Tracking the Illegal Shipment of Sarin Precursor from Belgium to Syria
I want to be clear that I don’t know if chemical weapons are being used in Syria, although the evidence for the use of Chlorine in barrel bombs is strong. I’ll be honest and say that I haven’t seen good evidence of organophosphate poisonings, but I’m just some guy so who knows.<p>What I do know for sure however, is that this blog is utter bunk.<p><i>The Belgian customs found that without having requested the appropriate export licenses three Flemish companies have exported 96 tonnes of isopropanol in a concentration of 95% or higher to Syria since sanctions came into force in September 2013.</i><p>That’s rubbing alcohol! That’s not evidence of sarin manufacture, it’s not a “precursor” it’s rubbing alcohol in typical concentrations for goddamned Purell. Can you use it as part of a process to make sarin? Sure, but it’s not a critical ingredient, it’s not what any honest person would consider a precursor, it’s just a solvent. It also antimocrobial and antiseptic, and you know... rubbing alcohol.