The Obama administration has good reason to be skeptical of any promises made by the Assad regime or its Russian backers. Mr. Assad, who has denied using chemical weapons, could begin by actually acknowledging that he has the weapons, which Western nations say amount to hundreds of tons of nerve gas and blister agents.
Nonetheless, Mr. Obama and Mr. Kerry should pursue this possible solution. The removal and destruction of stockpiles of weapons would ensure greater safety for the Syrian people. And it would have longer lasting deterrent effects than the limited strikes Mr. Obama wants to deliver, without the likelihood of more civilian casualties.
To have any measure of credibility, Mr. Assad will need to allow monitors into the country immediately.
What’s left out is that Putin has just made himself guarantor of the Assad regime and the new peace broker of the Middle East. I’m not sure if they’re more excited this morning in Damascus or Tehran.
Professor Ditherton Wiggleroom and Secretary of State John Kerry have dealt the US out of the dominant position it has held for 40 years.
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