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Gregory Koblentz (now at gregkoblentz.bsky.social) Profile picture
Gregory Koblentz (now at gregkoblentz.bsky.social)
@gregkoblentz
Associate Professor and Director of Biodefense Graduate Program in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.
Mar 20, 2023 • 24 tweets • 11 min read
There is still a great deal of misunderstanding about Iraq, WMD, intelligence, and the 2003 invasion. We all know the old conventional wisdom, that Iraq had WMD, was wrong. The new conventional wisdom, that Iraq pretended to have WMD to deter Iran, is also wrong. A🧵 I explain why in this 2018 @jststs article: Saddam versus the inspectors: the impact of regime security on the verification of Iraq’s WMD disarmament. It’s behind a paywall but here is the abstract:
tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10… Image
Oct 25, 2022 • 12 tweets • 6 min read
The @StateDept has sanctioned 3 Syrian military officers for their role in the August 21, 2013 sarin attack on Ghouta which killed over 1,000 men, women, and children:
Brig Gen Adnan Aboud Hilweh
Maj Gen Ghassan Ahmed Ghannam
Maj Gen Jawdat Saleebi Mawas
state.gov/designation-of… Maj Gen Ghannan was commander of the
155th Missile Brigade and associated with Maher
al-Assad. He was sanctioned by the EU in 2016.
eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/…
Mar 23, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Russia has taken its disinformation campaign to the @OPCW. In response, Ukraine has formally requested assistance from States Parties for protection against chemical weapons. Should be on agenda for tomorrow's NATO summit. Image Ukraine has not yet submitted request for CW protection assistance from @OPCW as allowed under Article X para 8 of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Image
Sep 27, 2021 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
Syria continuing to stonewall @OPCW. Last meeting with DAT was in Feb '21--20 issues still unresolved. Since Syrian rights and privileged suspended in April, they have refused to schedule next meeting with DAT. @OPCW .@OPCW planned on sending DAT in May but Syria never responded. Then OPCW proposed September but Syria requested delay until October after UNGA. Then Syria denied visa for 1 member of DAT, even though that member had deployed to Syria multiple times in the past.
Jul 23, 2021 • 10 tweets • 6 min read
Syria is seriously escalating its obstruction of @OPCW as newest progress report on elimination of Syrian CW reveals.
opcw.org/sites/default/…
3 very worrisome developments.... 1. Syria has destroyed the two chlorine cylinders from the April 7 attack on Douma. This is clearly destruction of evidence. Syria prevented @OPCW from bringing the cylinders to The Hague last year for analysis and then destroyed them in secret. Not suspicious at all! Image
May 3, 2021 • 11 tweets • 4 min read
The day after Syria declared in breach of #CWC and its rights and privileges under the treaty were suspended, @OPCW identified a new problem with Syria's CW declaration. For those of you following along at home, this is the 20th outstanding issue with Syria's declaration. In its 91st monthly progress report on elimination of Syrian CW, @OPCW reports that it has evidence that Syrian CW site produced CW despite Syrian denials. Not only that, samples of CW agent were found in several large containers. Kicker: the agent itself was undeclared.
Apr 21, 2021 • 9 tweets • 5 min read
The @OPCW decision on Syrian non-compliance with the #CWC has been published. You can read it here:
opcw.org/sites/default/… A couple of observations.
The only immediate effect is that Syria is not allowed to vote or hold any positions at @OPCW
This is a slap on the wrist given how blatant and brazen Syria's violations of the #CWC have been. However, the decision is a milestone in accountability.
Apr 19, 2021 • 4 tweets • 4 min read
Tomorrow, members of #CWC will vote on consequences for Syrian violations of the treaty. Today @OSFJustice @syrian_archive @crdefenders @SyrianCenter filed 3rd legal complaint in Europe against Syrian CW use: crd.org/2021/04/19/civ… Last week, the @OPCW IIT issued detailed report on Syrian govt responsibility for chlorine attack on Saraqib in February 2018: opcw.org/iit/second-rep…
Nov 25, 2020 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
Latest @OPCW report on elimination of Syria's CW is out. Good news: The DAT closed 3 outstanding issues with Syria's initial declaration.
Bad news: 19 issues remain unresolved.
Worse news: Syria still denies producing any CW at one of its declared CW production facilities Image Syria's continued denial in face of samples indicating production and/or weaponization of a nerve agent at said facility indicates that Syria is still committed to continued obstruction on history, scope, and scale of its CW program.
Jul 15, 2020 • 5 tweets • 4 min read
Trump administration recommends the National Guard as an option to help hospitals report coronavirus data washingtonpost.com/health/2020/07… Is diversion of data from @CDCgov linked to @PHEgov contract with TeleTracking to develop "Real-Time Healthcare System Capacity Reporting"?
washingtonpost.com/health/growing…

fedhealthit.com/2020/04/hhs-as…

@bylenasun @HelenBranswell
Mar 1, 2019 • 24 tweets • 13 min read
.@OPCW just released its final report on the April 7, 2018 chemical attack on Douma: opcw.org/sites/default/… Thread to follow FFM concluded that info collected “provide reasonable grounds that the use of a toxic chemical as a weapon took place. This toxic chemical contained reactive chlorine. The toxic chemical was likely molecular chlorine.”