Experts: Don't bomb chemical weapon sites in Syria

[Xithras]

You simply can't safely bomb a chemical weapon storehouse into oblivion, experts say. That's why they say the United States is probably targeting something other than Syria's nerve agents. But now there is concern that bombing other sites could accidentally release dangerous chemical weapons that the U.S. military didn't know were there because they've lost track of some of the suspected nerve agents.

Bombing stockpiles of chemical weapons — purposely or accidentally — would likely kill nearby civilians in an accidental nerve agent release, create a long-lasting environmental catastrophe or both, five experts told The Associated Press. That's because under ideal conditions — and conditions wouldn't be ideal in Syria — explosives would leave at least 20 to 30 percent of the poison in lethal form.
...

"It's a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease..."

http://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/Experts-Don-t-bomb-chemical-weapon-sites-in-Syria-4773773.php


A number of people seem to be under the mistaken impression that we can just bomb the chemical weapons sites to eliminate them. This article lays that truth pretty bare. Most of the weapons sites are near population centers containing more than 2 million people, and there's no real question that striking those sites would lead to an unintentional gas release. All other arguments aside, this one thing alone should be enough to deter us from trying to bomb their missile systems.

[Skink]

1. and yet we blew up Iraq

[Supersedeas]

2. the Pottery Barn analogy on steroids