Doomsday World War 3 on Hold; Syria Vows to Turnover Chemical Weapons; U.S., Russia Become Unlikely Allies; Global Markets Rejoice
In what might become global history's momentous yet unbelievable collaboration, the U.S. and Russia have become unlikely allies as both work to win over Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to turnover his government's stockpile of chemical weapons. News of alternative solutions to avert any impending doomsday World War 3 immediately caused the global markets to jump on Tuesday.
U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to deliver a nationwide address that will state his government has entertained a Russian proposal of international diplomacy, that is, to remove chemical weapons from Syria in exchange for a zero military strike.
"I suggested the need for the United States and Russia to work together to deal with this particular problem," Mr Obama told Fox News in an interview on Monday, as he recalled a 2012 talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin on securing Syria's chemical weapons. "It doesn't solve the underlying Syrian conflict. But if we can solve this chemical weapons issue -- which is a threat to us and the world -- then it does potentially lay the groundwork for further discussions around how you can bring about a political settlement inside of Syria."
However, this is not to say the military strike will be totally eliminated from the drawing table. Should Syria fail to deliver its word, the U.S. will not stall making its planned strike threat a reality.
Essentially, the U.S. will make Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accountable for any loss of lives and property and damage to his country should he fail to turnover the highly contested chemical weapons, an unidentified senior administration official told NBC News.
Obama is Outsmarting Everyone and Winning on Syria Without Firing a Shot http://t.co/QzlbmyipaF
— Firestarter in Chief (@docrocktex26) September 11, 2013
On Tuesday, Walid al-Moualem, Syria's Foreign Minister, in a statement shown on Russian state television, said Syria will cooperate with a Russian proposal to submit under international control its chemical weapons, including ordering a halt to further production.
"I am authorized to confirm our support for the Russian initiative regarding chemical weapons in Syria in compliance with the regime of the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons," Mr Moualem said. The Syrian official alluded to a 1992 agreement, ratified by 189 nations, which states the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons are strictly prohibited.
"We are ready to inform about the location of chemical weapons, halt the production of chemical weapons and also show these objects to representatives of Russia, other states and the United Nations," the foreign minister added.
"We want to join the convention on the prohibition of chemical weapons. We are ready to observe our obligations in accordance with that convention, including providing all information about these weapons."
British Prime Minister David Cameron, although welcoming Mr Assad's seemingly welcome approach to the Russian proposal, remained wary of his actions, when, in fact, it was only on Monday that Mr Assad last refused to confirm that he does, indeed, hold stocks of chemical weapons.
"We need to know that there's a proper timetable for doing this, we need to know there'd be a proper process for doing it, and crucially there'd have to be consequences if it wasn't done," Mr Cameron said.
Good news: we may get a deal & avoid war w/ Syria. Bad news: US will learn wrong lesson from the episode. Worse news: war in Syria goes on.
— Stephen Walt (@StephenWalt) September 11, 2013
Mr Putin, speaking on Russian TV, continued to insist that the proposal can only work "if we hear that the American side and all those who support the United States in this sense reject the use of force."
Skeptics remain wary.
There's Almost No Chance Russia's Plan for Syria's Chemical Weapons Will Work http://t.co/ywdELDQms2 via @ForeignPolicy
— R (@LibertyLynx) September 11, 2013
Obama can't get congressional & public support for a military strike against Syria by simply saying "trust me." http://t.co/Uu0pxwEaB5
— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) September 11, 2013
As global leaders work to stall the doomsday World War 3 scenario, investors around the world cheered the good news, albeit temporarily, on Tuesday.
The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares in Europe jumped 0.9 percent at 6,586 upon hearing the favorable development. Germany's DAX likewise jumped 1.9 percent to 8,436 as well as France's CAC-40, which was 1.6 percent higher at 4,106.
In Mr Obama's bailiwick, the Dow Jones industrial average hopped 0.6 percent at 15,118, same as the S&P 500 index to 1,679.
"The reduced threat of military action appears to be reducing uncertainty and arguably may also lessen the risk that oil could push higher in the coming months," Rabobank International analyst, Jane Foley, told AP. "This all seems to be translating into a better outlook for global growth which is also supportive of risk appetite."
The collaborative development among the global nations to avert military strike against Syria and what could become a ripple effect leading to doomsday World War 3 likewise caused prices of precious oil to go down.
On Tuesday, prices of benchmark New York crude slid by US$2.15 to US$107.37 a barrel.