SYRIA: Nerve Gas Attack

And there is this

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/10266957/Saudis-offer-Russia-secret-oil-deal-if-it-drops-Syria.html


OPEC raised production by 400,000 barrels per day to 29.7m Photo: AP

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard12:00PM BST 27 Aug 2013

The revelations come amid high tension in the Middle East, with US, British, and French warship poised for missile strikes in Syria. Iran has threatened to retaliate.
The strategic jitters pushed Brent crude prices to a five-month high of $112 a barrel. “We are only one incident away from a serious oil spike. The market is a lot tighter than people think,” said Chris Skrebowski, editor of Petroleum Review.
Leaked transcripts of a closed-door meeting between Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan shed an extraordinary light on the hard-nosed Realpolitik of the two sides.
Prince Bandar, head of Saudi intelligence, allegedly confronted the Kremlin with a mix of inducements and threats in a bid to break the deadlock over Syria. “Let us examine how to put together a unified Russian-Saudi strategy on the subject of oil. The aim is to agree on the price of oil and production quantities that keep the price stable in global oil markets,” he said at the four-hour meeting with Mr Putin. They met at Mr Putin’s dacha outside Moscow three weeks ago.
“We understand Russia’s great interest in the oil and gas in the Mediterranean from Israel to Cyprus. And we understand the importance of the Russian gas pipeline to Europe. We are not interested in competing with that. We can cooperate in this area,” he said, purporting to speak with the full backing of the US.

The talks appear to offer an alliance between the OPEC cartel and Russia, which together produce over 40m barrels a day of oil, 45pc of global output. Such a move would alter the strategic landscape.
The details of the talks were first leaked to the Russian press. A more detailed version has since appeared in the Lebanese newspaper As-Safir, which has Hezbollah links and is hostile to the Saudis.
As-Safir said Prince Bandar pledged to safeguard Russia’s naval base in Syria if the Assad regime is toppled, but he also hinted at Chechen terrorist attacks on Russia’s Winter Olympics in Sochi if there is no accord. “I can give you a guarantee to protect the Winter Olympics next year. The Chechen groups that threaten the security of the games are controlled by us,” he allegedly said.
Prince Bandar went on to say that Chechens operating in Syria were a pressure tool that could be switched on an off. “These groups do not scare us. We use them in the face of the Syrian regime but they will have no role in Syria’s political future.”
President Putin has long been pushing for a global gas cartel, issuing the `Moscow Declaration’ last to month “defend suppliers and resist unfair pressure”. This would entail beefing up the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), a talking shop.
Mr Skrebowski said it is unclear what the Saudis can really offer the Russians on gas, beyond using leverage over Qatar and others to cut output of liquefied natural gas (LGN). “The Qataris are not going to obey Saudi orders,” he said.
Saudi Arabia could help boost oil prices by restricting its own supply. This would be a shot in the arm for Russia, which is near recession and relies on an oil price near $100 to fund the budget.
But it would be a dangerous strategy for the Saudis if it pushed prices to levels that endangered the world’s fragile economic recovery. Crude oil stocks in the US have already fallen sharply this year. Goldman Sachs said the “surplus cushion” in global stocks built up since 2008 has been completely eliminated.
Mr Skrebowski said trouble is brewing in a string of key supply states. “Libya is reverting to war lordism. Nigerian is drifting into a bandit state with steady loss of output. And Iraq is going back to the sort of Sunni-Shia civil war we saw in 2006-2007,” he said.
The Putin-Bandar meeting was stormy, replete with warnings of a “dramatic turn” in Syria. Mr Putin was unmoved by the Saudi offer, though western pressure has escalated since then. “Our stance on Assad will never change. We believe that the Syrian regime is the best speaker on behalf of the Syrian people, and not those liver eaters,” he said, referring to footage showing a Jihadist rebel eating the heart and liver of a Syrian soldier.
Prince Bandar in turn warned that there can be “no escape from the military option” if Russia declines the olive branch. Events are unfolding exactly as he foretold.

Bunch of hypocrites. You get to the bottom line. Oil.

It is not wrong to sell arms, says David Cameron as he defends sale of weapons to Middle East

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1359712/David-Cameron-Its-wrong-sell-arms-Middle-East.html#ixzz2dgR3j2H5
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

What a wonderful example he sets. Wonder just what he's sold, and to whom.  

The Saudis buy loads as do other M.E. countries. It's oil money. The West is only happy to oblige.

I'd like to know why it's the leaders of the nations most likely to have supplied - whoever - with nerve gas, or the ingredients for, who are banging the wardrums loudest.

Evidence going to be destroyed when a missile goes 'off course' and half of Damascus is poisoned, is it?

Oops, looks like the Mail has suddenly got its memory back:

The image Kerry won't want you to see: U.S. senator and Assad pictured dining with their wives at Damascus restaurant before war broke out in Syria

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2408805/John-Kerry-Assad-pictured-dining-wives-Damascus-restaurant-Syria-crisis.html#ixzz2dl8aKbmH
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

It's the one further back in this thread that the warmongers have been trying to forget....

True politician. Forked tongue?

Yup. What's really damning is that it's not an official, diplomatic event where they've all got to play nicely, it's a private engagement with their wives along.

I look forward to seeing that on Fox.  

Nothing two faced at all then?

Oh my - this is different!  


http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-116431-Russia-to-send-delegation-to-US-Congress-for-Syria-talks--



Russia to send delegation to US Congress for Syria talks

MOSCOW: Russian authorities are planning to send a parliamentary delegation to the United States for talks with the Congress over Syria, in a move publicly endorsed Monday by President Vladimir Putin.

"The initiative is very timely and correct," Putin told speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament Valentina Matviyenko and speaker of the lower house of parliament Sergei Naryshkin.

"Holding direct dialogue with the US parliament on the Syrian problem" will be a significant contribution to Russian-American relations, Putin said.

The carefully choreographed Kremlin meeting comes after US President Barack Obama stunned the world on Saturday by delaying military action against Syria and saying he would seek authorisation from the Congress.

The latest Kremlin initiative appears aimed at persuading the US Congress to vote down Obama's request, although it is unclear what sway the Russian delegates could have over US lawmakers.

"We would like to address the Senate and the Congress," said Matviyenko, noting the delegation would try to travel to the United States before September 9 when US lawmakers return from their summer recess.

Russia has supported the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout the two and a half year conflict and has repeatedly blocked any attempts to punish his regime at the UN Security Council.

Obama's administration says Assad's forces used nerve agent sarin to kill more than 1,400 people in a Damascus suburb on August 21. Putin has said that the idea Assad's forces could have used such weapons is "utter nonsense". (AFP)


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I am wondering if this is correct. Just seen that this is from Pakistan. Time will tell.......

I find myself in the bizarre position of looking at Russia Today for information that isn't full of rhetoric and very badly-told lies....there's nothing on their site yet.

However, Syria now appears to be asking the UN for protection against America...

http://rt.com/news/syria-un-us-aggression-plea-285/

Setting all else aside, has Obama got the slightest idea of what a total hash he is making of this matter? I never thought I'd see the day when the Russian head of state looked sane and rational compared to the President of the US, it's scary.

Obama needs to explain to the US - and the world - why he is on this crazy path, intending to start a war TO HELP AL-QUAEDA.

I cannot imagine how US servicemen and women must feel, following their Commander in Chief's lunatic warmongering - which is directly against the interests of the US.

Oh, here it is, Lily:

http://rt.com/news/syria-crisis-live-updates-047/

13:29 GMT: President Vladimir Putin has supported a proposal from Russian MPs to send a parliamentary delegation to the US Congress in an effort to resolve the Syrian crisis.

“We should more actively involve the parliaments of our countries,” Federation Council chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko said. “We would like to address senators and members of the House of Representatives in Congress, to have a dialogue with our partners.”

Russia will also welcome members of the US Congress in Moscow, Matviyenko said.

"I think if we manage to establish a dialogue with our partners in the U.S. Congress ... we could possibly better understand each other, and we hope that the U.S. Congress will occupy a balanced position in the end and, without strong arguments in place ... will not support the proposal on use of force in Syria," Valentina Matviyenko said.

That is amazing, Bonny.  Who would have thought?  

This situation is far more serious than seeking redress for a heinous crime against some innocent people, and that was bad enough. We know where this could so easily lead if it got out of hand?

Please let them all sit down together and reach a sane conclusion.

International courts already exist for people who commit heinous crimes, don't they? Have done for, what, sixty years?The UN also exists for a very good reason in situations like this.

Sitting down and talking may not be as exciting as lobbing Cruise missiles at people who are ALREADY caught in the middle of a civil war, but really, it's a much better idea, especially if it involves finding a way to get humanitarian aid in.

And starting an illegal war to HELP people who hate your country, and everything it stands for, is never, ever a good idea.

Indeed, I cannot think of a single instance in history where any head of state has done something so monumentally stupid.

Those courts sure do exist and they have tried some serious atrocities to date so why do this?

Nothing about this makes any sense whatsoever. Maybe it does to men? If so, why?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/world/middleeast/obamas-syria-decision-greeted-silently-by-israel.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0

Oh dear.

This mess seems to be entirely Obama's fault for his stupid remark about 'lines in sand'. Despite the fact that he wasn't bothered when the Jihadists used chemical weapons previously.

Now, call me silly, but I happen to think that the rights of the citizens of the Middle East to attempt to get on with their lives in the middle of all this supercede Obama's pride.

The markets in Damascus are still open, the government is managing to keep the schools and universities going, and the Jihadists, cannibals, and priest-killers are being beaten back - and Obama wants to smash it all? What for? Is he jealous because Assad, horrible though he is, is succeeding in beating Al Quaeda where Obama has failed?

IMO, the best thing Obama could do is find some excuse to wind his neck in - that he's listening to Americans, who don't want another stupid war, maybe. Then go and play golf till his term of office is up, that way he can't do any damage.

It might be an idea to listen to Putin, too. Warnings from Russia over the Boston Bombers were ignored, and look how well that turned out.

Oh dear indeed, Lily. But I personally don't see how it will help Israel if they are not only held responsible for Damascus being bombed, but also the Jihadists being given free rein in Syria and elsewhere?

Israel is now being threatened by Hezbollah if they retaliate against Syria.

The lines are now being drawn all over the place - who is siding with whom.

Heaven help us with this one if there is a wrong move.

There will be a wrong move, there always is. Or the Jihadists will find a way of provoking conflict. 

One hot head can ruin it for millions.  

Never mind, the hothead is heading for St Petersburg, where hopefully he will be forced to take a reality check. It beggars belief that he could be so DUMB as to get the world into this mess.

You note no proof of just who did it has yet been produced?

I know that, Bonny.

You can imagine who in turn is really pressuring him? It is not the American people......

That whole region is best described as nervous because Iran has something that is not a good idea in the wrong hands.

If had to hazard a guess, I would say that they know full well what the next stage after the shot over the bow would be. They don't want to say? Better to play dumb and act surprised when the warning is not heard?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/02/mccain-exits-wh-meeting-optimistic-but-saying-assad-forces-must-be-degraded/

McCain emerged from the roughly one-hour meeting saying that he doesn’t expect Congress will vote against a strike because it would “undermine the credibility of the president and the United States. … But we have a long way to go.”
He also echoed the Capitol Hill focus that has emerged since Obama said Saturday that he would strike Syria – making sure the effort is clearly intended to oust Assad and helping the rebels.
“What we want to do is degrade Assad’s capabilities and upgrade that of the rebel forces.”

They are completely, utterly, insane. Haven't they done enough damage already?