Syria chemical weapons: First consignment leaves Latakia

[jakeXT]

Source: BBC

The first consignment of chemical weapons has left the Syrian port of Latakia on a Danish vessel, the United Nations has confirmed.

The ship is being escorted by Chinese, Danish, Norwegian and Russian frigates.

Removing the most dangerous chemicals is the first step of a UN-backed deal to eliminate Syria's chemical arsenal.

A previous attempt to collect the arms was aborted after Syrian officials failed to deliver the toxic chemicals to the collection point in Latakia.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25642463

[Fred Sanders]

1. Isn't there a well supplied and stocked ship stuck in the ice somewhere the mass media could cover..

instead of real news like the negotiated destruction of chemicals that almost started a world war, but instead proved the worthlessness of the neo-con war hawk mentality, thank you Mr. President?

[Botany]

2. Thank you President Obama & John Kerry

n/t

[dipsydoodle]

3. For what ?

Not bombing Syria.

[karynnj]

4. For their effort in eliminating the chemical weapons

I KNOW the left gives all the credit to Russia, but until after the August event and the US reaction, they had no interest in pushing Syria to give them up - per a recent long article on Kerry, he first brought up that idea in May and Lavrov showed little interest.

The US itself had no leverage to get it done - and Russia had no interest until it was the only way to prevent the US from responding in other ways. If you read the articles on the Geneva talks, you would see few thought they would succeed - and the agreement was close to what JK fought for. He then had to keep the US UN ambassador from adding things not agreed to in the UN resolution - as Lavrov had to keep the Russian UN team from changing anything.

It seems obvious that the US had a parallel diplomatic effort with the public effort to justify a targeted strike. It is obvious that it is better that Syria - no matter who ends up in charge - has no chemical weapons.

[dipsydoodle]

5. I agree that's its better,

no matter who ends up in charge, that Syria has no chemical weapons.