The US is investigating claims that ISIS used chemical weapons during the current
conflict in Kobani and in a separate incident against Iraqi military and police.
This is a
serious accusation because chemical weapons are deemed illegal by the international
community.
So, what are chemical weapons and how are they regulated?
By definition, chemical weapons are any toxic chemical or its precursors that can
cause death, injury, temporary incapacitation or sensory irritation.
These include VX,
sarin, mustard gas and chlorine, which is the chemical ISIS may have used, and many
more.
The latest set of rules about chemical weapons were established fairly recently.
In 1997, the Chemical Weapons Convention produced a treaty that not only bans
the use of chemical weapons in war, but also prohibits their development, production,
and stockpiling.
Countries are also not allowed to encourage other countries to produce
chemical weapons.
The conventions set a timetable for signees to start depleting
their current stockpiles and prohibits the transfer of chemical weapons by any nation.
Countries are still allowed to produce some chemicals, but they are not allowed to
weaponize those agents, and the amount they can produce each year is regulated on a
chemical by chemical basis.
In addition to all of this, countries HAVE to cooperate fully
with UN inspectors.
And, for the most part, this treaty is working.
189 nations signed the agreement,
representing 98% of the globe.
As of last August, 84.95% of the world’s declared
chemical weapons stockpiles has been destroyed.
But, there are still countries that
have not signed the treaty including Angola, Egypt and North Korea, so we can’t
know exactly what their chemical weapons stockpile situation is.
And there are other
countries, like the United States and Russia, who are not destroying their stockpiles
at the rate they promised.
Both missed an important deadline for destroying their
stockpiles in 2012.
So while there is a system in place, it isn’t perfect.
Syria is a perfect example of how
difficult regulating chemical weapons can be.
In 2013, it was revealed that Syria had
a large arsenal of chemical weapons.
In response, Inspectors were sent in, and they
found evidence of the nerve agent sarin.
The UN passed a resolution requiring Syria to
destroy all of their chemical weapons.
They agreed and with help from the United States
over 600 tons of sarin were destroyed.
However, earlier this month it was revealed that
Syria did not disclose three chemical research facilities and one production facility.
So
they may still have a stockpile of chemical weapons.
If you'd like to know more about sarin gas specifically, watch this DNews episode with
Laci Green where she explains what it does
to humans.