WASHINGTON — President Bashar Assad could order weapons of mass destruction attacks to save his regime, a report said.

The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies asserted that Assad could employ Syria’s massive WMD arsenal against any rising Sunni revolt. In a report, the center warned that the Damascus regime could also fire biological or chemical weapons to stop any foreign military intervention to save the rebels.

“Indeed, in this fluid environment and uncharted territory, everything is possible,” the report, titled “Assad’s Toxic Assets,” said.

Authored by Chen Kane, Bilal Saab and Leonard Spector, the report outlined six scenarios in which Assad could employ WMD, which the opposition said already took place in the Syrian Army assault on Homs earlier this month. The report envisioned a decision by Assad or his younger brother, Maher, to fire CW or BW shells even at the risk of NATO intervention.

Another scenario was that Alawite generals order WMD strikes against the Sunni rebels. Assad has ordered deployment of elite army and special forces units to guard CW production facilities around such cities as Aleppo, Damascus, Hama, Homs and Latakia.

“Should armed rebellion flare up again in areas that host chemical weapons facilities and munitions storage sites including Dumayr, Khan Abu Shamat and Al Furqlus and government forces find themselves facing overwhelming opposition, the generals on the ground could decide, without Assad’s authorization, to use chemical weapons against their opponents,” the report, dated March 13, said. “They could also be tempted to act preemptively, ‘using them before losing them.’ ”

Assad could also decide to transfer WMD to such allies as Iran and its proxy, Hizbullah. The president could also offer these assets should he conclude that he might be overthrown by rivals within the regime.

Syria was said to control more than 50 BW and CW facilities, and the report did not rule out that some of them would be targeted by Al Qaida. Another scenario was that Sunni rebels would attack or capture WMD sites, a capability they do not yet possess.

“Furthermore, the moment the rebels decide to escalate and hit chemical sites, government forces might retaliate with force and use planes to deliver chemical agents by air,” the report said.

The report said none of the scenarios could be ignored. The center recommended that the United States and its allies offer immunity to Syrian troops who protect WMD sites.

“It is no wonder that President [Barack] Obama and his top military brass are extremely hesitant to use kinetic force or send weapons into Syria,” the report said. “The country is a chemical powder keg ready to explode.” (Copyright © 2012 East West Services, Inc. 03/22/12)