Title: United States Successfully Completes Destruction of Chemical Weapons Arsenal, Contributes to Global Efforts
Subtitle: President Joe Biden announces significant milestone, urges other nations to join the Chemical Weapons Convention
Date: [current date]
In a momentous achievement, the United States has declared the completion of the process to destroy its entire arsenal of chemical weapons. On July 7, the Department of Defense confirmed the destruction of the last M55 rocket containing sarin nerve agent at the Army Depot in Blue Grass, Kentucky. The timely destruction aligns with the commitment made by the United States to conclude its arsenal elimination operations before September 30, 2023, under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
President Joe Biden himself hailed the milestone and emphasized the importance of a world free from the horrors of chemical weapons. Biden stated in a press release, “For more than 30 years, the United States has worked tirelessly to eliminate its arsenal of chemical weapons. Today, I am proud to announce that the United States has safely destroyed the last munitions in that stockpile, bringing us one step closer to a world free of the horrors of chemical weapons.”
The United States‘ chemical weapons program began over a century ago during World War I, primarily with the production and use of phosgene and mustard gas. Over the years, the country amassed more than 30,000 tons of chemical warfare agents in various weapons configurations.
Legislation passed in 1986 set in motion the destruction of the chemical weapons stockpile, which began in 1990 on Johnston Atoll in the Pacific. In subsequent years, the US Army successfully completed weapons destruction at multiple locations across the United States, including facilities in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon, and Utah.
Furthermore, the Department of Defense was required to explore and demonstrate alternative technologies for chemical weapons destruction. The application of alternative technologies resulted in the safe elimination of remaining chemical weapons stockpiled at the US Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado and the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky.
In the US Army’s Pueblo Chemical Depot, more than 780,000 rounds containing mustard agent were destroyed by a team of Colorado companies led by Bechtel National, Inc., on June 22. The final munitions, comprised of over 100,000 projectiles and rockets filled with mustard and nerve agents, were eliminated through explosive neutralization and destruction technologies in Kentucky.
President Biden acknowledged the significance of complying with the Chemical Weapons Convention and stressed the need for all nations to join the treaty. He expressed concerns over nations such as Russia and Syria, allegedly failing to meet their obligations under the treaty and engaging in undeclared chemical weapons programs.
The destruction of the chemical weapons arsenal marks a historic moment, as an international body has verified the destruction of an entire category of declared weapons of mass destruction, according to President Biden. He concluded by underscoring the importance of preventing the redevelopment and deployment of chemical weapons, emphasizing their role in horrifying episodes of human loss.
US Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky also commended the achievement, stating, “While the use of these deadly agents will always be a stain on history, today our nation has finally fulfilled our promise to rid our arsenal of this evil.”
The global community continues to work towards a future free from chemical weapons, with Biden’s call for Russia and Syria to return to compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention and acknowledge their undeclared programs.
With the United States leading by example, the hope is that more nations will join the Chemical Weapons Convention, ensuring a comprehensive ban on chemical weapons and a safer world for all.
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