Syria and WMD : incentives and capabilities

The altered situation in the Middle East after the fall of Saddam Hussein in March 2003, brought Syria into the limelight in regards to several factors, mostly to its alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). In order to understand the altered security context in the region and its implications on Syria´s deterrence policy, a study examining Syria´s incentives and capabilities regarding WMD and means of delivery is indispensable. The intentions behind this report are to describe both incentives and disincentives of some nations´ procurement, and development of WMD. It is also an attempt to give an insight into Syria´s existing offensive programs that might be a legacy of the demands from the previous Cold War era. However, it also shows that the tense situation in the Middle East as of April 2004, has created an atmosphere in which Syria regards the use of WMD to be their sovereign right when it comes to deterrence, primarily against the state of Israel.