DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel
has congratulated the crew of the U.S. ship MV Cape Ray for completing the work
of neutralizing Syrian chemical weapons components.
Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby issued a
statement today saying Hagel called Navy Captain Rich Dromerhauser aboard the
ship to congratulate the crew on finishing their unprecedented work of
neutralizing, at sea, the most dangerous chemicals in Syria's declared
stockpile. The secretary said that by ridding the world of these materials,
they - as part of an ongoing international effort to eliminate the Syrian
chemical weapons arsenal - have helped make an important and enduring
contribution to global security.
Secretary Hagel expressed his gratitude for the crew's
service, dedication, and expertise, noting that with the world watching, they
performed flawlessly every step of the way - despite a very long deployment,
and a complex operation that required careful coordination with our
international partners. The secretary commended the crew for conducting every
aspect of the mission in a highly professional manner, with strict adherence to
safety and with no impact to the surrounding environment, and said that they
should all be very proud of what they've accomplished to help reduce the threat
posed by chemical weapons.
Today's milestone would not have been possible without the
contributions of our many international partners, or the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative
Threat Reduction program, which provided the funding to carry out these
operations. While the international community's work to completely eliminate
Syria's chemical weapons program is not yet finished, the secretary believes
this is a clear demonstration of what can be achieved when diplomacy is backed
by a willingness to use military force.
The United States will remain vigilant in our efforts to
deter future use of chemicals as weapons, and in ensuring that all questions
about the extent of Assad's chemical weapons program are answered in full.
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