Syrian chemical weapons use brings US close to action

To understand the events in Syria, one must go back a few years to when it all began.

The Syrian civil war officially began on March 15, 2011. It is a part of a larger movement known as the Arab Spring. The goal was to get Bashar Al-Assad out of office.

The Syrian army was deployed in April 2011 to put an end to the uprising. This attempt failed. The conflict continued on and off until 2013, when the war began gaining international attention due to Syria’s use of the chemical weapon, Sarin gas.

In a recent United Nations investigation, it was determined that someone used Sarin gas on the citizens of Syria. Some people are speculating that Al-Assad is to blame. Russia, on the other hand, says that the Syrian rebels might be the perpetrators.

As of Monday, September 30, an advanced group of weapons experts are on their way to Damascus to take all of Syria’s chemical weapons. This process is projected to take until mid-2014. They are also assisting Syria in meeting their November 1 deadline of losing their ability to create such weapons. If Syria refuses to comply, consequences will be dealt accordingly by the United Nations Security Council.

Not only are efforts to remove these weapons taking place, but Syria is also going through a process of political transition. Overall, Syria is going through a period of reformation, but only if they are willing to accept the help from international groups.

Story by Chase Meehan