Syria's WMD program and usage predate's Iraq's. They used poison gas to quell "discontent" in Hama, a Syrian city, back in 1982.
Congressional Record - HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES CONTINUE IN SYRIA (Senate - May 12, 1992)
"Mr. DeCONCINI. Mr. President, the state of human rights in Syria is well characterized in the opening line of the State Department's 1991 document, `Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,' which declares: Syria is ruled by an authoritative regime which does not hesitate to use force against its citizens if it feels threatened....In 1982, Hafiz Assad demonstrated to the international community how ruthless his regime could be by his brutal attacks on the northern cities of Hama and Aleppo. At these locations an uprising developed, led by a group called the Muslim Brotherhood, which resulted in an enormous use of force by Assad's security forces. When the insurrection was finally subdued, between 10,000 to 20,000 people were dead. The city of Hama was literally bulldozed. But it is not only his own people that President Assad treats in such an appalling fashion...." [/snip]
Additional sources:
"In the Syrian city of Hama, an insurrection by the Moslem Brothers was suppressed with rare brutality in modern history. The Alawite army isolated the city, cutting off any contact with the outside, and opened a ground and aerial bombing. According to Amnesty International, the Syrian military had placed rubber pipes at the entrance of buildings where insurgents were said to be hiding and pumped in poison gas. It is claimed that there were some 30,000 dead in Hama. The Alawite army attacked the entire population, both Christians and Moslems."
Historical Fact: Syria terrorism and war crimes - February 1982
The Hama Massacre of 1982 - Syria's regime brutally massacres it's own people
Disgusting. This Syrian use of WMD is well documented albeit ignored in the rush to only recite crimes of US imperialism.
I guess this happened before Amnesty only documented Western human rights violations.