Unlike the famous chemical weapons “attack” portrayed by the BBC in Saving Syria’s Children, it does appear that in the latest incident at Idlib there was real horror inflicted by chemical attack of some kind. The question is who did it and why?
I am no fan of the Assad regime, and I have no problem using the word “regime” to describe it. Dictators do hold and win elections. I have lived in severe dictatorships and seen from the inside how they do it. The human rights abuses of the Assad regime have been well documented for decades.
But Bashar al Assad is neither stupid nor unsophisticated. Aided by Putin, he outwitted Obama by quickly giving up his chemical weapons to be destroyed and accepting transparency in verification. There is no justification for the destruction of Iraq, but if Saddam Hussein had been able to swallow pride as completely as Assad, he too could have had a very good chance of averting disaster.
Assad had seen his position go from strength to strength, thanks to Putin’s astute deployment of Russia’s limited military power. Militarily the balance had swung dramatically in Assad’s favour, while Trump had said the unsayable and acknowledged that putting Syria into the hands of Wahabbist crazies was not in the United States interest.
So I cannot conceive that Assad would risk throwing all of this away for the sake of a militarily insignificant small chemical weapons attack. It would be an act of the most extreme folly. It is not impossible – hubris is a great temptation to dictators – but given how Assad has played it so far, it seems out of character and extremely improbable. What is less improbable is a local battlefield decision by pro-Assad forces. In my close observation of dictatorial regimes, a fascinating feature is that they operate an image of the perfection of the state. They are highly adverse to admitting mistakes.
What did happen I do not profess to know. There are at least eleven major identifiable state and non-state forces involved in the fighting around Idlib. In going through them all and considering opportunity and motive for each, I continually find that those whose motive would be false flag stand to benefit a great deal more than those who might have been seeking military advantage.
I am therefore for now unconvinced that this was a deliberate use of chemical weapons by Assad forces. I do not rule it out, but it would take much more concrete evidence than currently offered to prove they did something so strongly and obviously against their own interest. But western governments and media have determined to make that the narrative, so the truth is, as so often in modern geo-politics, entirely incidental to the course of future events.
Well said Craig , this is a false flag attempt to destabilize Assad and Putin, let’s find out who actually supplied the chemical weapons ?
The Russian military state that the terrorist base, complete with bunkers cut into solid rock, stored chlorine gas components. Vast quantities of similar agents were found in terrorist bases abandoned after the liberation of Aleppo.
A report from Aleppo by Lizzie Phelan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhlMSgGK-zA
We know who, just as last time, it will be Turkey!
The US are trying to partition Syria, they want to build an airbase in Raqqah and their Kurdish forces are nearing this objective, but so too are the SAA. Assad will not allow them to build this base or partition the nation.
I believe this was an out a out ploy to change Trumps point of view on Assad ,after 2 days of trumps comment on Assad staying this happens ,? I myself believe it was done between Saudi Arabia and Israel ,remember the bombing a few weeks ago ?practice?
“I myself believe it was done between Saudi Arabia and Israel”
______________________
Here we go again!
Of course, there are other Israel-haters on this blog who have claimed that Israel actively supports “President” Assad because he represents stability.
The Israel-haters are a very diverse bunch…..
Hi Habbabk,
Are you Israeli? Or American? And is it part of your employment to contribute to Craig’s blog.
You seem to want to shut down debate in the comment section or at least derail off topic with abuse, insults and whataboutary.
Why do you think the current Israeli government should not be held to account for the crimes it commits? Or do you believe they never commit crimes?
.
Sarin is an extremely toxic nerve that is effective even through skin contact. The supposed first-responders were handling the supposed victims without wearing gloves. If the agent was sarin, the first-responders would be dead too. The first-responders did not die, ipso facto the agent is not sarin.
The UK UN moran was involved in the infamous secret memo about the Iraq war in which he wrote that facts and intelligence were being fixed around the policy.
The old ‘facts’ and ‘intelligence’ are dead. Long live the new ‘facts’ and ‘intelligence’.
Wow. This anti-Assad “reporter” tweeted about the sarin attack in #Syria 24 hours before it happened. Still think nothing fishy is going on?
https://twitter.com/sahouraxo/status/849635794994286592
“I am therefore for now unconvinced that this was a deliberate use of chemical weapons by Assad forces”
Gee that’s big of you.
“I do not rule it out”
I think you could actually be quite stupid.
OF COURSE IT WASN’T ASSAD. Look at the cast list of actors coming out to point the finger at him. Have you been paying any attention at all since 2013? It’s as if these idiots think “hang on our gas attacks plans never work….WE MUST TRY HARDER”
How about this video which debunks the notion completely?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr_ByQH2QY0&feature=youtu.be
Not very polite, are you?
Madeline Albright declared that the death of 500,00 Iraqis was a price worth paying in a very polite way. I guess that makes it OK.
And Craig Murray was saying here that 500,000 Iraqi children dying, or Syrians dying for that matter, was OK, was he?
Pathetic attempt at deflection. The comment was aimed you, as you are the moron obsessed with civility.
May I recommend tact.
Presumably the Inspectorate Division of the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons will investigate. But how soon would it be safe for them to send a team to Idlib? And by the time they’ve been there and then issued a report the world will mostly have forgotten the incident because the superficial media will have moved on to report and misreport other matters.
Former British Ambassador to Syria, Peter Ford, has summarized the situation appropriately. He has said that those calling for intervention in Syria are likes “dogs returning to their own vomit”.
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/former-british-ambassador-wanting-intervention-syria-like-dogs-returning-vomit/
“..the world will mostly have forgotten the incident because the superficial media will have moved on..”
You can file that one under “mattes not to worry about”. There is no chance that the propaganda mill will ever forget these unfounded assertions. they still insist that the Ghoutta incident ewas the government’s fault, when quite onbviously it could not have been.
Eliot Higgins Rules OK! Because he is the stalking horse for the fake news retailing Establishment.
If anyone wants a proper opinion – as opposed to this begrudging opinion from Craig Murray – I would advise people to read the work of Vanessa Beeley and Eva Bartlett
You can follow both on Facebook.
The worst thing about this for me is that the corpses may have been supplied to order, like in the Gleiwitz incident in 1939. There are fools copping out on Livingstone all over the place and his enemies are ready to stoop this low; they’re the enemies of humanity.
Assad has massive support in Syria unfortunately the results of elections in Syria have not the slightest effect on US policy. Just a reminder, in the 2014 Presidential elections Assad won 88.7% of the votes cast, 30 countries who observed the election said they were free and fair. The Ba’ath party won 200 seats out of 250 in the 2016 parliamentary elections. The elections were held despite the ongoing assaults by the Jihadis and provide proof that Assad would win any election held in better circumstances in the future. US Ambassador Haley, dismissed the idea of Assad participating in future elections, insisting that the Syrians “don’t want” Assad anymore. What hypocrisy. Why do several US politicians [Rand Paul and Tulsi Gabbard] need to put forward a bill called the ‘Stop arming terrorists Act’ [S532]. The answer …the US arms terrorists as long as they direct their terrorism at people we [the US and UK] don’t like. Just think what would happen if the headchoppers took power. All minorities and most of the Sunni majority would either be foeced to leave, or be put to the sword. The women would be sold as sex slaves and others thrown off tall buildings. Craig Murray, Assad is not dealing with choirboys here, it is his duty to safe guard his people and to oppose all the disgusting “regime change” machinations of the West.
Translation: “If anyone wants an opinion that agrees with mine, I would advise people to read…”
This is Craig Murray’s blog, so those who read it are here because they want to know HIS opinion, not someone else’s. Nor does he need to consult you to ensure it is “proper”. You don’t have to agree with him, but why waste time and effort here if you have no interest in or respect for what he thinks? Baffling.
Zoltan,
I think you’ve confused yourself, this is the discussion section below Craig’s article, where Craig invites people to debate his original piece and off different views.
Nice try.
They are awesome. 21st Century Wire, with which Vanessa is associated, would be a good progressive site if it weren’t for the connection-killing ads they employ. And there are other reasons ads are a no no for progressive sites. This is talked about quite a bit by James Corbett (Corbett Report) and Sibel Edmonds, et al, on her excellent website, Newsbud. I also recommed Syrian Girl. She has a YouTube channel. 21st Century Wire has done an excellent job of exposing the White Helmets, which we need when the likes of CFR member, George Clooney, is going to lob a slick, Hollywood pro White Helmets movie at us. I assume readers here know what the Council on Foreign Relations is. It’s the semi official White House foreign policy organ, whose members are the A list of one percenters.
from the fabulous Third World Traveler website:
==== =
The Council’s membership network consists of people one would expect to be CFR members – David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, Peter G. Peterson, George Soros, Maurice Greenberg, Robert Rubin, George P. Shultz, Alan Greenspan, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Richard B. Cheney, and George Tenet-as well as individuals whose membership is more unexpected, such as John Sweeney, Jessie Jackson, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Katrina vanden Heuvel, Richard J. Barnet, and Daniel Schorr.
= ====
“individuals whose membership is more unexpected” Not really. It depends on how much you pay attention.
Not all these nasties are still alive of course. James Corbett has a dyamite documentary on his site about the late David Rockefeller.
Background on Saving Syria’s Children: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wtt4LbWl84
https://bbcpanoramasavingsyriaschildren.wordpress.com/
Victor Lewis-Smith is now planning a documentary: https://bbcpanoramasavingsyriaschildren.wordpress.com/2017/03/02/panorama-issues-statement-on-saving-syrias-children/
Interesting.
Alternatively Victor Lewis-Smith could pay some local fixer to find these alleged victims today and film them to see how they have recovered from the chemical burns. Do they still carry the scares or did they wash off?
Whoever did this, the chemicals had to be supplied from somewhere.
Trump was lowering tension between the US and Russia. That would slash the profit of certain powerful entities in the “defence” sector, who are also well placed to supply such chemicals.
You’re right. A brutal dictator with (together with his father) decades of experience gassing his own people can’t possibly get his hands on chemical weapons except through some enormous capitalist conspiracy.
Yeah because Assad would have SO MUCH TO GAIN from a chemical weapons attack
Winning in Palmyra, already won in Aleppo, clearing up the terrorists (that WE sent in) around suburbs of Damascus. Tillerson/Trump says “Assad doesn’t have to go” any more. And then he decides this is a great opportunity launches a chemical attack – yes that makes PERFECT sense. And on the eve of talks in Brussels too. Just like 2013 in Ghouta all over again when the UN were in town – he’s got great timing Assad.
Witness the terrorist White helmet group treating supposed sarin victims with their bare hands. That would kill you.
Oh but he’s a “dictator” because western media say so repeatedly on a loop. So it HAS to be Assad.
Of course the fact the west all line up within an hour to blame Assad with no investigation and no evidence means nothing.
“Massive conspiracy”? Very few people would have “need to know”.
I doubt Assad’s lot would risk snubbing the Russian government by using gas that Russia guarantees it has removed.
As always, qui bono?
Assad – no way?
Russia – no way?
The Anglo-Zionists – totally?
The White Helmets Drama Squad are fully owned and controlled by the UK and US. They do a superficial performance good enough to fool the ignorant and the gullible.
Reminds me of those assassinations in Serbia, and the beginning of another world war.
Hush, Trowbridge – the copyright on that “thought” belongs to our Transatlantic Friend “Lysias”.
Habbabk,
This would be an example of you attempting to intimidate and abuse other people from contributing to the discussion.
Are you a bully?
“This would be an example of you attempting to intimidate and abuse other people from contributing to the discussion. ”
__________________
Could you talk me through that, balls?
Start by telling us whom I’m trying to intimidate.
Chump.
Do you refer to the May and the Trump regimes too?
Yes.
Just amazing how their critics about their ability to serve are now baying for them to test their metal.
Must start digging my bunker in the backyard.
Good
Good post, thanks for writing it. Nice to see quality commentary on such issues.
Quality ?
But it isn’t though. The chances of this being Assad are about 0.001%. It is utterly preposterous he would even consider it. Winning in Palmyra, already won in Aleppo, clearing up the suburbs of Damascus. Tillerson/Trump says “Assad doesn’t have to go” any more. And then he launches a chemical attack – where the terrorist White helmet group are seen treating supposed sarin victims with their bare hands.
Yet Craig murray isn’t prepared to rule it out. Where are his brains?
He might criticise the government in some areas, but – as with 9/11 – he is a practically government gatekeeper on this one.
Anyone other than full condemnation of our disgusting, war mongering media and politicians is insufficient.
I have to agree with Ian on this one. If possible, without any name calling.
Craig, a formal briefing (diplomatic, commercial, political, military, etc.) along the lines of your article above would be laughed out of any meeting made up of aware adults.
“He is a practically government gatekeeper on this one”. Very sad, but it seems the most likely explanation. Unless single malt whisky destroys brain cells even more quickly than science would have us believe …
Anyone other than full condemnation of our disgusting, war mongering media and politicians is insufficient.
Craig was a diplomat. Trained not to jump to conclusions.
Brutal dictator tests the waters with the new US president after said president said some seriously ill-advised things, and that confuses you because…?
This chemical attack is the Syrian equivalent of the recent North Korean missile tests. Dictators trying to tell the difference between the dumb things Trump says and the dumb things he might do.
Absolute crap.
The comparison is ludicrous. The Syrian gas attack is to provoke war, and the North Korean tests are to stop one.
Trowbridge.
I like your line of thinking. ?
Glad you do, Ros.
It’s just an exam[;e of trying to keep up with our nutty world, where nothing is sacred, and beyond looking at with a critical eye.
Never rush to judgment. and always side for secure peace.
It’s 60 years ago this year that Dwight Eisenhower and Allen Dulles tried to stage a coup in Syria to install a more US friendly government. Even though the existing government wasn’t particularly anti-US. The coup was exposed and failed. William Blum has written about it in at least one of his books.
O/T Barack Obama is to visit Edinburgh to give a speech at a dinner hosted by The Hunter Foundation. Reports say £5 000 a table.
Will he drone on and drone on and drone drone drone on?
I bet that Sturgeon woman will be sitting close by, lapping up the faded glory.
“that Sturgeon woman”…….
yawn, is that the best you can manage?
Still your a nippy little sweetie, aren’t you!
The problem is, if the deep state says something is true and this is perpetuated and magnified beyond reason by MSM, what can you (or Trump) say or do in response? He has mentioned fake news, but he risks undermining his own authority by pointing out the deep state is out of his control. So unless he can sack the head of CIA, pointing out fake news just shows his impotence, because if true he must sack the head of CIA.
Put another way its a natural response for Trump to denounce Assad for the atrocity and only avoidable if he points out the CIA was complicit, but that would mean the CIA is out of his control, requiring the head of CIA to be sacked. But if he isn’t able to do so, it would reveal his impotence. He could appeal to the American people via a national broadcast about the situation and keep to his manifesto, but if not he risks losing his closest allies and becoming a captured President.
Trump IS deep-state.
(I am tempted to add ‘Ffs’).
No, Trump isn’t deep state, unless we’ve changed the definition from presidents who come and go and institutions, doing geopolitics and working together, that remain. Now, to be charitable, I guess Trump can later join the CFR or some such institution, but How likely is that? He’s Homer Simpson and the Rain Man (minus the genius component) with hair and a psycho CIA and bloodthirsty generals. Even the bad guys in elites clubs might balk at that. Might.
If Russia and Assad had not facilitated to the destruction of Syria’s chemical arsenal, there’s every possibility that we’d currently be in a hot war. Thankfully that bridge was so golden that Obama was able to retreat across it with his imperial hubris and red line intact.
Especially not anything to do with President Assad on the very day before the conference on Syria opened in Brussels. Grow up neocons, paleocons, ziocons and all other cons.
Consider the timing of this Idlib CW attack. The Syrians are on the verge of winning the war against the jihadis. A conference on Syria’s future is about to open in Brussels. The Trump government through US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and US State Secretary Rex Tillerson has just said that the future of Syria is up to the Syrians themselves. The corporate media establishment, the US Democratic Party and various US intel agencies are looking for something to test Donald Trump’s stubbornness and break it.
A CW attack in Syria that kills small children (with photographs readily at hand displaying the dead children – though not of their parents, nor their adult relatives, nor anyone else in their communities where the sarin gas would have spread) would be the perfect vehicle to sway Trump and force him to commit to sending US troops and weapons to Syria to prove he has no connections to Moscow.
This CW “incident” if it truly is an incident and not something manufactured by the jihadis and their handlers looks like a test of the Trump government. If Trump gives in to the corporate media narrative, then he is done for – and the neocons in Washington have won.
“Brutal dictator tests the waters with the new US president after said president said some seriously ill-advised things, and that confuses you because…?
This chemical attack is the Syrian equivalent of the recent North Korean missile tests. Dictators trying to tell the difference between the dumb things Trump says and the dumb things he might do.”
______________________
Agree with Martinned. Or, alternatively, hubris as suggested by Craig.
As an afterthought : is it not clear that for many on here Assad can do no wrong? In the highly unlikely event that the Butcher of Damascus would go on Syrian state TV and admit to the number of Syrians done to death by the régime over the last 40 years, there would still be those commenters on here (and elsewhere) who would claim that the broadcast was a forgery produced in the West and using doubles.
The vomit which that buffoon, former UK ambassador Peter Ford, refers to is the continual white-washing of the Butcher of Damascus.
Habbabk,
Maybe you could shed light on the numbers?
Is it more or less than the amount of civilians shot dead by US Law enforcement over the same period?
Is it more or less than the amount of prisoners (innocent or not) executed in US prisons over the same period?
Is it more or less than the amount of civilians killed during the US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan over the same period?
Is it more or less than the amount of civilians killed by the IDF in Palestine over the same period?
Would you like to attempt to white-wash the ‘butchers of the west’ or are you solely focused on crimes committed by Muslims and Arabs located near to Israel?
Do you think Syria should be a secular society or does that make the Israel look a bit backward next door? A Sharia state would make Israel look a bit better wouldn’t it?
excellent answer Ball, I will be sharing that
Mr Seed
Unlike your biblical predecessor – Onan by name – your seed is not falling on stony ground here.
Welcome to the Craig Murray blog community – you’ll fit in very well indeed.
I look forward to reading more from you.
Habbabkuk,
Regrettably your welcome notes are about as hollow as a Aero Bar, whilst your inability to understand that it’s your own masters who are causing disruptions and death on a massive scale is truly staggering, as is the deceit you deploy and accusations rendered at those who are far, far more knowledgable than you’ll ever be, among them both the host of this Blog and former Ambassador Peter Ford, who evidently now receives your wrath for breaking with the lies of the UK State and its senior partner in crimes, the USA.
As for Assad the Younger, as most are aware he was not supposed to be the Ruler of Syria, that role was chosen for his brother, who subsequently died before reaching the throne of power, which means Assad’s present position is one of mis-luck and misfortune. Perhaps in many ways we should feel sorry for him, trapped in a God awful position and surrounding by maniacs. Whatever the case, Syria and the Syrian’s deserve better than what the Imperialist powers had lined up, or is another Iraq and Libya a success in your vocabulary?
Rogers
I don’t really believe your story about being stranded in Hong Kong because your non-British wife is being denied entry into the UK.
But let us assume for a moment that is is true : do you think posting on here as you do is the best way of persuading the British authorities to be lenient and flexible?
By the way, I do not welcome you back. You are not an asset to either this blog or yourself.
@Habbabkuk,
I’m crying a river presently at your poor jibe. However, the fact is, one of us is a fake and a fraud and it ain’t me given I can be ‘verified’ via a simple web search, whereas you in your GCHQ bunker cannot prefer to hide and issue insults left, right and centre, which is actually the actions of a coward – still, glad I was able to get ‘under your skin’ and remember only to’ let the right one in’!
Adding to the confusion, supposing a Syrian aircraft had been spotted overhead, and some mortar gas shells had been launched by one of the forces on the ground to give the impression that the aircraft was bombing? That’s at least consistent with the size of crater pictured in one report. That’s admittedly at odds with the general perception that IS is limited to sulphur mustard – much easier to produce – but one player has been largely ignored in this discussion. Which is Turkey, and which is very keen to lose the Assad regime.
What if…what if…what if?…I know, I know. To many theories, not enough data.
these chemicals are made by people and the types are known. I have not heard of anybody analysing or testing what is still available in those bombed ammunition bunkers. This sounds like the last time they’ve got it seriously wrong.
Assad, should there be an election in Syria, will want to stand, so why should he want to p..s off the populus at this crucial state.
The desperate noises from Turkey, its economy severely suffering from lack of tourismn, as well as the various western paid ‘moderates’ who are sliding backwards like a kipper of a wet rock, had most to gain from black balling Assad via their various global propaganda channels. And then there is Israel which has flown various attacks of late and the white Helmets who have not been much in the news for some time.
The story of a bombed cw dump, very likely stored with other munition, a seriously daft idea, is the most believable one at present,imho.
lets see who is trying to find out, investigate the cw formula, and who tries to talk them out of it. My guess is that anybody trying to investigate will be in the cross hair of the so called ‘moderates’.
Here is Wikipedia on former UK ambassador Peter FORD, referenced by Hieronymous (below) and much in demand these days on RT :
“Peter Ford (born 27 June 1947) is a retired British diplomat who was ambassador to Bahrain from 1999–2003 and to Syria from 2003–2006.[1][2]
Ford was educated at Weston Point Community Primary School, Helsby Grammar School and The Queen’s College, Oxford.[3] After retiring from the Diplomatic Service in 2006 he was Representative of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA in the Arab world.[4]
In recent years, he has become known as a vocal supporter of the Assad regime in Syria. He has suggested opposition forces were responsible for a deadly attack on a UN humanitarian convoy in October 2016, but a UN panel of inquiry has said the attack was conducted from the air, and only Syrian and Russian air forces were operating in the area. The UN panel said it could not judge if the attack, which led to the deaths of 10 humanitarians, was a mistake or deliberate.”
How on earth can anyone be a “vocal supporter of the Assad régime in Syria”?
I guess any sane person would be a supporter of Assad unless they have a better idea as to who should run Syria.
Obviously Syria is not a great place to be – but equally obviously it has been made worse by the involvement of so many outside players who have served to stoke and lengthen the conflict.
Even though a war rages in Syria it is not clear that Syria is any worse than either Iraq or Libya. The examples of Iraq and Libya should be enough to induce some humility into the minds of western “liberals”
Syria also has some very interesting demographics resulting in the kind of diversity that western proles are always being told is their greatest strength. Is it not incumbent upon Western elites to explain how this diversity is benefiting Syria. That they will not do so tells you all you need to know about Western elites, and it also tells you that they should keep their fetid mouths firmly shut.
None of it really matters very much. The media and its masters can spin, lie, twist and deceive all they want – the Russians are not playing. So the choice is very simple shut up and mind your own business or trigger World War 3…and just think some people think ISIS are extreme.
Habbabk,
Copy and paste a wiki entry regarding the UN? I thought pro (current) Israel government supporters thought that the UN was a joke of an organisation with an agenda? You happy to use them here?
Question regarding the statement from the bit you provide above –
”but a UN panel of inquiry has said the attack was conducted from the air, and only Syrian and Russian air forces were operating in the area.”
Who provided the UN with the flight data that showed only Russian and Syrian planes in the air? The US? Nato? The Russians? Do you know?
Do you know are the UN up to date with with the idea of stealth aircraft and stealth drones and the concept behind them?
Actually it was a Wiki entry on the whacky former ambassador Peter Ford.
Feel free to supply a better one, of course.
“How on earth can anyone be a “vocal supporter of the Assad régime in Syria”?
Quite easily: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8xcs3Gwouw
Funny how the Trumps, Obamas and Netanyahus need all the security in the world whereas the “butcher of Damascus” as you unoriginally call him seems perfectly safe amongst the people.
LOL. That isn’t a photo op at all is it? Those “people” are certainly not beneficiaries of the regime and those burly charatcers surrounding him are definitely not security. Assad lives in a council house. There is no Syrian secret police. Bashir, Oh great man of the people!
Only one example amongst many.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Syria close to defeating ISIS…so the US invents a reason to bomb Syria. It’s not hard to understand.
I was waiting on this article. In a sea of accusations and counter accusations, your piece urges caution before proceeding. Even if by western actions in promoting events as conducted by another party I wonder how the accusers can jump up and shout “guilty” without conducting a full and proper investigation. After all should the leaders of those accusing nations decide to become involved militarily, then they won’t be the ones dying. That place in hell will be reserved for the Syrians who the west claim to love so much and of course the military personnel.
If certain people are jumping to conclusions, might that not be because the Assad régime (father and son) have form in this area?
I trust that no one will dispute that they have form?
Any ‘form’ that they have shrinks in comparison with the vast calendar of aggressions, false flag operations, massacres of populations and broadcasting of lies perpetrated by your friends in the US establishment and its branch offices in Westminster.
The truth is that the ‘form’ in this case consists of a series of attempts, co-ordinated with Al Qaeda and ISIS, tpo pin the crime of chemical weapon use on Syria. This is but the latest attempt to start a war, by holding up pictures of children killed by terrorist militias working alongside the United States, which will lead as did the disgraceful conflict that you Habbabkuk, helped to bring about in Libya and, earlier in Iraq.
The running total on those killed by the US and its puppets this century in such wars is well into the millions. And still, as the world weeps, there are those who have the insensitivity and sociopathic insouciance, to call for more.
Not the point, Bevs.
Anyway, glad to see you’re not disputing that the Assad régime (father and son) has form.
I have form:
When I was a student at Exeter College , Oxford, I rode my bike the wrong way up Turl Street and was fined. I once nearly drowned myself by drinking spiked punch and trying to cross the River Cherwell.
Now police on cycles frequently ride on the pavement in any direction they like. I haven’t consumed any alcohol for nearly 20 years.
We did not know when Assad was torturing his citizens that the CIA was infiltrating all Muslim countries in order to de-stabilise them for Zion. We do now. It is time for the neo-cons to come out with their hands up and face the international court of Justice under the Geneva Convention. In times past many of them would have been hung for their war-crimes.
So Giyane used to get wasted but hasn’t got wasted for 20 years.
Which he seems to think will somehow show that although the family firm of Assad |& Sons were tinpot despots, human rights abusers and murderers in the past, they are tinpot despots, human rights abusers and murderers no longer…?
You’re funny.
But then again, so is Exeter.
Bevin’s name is Bevin, not Bevs. Did you go to a public school where you all had nicknames?
Yup! I was known as Chazza.
Floreat Etona and have a nice evening, (S)harpie 🙂
Out of interest, do you have a problem with either public schools or nicknames?
Any ‘form’ that they have shrinks in comparison with the vast calendar of aggressions, false flag operations, massacres of populations and broadcasting of lies perpetrated by your friends in the US establishment and its branch offices in Westminster.
The truth is that the ‘form’ in this case consists of a series of attempts, co-ordinated with Al Qaeda and ISIS, tpo pin the crime of chemical weapon use on Syria. This is but the latest attempt to start a war, by holding up pictures of children killed by terrorist militias working alongside the United States, which will lead as did the disgraceful conflict that you Habbabkuk, helped to bring about in Libya and, earlier in Iraq.
The running total on those killed by the US and its puppets this century in such wars is well into the millions. And still, as the world weeps, there are those who have the insensitivity and sociopathic insouciance, to call for more.
I apologise for the garbling. The sense is clear enough for honest people to puzzle out. An unusually large Hawk appearing in the garden, disturbed our family’s concentration.
“…the disgraceful conflict that you Habbabkuk, helped to bring about in Libya and, earlier in Iraq…”
____________________
I did? I suspect you carry greater responsibility in that you and people of your political persuasion were offering aid and comfort to the tinpot despots in question.
Dear Sir,
To use that assumption you must have evidence to back your claims, otherwise we are no better than the rags we slag!
Looks like the good people at Avaaz have already decided:
Dear friends across Europe,
Syrian forces gassed children to death with chemical weapons, just days after Trump officials said the US will no longer go after President Assad as a war criminal.
The regime that has murdered, tortured, starved, and raped hundreds of thousands of its own people, now feels it can slaughter its way to victory, get off scot free, and stay in power.
[ et cetera ]
…
Ah. that’s the Soros funded at third hand Avaaz.
Avaaz: clicktivist heroes or Soros wolf in woolly disguise?
https://off-guardian.org/2015/07/18/avaaz-clicktivist-heroes-or-soros-wolf-in-woolly-disguise/
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE LATE JO COX MP AND HER HUSBAND, BRENDAN
UK OPEN Political Debate·Monday, 20 June 2016
‘The White Helmets is not a charity, and neither are they ‘the good guys’ despite their white helmets. The White Helmets is the military propaganda arm of the Allies attempt at regime change by destabilising Syria – and this is exactly what is causing the refugee component of Europe’s migrant crisis in the first place.
The PR ‘human face’ of The White Helmets
The White Helmets also does not need our hard-earned cash. It is well-funded by George Soros’s organisations, the UK, the US and the Syrian Opposition Party in its work, which is mainly with the rebel group Jabat al-Nusra, the infamous al-Qaeda affiliate.
The White Helmets are represented PR-wise by Purpose whose co-founder Jeremy Heimans also helped to create Avaaz. Avaaz is a global “pro-democracy” group which has been accused of furthering the US/EU agenda in the Middle East and elsewhere. It is also Avaaz that it encouraging, on social media, a sort of hands-around-the-world show of sympathy for Jo Cox today.
The unvarnished truth is that what we had in Jo Cox, at the very least and to put it charitably, is someone who was so busy paving the road with good intentions that she didn’t look up to see that they were leading to Hell.’
https://www.facebook.com/notes/uk-open-political-debate/the-truth-about-the-late-jo-cox-mp-and-her-husband-brendan/969598206487348?.
Sharp Ears,
You forgot to actually post Off Guardian’s opinion about this latest potential false flag event concocted by Assad’s detractors and opponents, so here it is: https://off-guardian.org/2017/04/05/idlib-chemical-attack-a-sign-no-change-of-policy-is-on-the-horizon/
Well, this is a welcome break from the ‘anti-semitism’ hysteria infecting much of London and the MSM, so now we have hysteria concerning Assad in Syria and purported gas/chemical weapons attacks by God knows who on a number of victims within a quarry.
Given the amount of ‘fake news’ associated with Assad and Syria, a little bit of poking around some trusted ‘military/international affairs’ sites leads one to Sic Semper Tyrannis, which like CM is highly sceptical about any attack, indeed, its BTL commentators, many former military servicemen with knowledge of actual WMD’s share Craig’s scepticism based on the photographic evidence thus far, here’s the Link before Habbabkuk moans and infers all are liars or deluded: http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2017/04/ghouta-redux-was-this-attack-real.html
Welcome back.
Western leaders have become extremely sinister, more than prepared to commit atrocities and gross violations of international law just to accuse the other side of doing it. The main difference between Nazis and neo-Nazis is the Nazis were more honest about their evil intent. They called it world domination not full spectrum dominance; they said they were the master race not the indispensable nation; and they said they wanted to rid the world of Jews while the neo-Nazis will absolutely never declare they want to genocide all Muslims.
In 2012 President Obama stated that if Assad used chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict it would constitute a ‘red line’ and America would take military action in Syria. By happenstance in August 2013 there was a chemical attack in Ghouta, an opposition-controlled area of the Damascus suburbs. More than 1,400 people were killed. Obama began firing-up the engines of his bombers. However, inspectors from the United Nations Mission were already in Syria, investigating an earlier alleged use of chemical weapons, and they arrived in Ghouta the day after the attack. The UN investigation team confirmed that sarin gas had been used, but they did not find any evidence as to who had actually carried out the attack. With Obama champing at the bit, the UK Parliament voted against taking military action in Syria. The French weren’t too keen either, nor was the US Congress. Obama’s runways quietened down.
Shortly after the Ghouta chemical attack, ISIS appeared on the scene, as if from nowhere. The continual atrocities committed by ISIS received wall to wall coverage in the western media. In 2014, Obama had the consensus to start bombing Syria. This caused the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War. Not one European leader had the balls to stand up to Washington with regard to this crisis, because Cameron, Merkel, Hollande, et al, are all puppets of Washington and are total traitors.
More worrying this time round is the build-up of US troops in Syria (and i need hardly add that Uncle Sam & Co are taking military action totally against international law). These war criminals and complete lunatics are backing the Russians into a corner.
This article by a French journalist sums up the situation well:
http://journal-neo.org/2017/04/06/who-has-committed-the-recent-gas-attack-in-syria/
Bevin,
Has this new site you linked us too been verified by, and endorsed by Habbabkuk?
I enquire so as I don’t want to be the victim of ‘fake news’ or be exposed to ‘Ultra-Left’ propaganda that may be harmful to the British State and our peace loving warmongers.
Further, and if Journal Neo is in any way critical of Israel, I may get a lifetime ban from the Labour Party for even meandering on to the website and checking out some of its content, which, may, or may not, incite violence on my behalf against neofascist entities intent on destroying the UK’s Labour Party?
I do worry, perhaps I’m over sensitive because of the Brexit vote?
Thank you for your timely reminder that I may be straying into dangerous territory. I know very little about this site. I had thought that since it calls itself ‘neo’ its views would be acceptable to their lordships the ruling caste.
Returning to it however I do note, with alarm, its dangerous propensity to put the truth before policy. I am convinced that if the people ever came to believe, as neo appears to do, that the truth is important there would be no property and little order left in the world.
As to the Labour Party I gave it a lifetime ban in 2003, long after I meant to do so, so it cannot rejoin me in its lifetime. Sorry ‘colleagues’ as you always preferred calling members, but, you have brought disrepute upon me for the last time.
That website is Russian. Just saying.
The man has killed over 250,000 people in Syria has already carried out chemical attacks in Ghouta years ago. He has gotten away with murder (literally) for 5 years so carrying out such an attack is no ‘folly’ according to him and neither is it inconceivable. He did it and will continue to do it because he knows the international community wont do anything to stop him. Just like they have done nothing to stop him for five years of war crimes.
The evidence is crystal clear that he carried out the attacks. Not believing in because you don’t think “Assad is that stupid” sounds like a reluctance to accept how monstrous this man really is.
Sunil,
In the interests of ‘fairness’ and ‘impartiality’, would you like to link us in to the sources that your comment is based, for, whilst I’m somewhat sceptical of what any Western leader has to say about Syria, or indeed MENA for that matter, your figures for deaths attributable to Assad seem a little on the wild side, particularly given Assad has been fighting a war to keep the borders of Syria in place, whilst fending off hand choppers who think nothing of killing the odd 1000s of civilians in order to make a gesture.
Indeed, your assertions do not chime with figures I’m aware of, figures that come from reputable sources with no agenda to grind, well apart from shinning a light into dark places.
“The evidence is crystal clear”
What evidence? Where?
Of course he hasn’t actually killed anyone, so far as is known. As to the 250,000 said to have died, this is the total number of those killed in a conflict that was imposed upon Syria by the US, Turkey, the tyrannical kleptocrats of the Gulf and sundry satellites of the Empire employing, at enormous expense, Al Qaeda and ISIS to do the dirty work.
As to war crimes why on earth would Assad be prosecuted before Blair, Bush, Erdogan, Clinton, Obama et al? Do you realise the dangers of precedents such as the one you are suggesting? Are you unaware of the evidence that he could give to any court?
And the ‘International Community’ to whom do you refer? Is China part of it? Is Russia a member? Does Syria get a vote? Or are you just referring to The Guardian, The Washington Post and the BBC?
Do you have anything to support your opinions?
Why does Assad know that “the international community won’t do anything to stop him”? Do you think Assad has never heard of Iraq or Libya?
Or could it be that Russia will prevent more western meddling cheered on by people like you? Is Russia (one seventh of the earths landmass) not part of the international community? Or what about China home to about one fifth of the worlds population and who consistently backs Russia at the UN – are they not part of the international community?
Whilst the evidence may be crystal clear I note that it is so clear that you do not demean yourself to set out exactly what this evidence might be. You might want to stop paying attention to fake news, people are not as stupid as you seem to think they are.
Very well said, Sunil !
No one should let the fact that Assad Jnr was a physician in London before being called back to take over the family firm fool them into thinking that he is anything other than a chip off the old block.
After all, Herr Mengele was a medical doctor……
Political Islam have one thing in common with USUKIS. They lie, lie,lie, lie until they convince you they are telling the truth. Boris Johnson decided that the lies about Assad poisoning kids needed repeating a few more times. This all gets archived at the United Nations on the off chance that God will swing His favour to the liars and oppressors, USUKIS and their merciless proxies, but since mercy is written on His heart I think it more likely that Boris will have to resign in ignimony from his now untenable position as UK MP and Tory scum.
When do you think the Syrian Government became an “Assad regime”? What actions made the Syrian Government into an “Assad regime”? Was the UK Government a “Blair regime”, the French Government a “Sarkozy regime”?
When Assad Senior took over in a bloody coup, you fool. Slightly over 40 years ago.