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Source: Getty

In The Media

It’s Time to Revisit Iraq as Syria Offers Up Its Chemical Weapons Arsenal

If the Syrian regime has decided it is going to give up its chemical weapons, the international community might want to revisit what happened to the chemical weapons stockpiles in Iraq after the 1991 conflict.

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By Paul Schulte
Published on Sep 10, 2013
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Nuclear Policy

The Nuclear Policy Program aims to reduce the risk of nuclear war. Our experts diagnose acute risks stemming from technical and geopolitical developments, generate pragmatic solutions, and use our global network to advance risk-reduction policies. Our work covers deterrence, disarmament, arms control, nonproliferation, and nuclear energy.

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Source: PRI’s The World

Speaking to PRI's The World, Carnegie's Paul Schulte explained that if the Syrian regime has decided to give up its chemical weapons, the international community might want to revisit what happened to the chemical weapons stockpiles in Iraq after the 1991 conflict.

"The Iraqis admitted they had very large amounts of chemical weapons and they pointed out where they were, and the UN team destroyed them," Schulte said, adding "they did it quickly, not very quickly; they did it over several periods over several months, but they did it efficiently with a rather small team."

Schulte suggested that this could serve as a model in Syria. The inspectors would have to check the information they receive against the information intelligence services know. But, Schulte pointed out, "it's very difficult to prove a negative so you would have to rely on your general impression of Syrian truthfulness."

Schulte also mentioned the difficulty of carrying out a mission of this nature and protecting the inspectors in the middle of a civil war. "Who's going to do it? Should it be the Syrian army? Can you trust them to take things away? What happens if they come under fire from the rebels, including rebels who may want to seize stuff themselves?"

This interview was originally broadcast on PRI's The World.

About the Author

Paul Schulte

Former Nonresident Senior Associate, Nuclear Policy Program

Schulte was a nonresident senior associate in the Carnegie Nuclear Policy Program, where his research focuses on the future of deterrence, nuclear strategy, nuclear nonproliferation, cybersecurity, and their political implications.

    Recent Work

  • Paper
    Looking Beyond the Chicago Summit: Nuclear Weapons in Europe and the Future of NATO
      • +2

      George Perkovich, Malcolm Chalmers, Steven Pifer, …

  • Other
    Is NATO’s Nuclear Deterrence Policy a Relic of the Cold War?

      Paul Schulte

Paul Schulte
Former Nonresident Senior Associate, Nuclear Policy Program
Paul Schulte
Political ReformNuclear PolicyMiddle EastSyriaGulfLevant

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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