WMD

Are we making too much of chemical weapons? Probably less than 1 percent of those killed in Syria have died of nerve gas attacks. In Syria, a principal weapon of mass destruction has been the AK—47. 

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The WMD sensitivity has to do with the new strategy focus of US after 9/11. US has natural protection against invading armies (Mexico being an exception -which is harmless- and.. there is the military behemoth called Canada of course), short range navies, the only remaining dangers can come in in the form of 1) people 2) weapons with asymmetric effect. That is why post 9/11 two major issues were 1) immigration 2) wmd. WMD sensitivity requires hunting for this stuff proactively, anywhere in the world because you never know which crazy-ass idiot will get his hands on one and take it to somewhere else. That is the current logic.

This US focus is known to all strategists. After 9/11 some went ‘aha, focus gonna change’, and tada. It’s that kind of thing. It makes certain amount of sense too, but whether it makes sense or not, that is what “ppl in the know” know about US priorities. Hence the red lines, talk of punishment etc.