Syria conflict: 'Chemical attacks kill hundreds'

[ikalugin]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

My question is: I thought there was a deal where the Russians ensured this would not happen again.

You mean chemical weapons wise?

We promised that Assad would be disarmed under UN control, and we delivered. Either UN screwed up or it wasnt Assad.

[Commander Wallace]

Originally Posted by ikalugin

You mean chemical weapons wise?

We promised that Assad would be disarmed under UN control, and we delivered. Either UN screwed up or it wasnt Assad.

And of course Assad has never used chemical weapons on his own people before ? Typical, use chemical weapons and then blame someone else.

Where did Assad get his chemical munitions ?

[ikalugin]

Originally Posted by Commander Wallace

And of course Assad has never used chemical weapons on his own people before ? Typical, use chemical weapons and then blame someone else.

Where did Assad get his chemical munitions ?

You didnt read my post, did you?

As I have said either UN screwed up and did not get Assad to comply with the chemical weapons ban treaty for example during their inspections, or it wasn't Assad. Now both are possible and it is too early to tell which one was the case. What we can tell is that the US response was rash.

But yes, if it wasn't Assad it would be typical of the 3rd party (say the desperate rebels) to use the weapons and then blame the demonised Assad.

[Catfish]

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-0...ident-question

It seems some Sarin has been produced in Saudi-Arabia.

"It is strategically counterintuitive to assume that Bashar al-Assad would engage in a chemical attack on Syrians just one week after figures in the American government expressed the opinion that they would be willing to allow him to remain in power. The Syrian government no longer even possesses chemical weapons, as the United Nations and U.S. Department of State have already confirmed."

"Swedish Medical Associations Says White Helmets Murdered Kids for Fake Gas Attack Videos"
What?

What is true is, that Putin obviously has not much control over Assad

[Bilge_Rat]

Originally Posted by Catfish

It seems some Sarin has been produced in Saudi-Arabia.

There have been reports that the Rebels and even ISIS have access to chemical weapons and Sarin Gas.

However, apparently U.S. intelligence sources are "confident" Assad is the culprit.

What is true is, that Putin obviously has not much control over Assad

Well I think that is a misunderstanding of how the Russians work. The Russians don't care what Assad does to his own people as long as Russian strategic interests in the region are protected.

There had also been reports in the past that the reason Assad invited the Russians was to use them as a counterpoint to the Iranians who were starting to throw their weight around.

The Assads did not stay in power for almost 50 years by being puppets.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Bilge_Rat

However, apparently U.S. intelligence sources are "confident" Assad is the culprit.

The West was "confident" that it was Assad the moment it happened.

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Dowly

The West was "confident" that it was Assad the moment it happened.

They were also "confident" that Saddam had some WMD....

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

They were also "confident" that Saddam had some WMD....

Well yeah, but he was also in cahoots with Al-Qaeda!

What? He wasn't?

Well, he was a bad guy! Probably had his toilet roll the wrong way too!

[Skybird]

Russian frigate Admiral Grigorowich (Black sea fleet) deployes to Syria once again. Its the lead ship of the new class 11356, specialising in anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare.

Russian media threaten with announcements that it is "in full combat readiness".

I hope it is. Its a freaking warship, isn't it. It ought to be in full combat readiness.

In other words: the war will continue by the means of words now. I also do not expect fzrther actions by Trump if Assad does not overstep these ominous red lines once again.

That makes me wonder again. What will Trump do if Assad compensates the "loss" of the chemical option by intensifying barrel-bomb bombardment once again? And must this situation not be temtping for rebels to trigger chemical attacks or stage them themselves, blame it ion Assad and demand Trump to once again punish him, to the benefit of their own cause?

For the moment, the action looks satisfying and pleases the Western ego. The lasting longterm effect so far is unclear, even uncertain.

[ikalugin]

"Swedish Medical Associations Says White Helmets Murdered Kids for Fake Gas Attack Videos"
What?

There is that whole narrative that White Helmets falsify data for propaganda purposes as their part in the overall extremist/radical islamist movement in Syria.

I hope it is. Its a freaking warship, isn't it. It ought to be in full combat readiness.

->stares intently at Bundeswehr.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Skybird

For the moment, the action looks satisfying and pleases the Western ego. The lasting longterm effect so far is unclear, even uncertain.

One thing is 100% certain.....the situation is an absolute mess and the only losers are the civilian population.

Best leave it to individual opinion and perception who the winner/s are.

[ikalugin]

On March 30, USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and USS Ross (DDG 71) took turns intercepting missiles in the Gulf of Cadiz on Spain’s southwestern coast.

It appears that the stike may have been planned before the chemical attack occured.

Originally Posted by Skybird

Russian media threaten with announcements that it is "in full combat readiness".

Adorable.

[Mr Quatro]

Originally Posted by Commander Wallace

And of course Assad has never used chemical weapons on his own people before ? Typical, use chemical weapons and then blame someone else.

Where did Assad get his chemical munitions ?

We don't know where he got them ... probably kept back from Russia's clean sweep of Chemical weapons, but we know that the US tried to avoid where they might be stored.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer...al-attack.html

The strike targeted hardened aircraft shelters, petroleum and logistical storage, ammunition supply bunkers, air defense systems, and radars. The U.S. military avoided hitting a suspected sarin gas storage facility because they feared it would disperse the deadly gas.

[ikalugin]

Here is the meme angle on the story: