Syria Audio Analysis: Chemical Weapons “Deal” is Meaningless Sideshow

THE FAKE OF A CW-DEAL – OBAMA AS A PAPER TIGER

By Scott Lucas – EAworldview – 27.9.2013 – Marc Pierini, a former diplomat now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and I appeared on Friday morning on Monocle 24′s The Globalist to discuss the supposed “deal” over the handover and destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons. Listen to discussion from 8:10 on The Globalist homepage or in a pop-out window. In contrast to Pierini’s cautious welcome of the “major step forward”, I am pessimistic to the point of dismissal — at least with respect to the Syrian crisis.

1. What if Syria does not comply, not only weeks but months down the line — spinning this out?

2. “The big story in Syria is not chemical weapons — it is the heavy use of conventional weapons. That has expanded in the last few weeks, because this is the only way the regime feels it can keep control.

“The chemical weapons issue is a sideshow.”

About the Author – Scott Lucas Scott Lucas is a professor of American Studies at the University of Birmingham and editor-in-chief of EA WorldView. He is a specialist in US and British foreign policy and international relations, especially the Middle East and Iran. Formerly he worked as a journalist in the US, writing for newspapers including the Guardian and The Independent and was an essayist for The New Statesman before he founded EA.

Syria Audio Analysis: Chemical Weapons “Deal” is Meaningless Sideshow