More on Syria

[rowan]

Deja vu all over again . . .



'Serious, experienced chemical weapons experts and investigators such as Hans Blix, Scott Ritter, Gareth Porter and Theodore Postol have all cast doubt on “official” American narratives regarding President Assad employing Sarin.'

http://www.newsweek.com/now-mattis-admi ... ple-801542

What about official UN narratives? It was their investigation which claimed that the use of WMDs had been employed by the Syrian government.

The UN's initial commission of inquiry included Carla del Ponte, who is quoted in the earlier article as having dismissed American claims and pointed the finger directly at the rebels.

Chemical weapons are abhorrent and illegal, and no one knows this more than Carla Del Ponte. She, however, was unable to fulfill her U.N. Joint Investigative Mechanism mandate in Syria and withdrew in protest over the United States refusing to fully investigate allegations of chemical weapons use by “rebels” (jihadis) allied with the American effort to oust President Assad (including the use of Sarin by anti-Assad rebels).


The current commissioners include an American, an Egyptian and a Brazilian. Egypt is military dictatorship and the second biggest recipient of US aid after Israel. Brazil is currently under corrupt government effectively brought to power by a US-backed coup.

& speaking of Israel - it regularly accuses the UN of bias, with American support, and has even had a commisioner removed on such allegations. If Israel had ever once been prosecuted for its crimes, which include using white phosphorus on civilian targets, the UN might have a tad more credibility.

Bottom line is, the fact US officials are now openly back-tracking on their own claims pretty much blows the case against Assad out of the water. & who was their primary source? You guessed it:

The White House Memorandum on Khan Sheikhoun seemed to rely heavily on testimony from the Syrian White Helmets who were filmed at the scene having contact with supposed Sarin-tainted casualties and not suffering any ill effects. Likewise, these same actors were filmed wearing chemical weapons training suits around the supposed “point of impact” in Khan Sheikhoun, something which makes their testimony (and samples) highly suspect. A training suit offers no protection at all, and these people would all be dead if they had come into contact with real military-grade Sarin.

[Sandydragon]

More on the investigation.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mide ... SKBN1CV3GP

[Sandydragon]

Deja vu all over again . . .



'Serious, experienced chemical weapons experts and investigators such as Hans Blix, Scott Ritter, Gareth Porter and Theodore Postol have all cast doubt on “official” American narratives regarding President Assad employing Sarin.'

http://www.newsweek.com/now-mattis-admi ... ple-801542

What about official UN narratives? It was their investigation which claimed that the use of WMDs had been employed by the Syrian government.

The UN's initial commission of inquiry included Carla del Ponte, who is quoted in the earlier article as having dismissed American claims and pointed the finger directly at the rebels.

Chemical weapons are abhorrent and illegal, and no one knows this more than Carla Del Ponte. She, however, was unable to fulfill her U.N. Joint Investigative Mechanism mandate in Syria and withdrew in protest over the United States refusing to fully investigate allegations of chemical weapons use by “rebels” (jihadis) allied with the American effort to oust President Assad (including the use of Sarin by anti-Assad rebels).


The current commissioners include an American, an Egyptian and a Brazilian. Egypt is military dictatorship and the second biggest recipient of US aid after Israel. Brazil is currently under corrupt government effectively brought to power by a US-backed coup.

& speaking of Israel - it regularly accuses the UN of bias, with American support, and has even had a commisioner removed on such allegations. If Israel had ever once been prosecuted for its crimes, which include using white phosphorus on civilian targets, the UN might have a tad more credibility.

Bottom line is, the fact US officials are now openly back-tracking on their own claims pretty much blows the case against Assad out of the water. & who was their primary source? You guessed it:

The White House Memorandum on Khan Sheikhoun seemed to rely heavily on testimony from the Syrian White Helmets who were filmed at the scene having contact with supposed Sarin-tainted casualties and not suffering any ill effects. Likewise, these same actors were filmed wearing chemical weapons training suits around the supposed “point of impact” in Khan Sheikhoun, something which makes their testimony (and samples) highly suspect. A training suit offers no protection at all, and these people would all be dead if they had come into contact with real military-grade Sarin.

You do realise that Sarin dissipates fairly quickly?

[Sandydragon]

UN report,

Assad's forces used Sarin more than 2 down times.

Assad is a war criminal. Russia is supporting that. You are in denial.

[rowan]

Article in full, US Secretary of Defense fessing up to what the experts, investigative journalists and original UN Commission of Inquiry already told us, just in case there are any warmongering denialists still failing to put two and two together on America's continuing military expansion:

Lost in the hyper-politicized hullabaloo surrounding the Nunes Memorandum and the Steele Dossier was the striking statement by Secretary of Defense James Mattis that the U.S. has “no evidence” that the Syrian government used the banned nerve agent Sarin against its own people.

This assertion flies in the face of the White House (NSC) Memorandum which was rapidly produced and declassified to justify an American Tomahawk missile strike against the Shayrat airbase in Syria.

Mattis offered no temporal qualifications, which means that both the 2017 event in Khan Sheikhoun and the 2013 tragedy in Ghouta are unsolved cases in the eyes of the Defense Department and Defense Intelligence Agency.


Mattis went on to acknowledge that “aid groups and others” had provided evidence and reports but stopped short of naming President Assad as the culprit.

There were casualties from organophosphate poisoning in both cases; that much is certain. But America has accused Assad of direct responsibility for Sarin attacks and even blamed Russia for culpability in the Khan Sheikhoun tragedy.

Now its own military boss has said on the record that we have no evidence to support this conclusion. In so doing, Mattis tacitly impugned the interventionists who were responsible for pushing the “Assad is guilty” narrative twice without sufficient supporting evidence, at least in the eyes of the Pentagon.

This dissonance between the White House and the Department of Defense is especially troubling when viewed against the chorus of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) experts who have been questioning the (Obama and Trump) White House narratives concerning chemical weapons in Syria since practically the moment these “Assad-ordered events” occurred.


A view of the damaged Shayrat ('ash-Shairat') airfield at the Syrian government forces military base targeted by US Tomahawk cruise missiles, southeast of the central and third largest Syrian city of Homs, April 7, 2017.

Serious, experienced chemical weapons experts and investigators such as Hans Blix, Scott Ritter, Gareth Porter and Theodore Postol have all cast doubt on “official” American narratives regarding President Assad employing Sarin.

These analysts have all focused on the technical aspects of the two attacks and found them not to be consistent with the use of nation-state quality Sarin munitions.

The 2013 Ghouta event, for example, employed home-made rockets of the type favored by insurgents. The White House Memorandum on Khan Sheikhoun seemed to rely heavily on testimony from the Syrian White Helmets who were filmed at the scene having contact with supposed Sarin-tainted casualties and not suffering any ill effects.

Likewise, these same actors were filmed wearing chemical weapons training suits around the supposed “point of impact” in Khan Sheikhoun, something which makes their testimony (and samples) highly suspect. A training suit offers no protection at all, and these people would all be dead if they had come into contact with real military-grade Sarin.

Chemical weapons are abhorrent and illegal, and no one knows this more than Carla Del Ponte. She, however, was unable to fulfill her U.N. Joint Investigative Mechanism mandate in Syria and withdrew in protest over the United States refusing to fully investigate allegations of chemical weapons use by “rebels” (jihadis) allied with the American effort to oust President Assad (including the use of Sarin by anti-Assad rebels).

The fact that U.N. investigators were in Syria when the chemical weapon event in Khan Sheikhoun occurred in April 2017 makes it highly dubious that Assad would have given the order to use Sarin at that time. Common sense suggests that Assad would have chosen any other time than that to use a banned weapon that he had agreed to destroy and never employ.

Furthermore, he would be placing at risk his patronage from Russia if they turned on him as a war criminal and withdrew their support for him.

Tactically, as a former soldier, it makes no sense to me that anyone would intentionally target civilians and children as the White Helmet reports suggest he did.

There is compelling analysis from Gareth Porter suggesting that phosphine could have been released by an airborne munition striking a chemical depot, since the clouds and casualties (while organophosphate-appearing in some respects) do not appear to be similar to MilSpec Sarin, particularly the high-test Russian bomb-carried Sarin which independent groups like “bellingcat” insist was deployed.

America’s credibility was damaged by Colin Powell at the United Nations in 2003 falsely accusing Saddam Hussein of having mobile anthrax laboratories. Fast forward to 2017 and we encounter Nikki Haley in an uncomfortably similar situation at the U.N. Security Council calling for action against yet another non-Western head-of-state based on weak, unsubstantiated evidence.

Now Secretary Mattis has added fuel to the WMD propaganda doubters’ fire by retroactively calling into question the rationale for an American cruise missile strike.

While in no way detracting from the horror of what took place against innocent civilians in Syria, it is time for America to stop shooting first and asking questions later.

Ian Wilkie is an international lawyer, U.S. Army veteran and former intelligence community contractor.

http://www.newsweek.com/now-mattis-admi ... ple-801542

[rowan]

Meanwhile, this happened in Turkey today:

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) lawmaker Enis Berberoğlu was sentenced on Feb. 15 to five years and ten months in prison.

The Istanbul court ordered that Berberoğlu would remain under arrest.

The prosecutor had previously demanded 25 years for Berberoğlu on terror charges but his prison sentence was decreased to five years after the charges were dropped.

Berberoğlu, currently behind bars in Istanbul’s Maltepe Prison for allegedly “leaking state secrets,” was sentenced to 25 years in prison on June 14, 2017. Berberoğlu, the first CHP lawmaker to be given prison time, is accused of providing daily Cumhuriyet with a video purporting to show National Intelligence Organization (MİT) trucks sending weapons to Syria.

Berberoğlu is a former journalist, who started his career at business daily Dünya in 1981. In his long journalism career, Berberoğlu also worked for Cumhuriyet, CNN Türk and Radikal. He also served as daily Hürriyet’s editor-in-chief from 2009 to 2014.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/chp-la ... ail-127239

[rowan]

Rather surreal watching the news here today - alternating boastful accounts of eliminating almost 2000 terrorists in Afrin, then screaming blue murder that 400 civilians have been butchered by the evil regime in Damascus - and the international community is sitting back doing nothing as usual.

You couldn't make this stuff up!

[rowan]

“How is it that American troops have simply materialised in Syria?”

My letter in the Observer: http://sobserver.ws/en/06_03_2018/lette ... anding.htm

[Galfon]

How far east will Turkey push now Afrin is secured ?.
US has forces alongside Kurds in Manjib.That will test the NATO / fight against IS dis-joint with Turkey.

'Turkey is marking the 103rd anniversary of the battle of Gallipoli, where the Ottoman Empire repelled an invasion by Allied forces after several months of heavy fighting'.

The use of IS remnants as proxy first-wavers.would make it even messier.

[rowan]

The Turkish flag has been raised in Afrin. That says it all. They claim they are 'liberating' the joint and have killed over 3000 evil terrorists and absolutely no innocent civilians - in spite of nefarious reports to the contrary. Meanwhile, the Syrian government forces and their Russia allies have killed over 1000 small children and babies in Ghouta with use of chemical weapons, rape and torture, and absolutely no rebels or terrorists worth mentioning -(despite images of Assad being greeted by cheering crowds on Arabic television).

Don't believe the US-Turkey Punch & Judy show. They are NATO allies operating in foreign territory without legal authority. This has been long in the planning, and required a transfer of power behind the scenes to make it possible.

Yes, they are celebrating Victory at Canakkale today. The Turks remember only two things about WWI - this, and their Independence War victory over the Greeks in the aftermath. Canakkale (Turkish for Bowl Castle) is a little bit south of Gallipoli (Greek for Beautiful City). They are separated by the Dardenelles Straight, across which a 4km bridge is being built as we speak. Canakkale lies on the Asian side, Gallipoli on the European.

[Galfon]

The Gaffer appears to be stoking up both nationalist and religious fervour at home whilst making inflammatory remarks about European countries based on WW2 behaviours, and knows he has both key strategic influence with NATO, Russia (gas pipeline) and migrant control, plus ongoing co-operation with Gulf States.
Could go any way other than backwards it would seem.
It's going to take a while.

[rowan]

The turning point came in 2003 with an insufferable act of disobedience. Where America cannot control a democracy it imposes a dictatorship. We've seen this time and again all over the world. Sometimes it's a blatant one-man show, such as Shah Pahlavi in Iran, Mobutu in Congo, Mubarak in Egypt, Allende in Chile and Papa Doc in Haiti - to name but a few - and others it's a more subtle puppet government paradigm - as we're seeing with Afghanistan, Iraq & Libya at present.

In saying that, the ruling party would win an election here tomorrow if one were held, and at present they are negotiating a merger with the right-wing MHP, which will completely consolidate power in their hands. But the economy is suffering, civil rights are being rolled back, the prisons are full of journalists, activists and political opponents of the regime, and we've had the same man running the show for the past 15 years - with no end to that in sight, either.

[kk67]

UN report,

Assad's forces used Sarin more than 2 down times.

Assad is a war criminal. Russia is supporting that. You are in denial.

You do realise the UN is not really the UN...?.
Putin is protecting what he considers to be economic interests. The West is far more imperialistic and warmongering than Russia in it's attempts to protect economic interests. You'd be blind not to see it.

I fear history will judge this period of international politics as being the height of corruption and brinkmanship of the most nefarious and deliberate greed ever seen on Earth.

[rowan]

The small children and babies Assad has been gassing, raping, torturing and murdering in Eastern Ghouta struck back today with missiles that killed at least 36 people.

Meanwhile, NATO forces in the north have killed thousands of evil terrorists and have no time for all these weak-willed foreign politicians who are accusing them of exacerbating the situation and causing more suffering. The fight against terrorism must go on, even if it means invading the whole of Syria plus Iraq all over again!!

[kk67]

It's an undeniable observation that our political elite of all sides are more than happy to see civilians die in a fight over natural assets in a foreign country many miles away.
Which pretty much makes them all scum.

[rowan]

Indeed.

[rowan]

Surprise!!

'Saying that Washington “tried to use Turkey as a battering ram in Syria,” Kılıçdaroğlu added that the U.S. is now controlling all major oil and gas fields in Syria'

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/opinio ... ays-129118

[rowan]

Surprise!!

'Saying that Washington “tried to use Turkey as a battering ram in Syria,” Kılıçdaroğlu added that the U.S. is now controlling all major oil and gas fields in Syria'

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/opinio ... ays-129118

Hmmmm The news company which reported that and has remained among the most liberal during my time here is to be bought out by a pro-regime conglomerate. That will be the end of the Hurriyet (Liberty) as we know it. I've contributed two series' of blogs to their English language edition over the years and am friends with the editor of that publication.

Turkey’s Demiroren Holding, an unlisted firm seen as backing President Tayyip Erdogan, has agreed to buy the respected Hurriyet newspaper and broadcaster CNN Turk, an official said, a deal that could further cement media support for the government.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-doga ... SKBN1GX23R

[rowan]

Our glorious leader has decided that anti-war protestors are evil terrorists. He also called them communist, traitor youth and said they won’t be given the right to study at these universities because they are evil terrorists for opposing his war.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdoga ... sts-129241

[rowan]

& following hard on the heels of the conquest of Afrin, during which more than 3000 evil terrorists were killed and zero civilians, our glorious leader has announced the next invasion, this time the town of Sincar. It is necessary to invade lots of towns and cities in Syria to fight terrorism. This is not about invading Syria, even though the Syrian government has vociferously opposed this, and it is not about NATO invading another Middle East country, because everyone knows America is really, really against this too, and America is the boss of NATO. & remember, anyone who criticises this is an evil terrorist and communist, including those trouble-making university students

[rowan]

Our glorious leader has decided that anti-war protestors are evil terrorists. He also called them communist, traitor youth and said they won’t be given the right to study at these universities because they are evil terrorists for opposing his war.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdoga ... sts-129241

Those evil terrorists were arrested in dawn raids this morning. We mustn't have any anti-war protesting!

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkis ... uke-129297

[rowan]

Our glorious leader has now paused momentarily from plotting his next invasion to also designate France and Portugal terrorist organizations for their criticism of ongoing military operations in northern Syria...

[Sandydragon]

Yet another report of a major attack using chemical weapons. Assad and Putin have a lot of blood on their hands. The main question now being will the US bug out completely and leave them all to it, Russia , Turkey and Iran that is and stuff what the actual people who live there want or will Trump feel he has to make some kind of demonstration to force Putin and Assad to keep a lid on the violence.

[rowan]

Sounds to me like you are supporting the terrorists. America and Britain certainly have, and they have also killed many innocent people in Syria without actually being invited there, which makes it another violation of international law by the two nations which butchered 2.4 million people in Iraq and also destroyed Africa's most prosperous nation beyond repair. Of course, they also support Israel, which uses chemical weapons against the native Palestinian population it is working so hard to eradicate from the landscape, and Saudi, which bombs weddings, funerals, schools, hospitals and other civilian targets in Yemen, killing thousands of children, women and men, and causing a cholera epidemic. Meanwhile Russia is in Syria at the bequest of the government in Damascus to help drive out the terrorists the US and Britain were openly backing there in an attempt to enforce yet another regime change - this time by proxy. Looks like they lost this time, however, and their bitterness is palpable.

[Galfon]

Trump said US will be out of Syria very soon, but his troops are digging in to help defend Manbij west of the Euphrates with the YPG who took the lead fighting ISIS, as is France who have sent more troops.
Turkey's GL tells France supporting terrorists leads to attacks on civilians back home - an odd thing to say given the motives of these attacks.Sounds like anyone in Northern Syria associating with the Kurds is risking being labelled a terrorist and inviting 'neutralisation'..It will be interesting what deals US, Russia (& Iran now) cut to further their interests.Turkey's on a roll now and doesn't look likely to back off easily.