chemical weapons sites across the country. By Dominic Evans, Reuters, October 31, 2013: TEXT | PICTURE

Syrian chemical attack used sarin and was worst in 25 years, says UN. Chemical attack on rebel-held areas of Damascus involved rockets known to be in Syrian regime's arsenal, say UN experts. Julian Borger, The Guardian, September 17, 2013: TEXT | VIDEO

President Obama Addresses the Nation on Syria. " If fighting spills beyond Syria's borders, these weapons could threaten allies like Turkey, Jordan, and Israel.  And ...would weaken prohibitions against other weapons of mass destruction, and embolden Assad's ally, Iran". Washington D.C., The White House, East Room, September 10, 2013, 9:01 P.M. EDT: TRANSCRIPT | VIDEO

Syria Admits It Has Chemical Weapons. The statement by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem represented the first direct admission by the Syrian government that it possesses chemical weapons. By Stacy Meichtry and Gregory L. White, Wall Street Journal, September 10, 2013: TEXT | PHOTO

Does civil war in Syria mean the end of the world? Syria's war is becoming the defining event for a generation of Muslims. But for some it is a sign that the end of the world has begun - and it is their duty to be in the country to defend Islam. Channel 4 News (UK), September 10, 2013: VIDEO

Syria - Introductory remarks by Laurent Fabius during his press conference. " Since the Damascus chemical massacre on 21 August, we've constantly pursued two objectives: punishment of those responsible and deterrence, so that they can't do it again." France Diplomatie (official website of the Government of France), September 10, 2013: TEXT

UN: Syria samples collected at site of alleged chemical weapons use to be sent to labs tomorrow. “The whole process will be done strictly adhering to the highest established standards of verification recognized by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons [OPCW].” United Nations News Centre, September 1, 2013: TEXT

Statement by the U.S. President Obama on Syria (Transcript). But having made my decision as Commander-in-Chief based on what I am convinced is our national security interests... I will seek authorization for the use of force from the American people's representatives in Congress. Washington D.C., The White House, August 30, 2013: TEXT

Excerpts from the interview given by François Hollande, President of the Republic of France, to the daily newspaper Le Monde (August 30, 2013). The Damascus chemical massacre cannot and must not remain unpunished. Otherwise it would mean taking the risk of an escalation that would trivialize the use of those weapons and threaten other countries. France Diplomatie (official website of the Government of France), August 30, 2013: TEXT

U.S. Government Assessment of the Syrian Government’sUse of Chemical Weapons on August 21, 2013. Syrian chemical weapons personnel were operating in the Damascus suburb of ‘Adra from Sunday, August 18 until early in the morning on Wednesday, August 21 near an area that the regime uses to mix chemical weapons, including sarin. Washington D.C., The White House, August 30, 2013: TEXT

Syria: Damascus Areas of Influence and Areas Reportedly Affected by 21 August Chemical Attack: PDF MAP

More than 1,400 killed in Syrian chemical weapons attack, U.S. says. U.S. spy agencies recorded each step in the alleged chemical attack, from the extensive preparations to the launching of rockets. By Joby Warrick, the Washington Post, August 30, 2013: TEXT | MAP

U.K. Parliament Rejects Syria Action. The government of Prime Minister David Cameron lost a vote—by a tally of 285 to 272—that would have supported in principle military intervention in Syria. By Cassell Bruan-Low, Wall Street Journal, August 30, 2013: TEXT

Israeli Strike Into Syria Said to Damage Research Site. The Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, has been the target of American and Western sanctions for more than a decade. By David E. Sanger, Eric Schmitt, and Jodi Rudoren, New York Times, February 3, 2013: TEXT | PICTURE

Syria crisis: Nato approves Patriots for Turkey. The CIA has said those weapons "can be delivered by aircraft, ballistic missile and artillery rockets". BBC News, December 4, 2012: click here

Binyamin Netanyahu: We are watching Syrian chemical weapons closely. PM says "these weapons cannot be used or transferred to terrorist organizations..." Reuters & Jerusalem Post staff, Jerusalem Post, December 4, 2012: click here

Official: Syria Moving Chemical Weapons Components. U.S. and allied intelligence officials have detected activity around more than one of Syria’s chemical weapons sites in the last week. AP, Time, December 3, 2012: click here

Chemical Weapons Information. An online resource by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS): click here | including Introduction to Chemical Weapons | Types of Chemical Weapons | Chemical Weapons Convention Information