Logic Behind Using Chemical Weapons

One the blog, Political Violence @ a Glance, Barbara Walter gives a Friday Puzzler.  Today the puzzler is:

Given Assad’s extensive conventional weapons capabilities, why use chemical weapons? What’s the logic behind using them?

My first thought on the matter is signalling.  Non-conventional weapons use sends a signal to the opponent targeted by the weapons use.  The signal here is that the massive conventional arsenal that will destroy urban centers does not have to be used.  Weapons of mass human destructive capacity can be used instead to kill and seriously incapacitate opposition members.  The second part of the signal to the opposition is that Assad has the will to use internationally unpopular weapons, not being deterred by statements from international leaders about the unacceptability of using chemical weapons.    Of course, the second part of the signal also has some consequences, namely what will the international community at which Assad thumbed his nose do as a response to the use of chemical weapons? Of course, I am also not considering here the rationality of the decision to send the signal.

Some Observations About....

Ok, so I haven't blogged since June.  I took the summer off from blogging.  But I am back, hopefully I still have something to say on occasion.  Observation #1: I really did not miss blogging, so maybe I am not really good at blogging and maybe I should just quit blogging altogether.  Nah, I just focused on my research and reading this summer and did not take the time to share my thoughts with the world.

So what are the topics most prominent in our minds these days.  Observation #2:  we really did not get that upset about finding out the government was really listening to our conversations.  Oh well, I have been saying that the government is listening for years, Snowden just confirmed it with his admissions.  And then, Observation #3: my opinion, personal opinion, about Snowden is worth as much as anyone else's opinion.  My opinion is that he should have stayed to face the music here in the U.S. running just make you look less courageous.

Observation #4:  I was right, I told you so, etc.  Syria, well, I said over one year ago to expect this one to be ugly because Assad is not going quietly into the night.   But this does bring me to Observation #5: strange world when I wake up and Sec. of State Kerry is more "hawkish" than I.  I mean, which of the following represents Kerry:

or,

Ok, the difference might not be as dramatic as these clips, but...

Final Observation:  I bet most of you reading this have no clue how many people were trapped at the airport in the capital city of the Central African Republic when they ran there for looking for shelter from violence in the CAR last week.  You also probably do not know the name of the capital of the CAR.