SYRIA: Nerve Gas Attack

This is slightly off topic, but Reagan's son Michael has this to say about a new movie concerning his father.


http://www.cagle.com/2013/08/the-butler-from-another-planet/

No, Reagan Sr, would have handled this the sensible way. On top of which, most Americans would have felt that it was being handled correctly.

I liked that guy after I had gotten over the fact that he was a cowboy actor.  

Obama is no match for R. R. In fact, he seems way too weak.

He was good at being President, he had a certain style which is now sadly lacking. He even managed to behave impeccably when he got shot by that nutjob.

He certainly did have style. He was like watching your favorite uncle when on TV sos relaxed, manly and straight talking

Contrast that with now........ what a concept.  

The news comes as it emerged that vital weapons shipments from the United States have begun to arrive in rebel fighting units that oppose President Assad, according to sources on both ends of the transactions.
The light arms, ammunition and other small, trackable armaments – likely grenades, mortars and shells – are coming via clandestine CIA operations in a significant escalation of U.S. involvement in the 30-month-long civil war.
The White House promised in June that it would arm anti-Assad forces who were not aligned with Islamist radical groups, authorizing the CIA to do the heavy lifting and manage the pipeline.
But the long-awaited weapons delivery comes at an awkward moment, a day after President Obama pledged to pursue diplomacy instead of military action


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2418462/UN-report-point-finger-Assad-regime-huge-chemical-attack.html#ixzz2efh7mmqO
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Do 'boots on the ground' not count when they're CIA boots? Just how long do these fools imagine weapons are going to stay with the 'nice' rebels - besides until the nasty rebels cut their comrades' throats?

And I do wish they would find a better cliche than 'heavy lifts' - it's just so gay.

Journalist and writer held hostage for five months in Syria 'overheard captor's conversation blaming rebels for chemical attacks'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2418378/Journalist-writer-held-hostage-months-Syria-claim-overheard-captors-conversation-blaming-rebels-chemical-attacks.html#ixzz2efjBHlbT
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

As the rush to war seems to have paused for now, let's hope the time can be put to good use in getting to the truth about one or two things.

Not least why the CIA have apparently been taking a break from making videos to give arms to rebels, nice or otherwise. CIA pawprints are all over this mess, yet again. They must be the world's most incompetent intelligence agency.

Oh God, now Putin is writing the editorials for the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria.html?src=twr&_r=1&

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR
A Plea for Caution From Russia
What Putin Has to Say to Americans About Syria


MOSCOW — RECENT events surrounding Syria have prompted me to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders. It is important to do so at a time of insufficient communication between our societies.

Relations between us have passed through different stages. We stood against each other during the cold war. But we were also allies once, and defeated the Nazis together. The universal international organization — the United Nations — was then established to prevent such devastation from ever happening again.

The United Nations’ founders understood that decisions affecting war and peace should happen only by consensus, and with America’s consent the veto by Security Council permanent members was enshrined in the United Nations Charter. The profound wisdom of this has underpinned the stability of international relations for decades.

No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage. This is possible if influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military action without Security Council authorization.

The potential strike by the United States against Syria, despite strong opposition from many countries and major political and religious leaders, including the pope, will result in more innocent victims and escalation, potentially spreading the conflict far beyond Syria’s borders. A strike would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism. It could undermine multilateral efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and further destabilize the Middle East and North Africa. It could throw the entire system of international law and order out of balance.

Syria is not witnessing a battle for democracy, but an armed conflict between government and opposition in a multireligious country. There are few champions of democracy in Syria. But there are more than enough Qaeda fighters and extremists of all stripes battling the government. The United States State Department has designated Al Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, fighting with the opposition, as terrorist organizations. This internal conflict, fueled by foreign weapons supplied to the opposition, is one of the bloodiest in the world.

Mercenaries from Arab countries fighting there, and hundreds of militants from Western countries and even Russia, are an issue of our deep concern. Might they not return to our countries with experience acquired in Syria? After all, after fighting in Libya, extremists moved on to Mali. This threatens us all.

From the outset, Russia has advocated peaceful dialogue enabling Syrians to develop a compromise plan for their own future. We are not protecting the Syrian government, but international law. We need to use the United Nations Security Council and believe that preserving law and order in today’s complex and turbulent world is one of the few ways to keep international relations from sliding into chaos. The law is still the law, and we must follow it whether we like it or not. Under current international law, force is permitted only in self-defense or by the decision of the Security Council. Anything else is unacceptable under the United Nations Charter and would constitute an act of aggression.

No one doubts that poison gas was used in Syria. But there is every reason to believe it was used not by the Syrian Army, but by opposition forces, to provoke intervention by their powerful foreign patrons, who would be siding with the fundamentalists. Reports that militants are preparing another attack — this time against Israel — cannot be ignored.

It is alarming that military intervention in internal conflicts in foreign countries has become commonplace for the United States. Is it in America’s long-term interest? I doubt it. Millions around the world increasingly see America not as a model of democracy but as relying solely on brute force, cobbling coalitions together under the slogan “you’re either with us or against us.”

But force has proved ineffective and pointless. Afghanistan is reeling, and no one can say what will happen after international forces withdraw. Libya is divided into tribes and clans. In Iraq the civil war continues, with dozens killed each day. In the United States, many draw an analogy between Iraq and Syria, and ask why their government would want to repeat recent mistakes.

No matter how targeted the strikes or how sophisticated the weapons, civilian casualties are inevitable, including the elderly and children, whom the strikes are meant to protect.

The world reacts by asking: if you cannot count on international law, then you must find other ways to ensure your security. Thus a growing number of countries seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction. This is logical: if you have the bomb, no one will touch you. We are left with talk of the need to strengthen nonproliferation, when in reality this is being eroded.

We must stop using the language of force and return to the path of civilized diplomatic and political settlement.

A new opportunity to avoid military action has emerged in the past few days. The United States, Russia and all members of the international community must take advantage of the Syrian government’s willingness to place its chemical arsenal under international control for subsequent destruction. Judging by the statements of President Obama, the United States sees this as an alternative to military action.

I welcome the president’s interest in continuing the dialogue with Russia on Syria. We must work together to keep this hope alive, as we agreed to at the Group of 8 meeting in Lough Erne in Northern Ireland in June, and steer the discussion back toward negotiations.

f we can avoid force against Syria, this will improve the atmosphere in international affairs and strengthen mutual trust. It will be our shared success and open the door to cooperation on other critical issues.

My working and personal relationship with President Obama is marked by growing trust. I appreciate this. I carefully studied his address to the nation on Tuesday. And I would rather disagree with a case he made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is “what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.” It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal.

Vladimir V. Putin is the president of Russia.

--------

How did this happen? When did the world turn upside down? Why is the President of the US more Left-wing than the President of Russia?

Why can I understand Putin but not Obama? Both men have speechwriters, so it can't be that?

This internal conflict, fueled by foreign weapons supplied to the opposition, is one of the bloodiest in the world.



Good timing, just as it's revealed that the CIA is arming them.

I carefully studied his address to the nation on Tuesday.

The thought of Vladimir sitting critiquing his TV appearances should finish Obama off nicely....

Upside down, the whole thing. I read about O's ideology when he was campaigning the first time. We have a dumbed down populace now so too many people don't bother to research.  

Oh God, Kerry's speaking from Geneva....what gems can we expect this time?

Well, I am sure everyone will be relieved to know that the US and Russia have agreed that no-one should use chemical weapons....

He's making 'tough' noises - he's just claimed that diplomacy is preferable to military action.    

Oh, I must have imagined that millions of people were terrified that Obama was about to start WW3.

Yup, sounds like they're going to sort it out via talks; Kerry is trying to save Obama's face by claiming that it was his threat of starting a war that's brought about this.

Bit of a change from the war talk of two weeks ago, isn't it? God bless Ed Milliband! If he does nothing else in his entire life, he stopped this insanity.

Yes. Many thanks Mr. M. :

The posturing and double speak has been something else. Those responsible are what we are supposed to look up to?  

IMO, one of the most frightening things about this whole business has been the way those beating the wardrums just would not stop, Lily. They weren't prepared to wait for the UN, international law, nothing.

They also went on TV and flat-out lied, especially Kerry. I would really like to know who's been pulling their strings in the background.

I can't see the Jihadists, sorry, the 'nice rebels' the CIA has merrily been supplying with arms being any too pleased - they're not going to get the US acting as their Air Force after all; also, there has been far too much background rumour about the Jihadists being all geared up for something big to happen just before the gas attack not to raise suspicions.

I doubt if we will ever know the real, whole truth about that, somehow.

On the brighter side, if the US, UN and Russia are all involved in rounding up chemical weapons, there is less chance of Assad killing anyone except Jihadists, and the Jihadists will be less free to saw priests' heads off with breadknives and force Christians to convert to Islam under threat of getting the same treatment.

I would like to see the UN go through all the videos of the absolutely barbaric atrocities the Jihadists have committed and try to identify the guilty parties - surely that would be in the interests of the US?

Am actually stunned at this whole charade.

This is jaw-dropping:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/13/syrian-expert-elizabeth-obagy-vouches-for-jihadist-group-in-court-affidavit/

It's impossible to believe a single word coming out of Washington.

As for this:

The officials said the aid has been arriving for more than a month, much of it delivered through a third party, which could explain why the rebel commander Idris does not believe the U.S. directly delivered the aid. The officials said the aid is delivered to commanders who have been vetted by the CIA, and the path of the weaponry is tracked through trusted parties within the country -- though eventually, once they're in the hands of fighters, the U.S. loses sight of where the weapons go.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/12/sources-cia-delivering-light-weapons-to-syrian-rebels/#ixzz2elM5hmyM

I am sure US taxpayers will be delighted to know that the CIA is using their money to supply Al Quaeda with weapons once the fake 'expert' has assured the CIA that those guys just use their breadknives for making sandwiches.

A clusterf*k like this would be funny, if it wasn't so tragic.

In the document, O’Bagy said she had reviewed the apparent Facebook page for the Al Aqsa Islamic Brigades, and found no signs of jihadist leanings.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/13/syrian-expert-elizabeth-obagy-vouches-for-jihadist-group-in-court-affidavit/#ixzz2elNHOJPc

FFS - does anyone think Putin is deciding Russian foreign policy by reading bloody Facebook? It's absolutely terrifying to think that this is the mental level of the supposed leaders of the west.

It beggars belief that Obama and Kerry have been making US policy because of a fake 'expert' who claimed to get her information from Facebook and didn't see anything even faintly Jihadist about this:



If it hadn't been for the fact that they nearly started WW3 over it, it would be the best joke of the year - no wonder Putin is treating Obama like a half-witted child!

J. Edgar Hoover, JFK and others must be turning in their graves.

The incompetence coming out of Washington is staggering. Is this the start of their blame game?  

It's actually hard to get any more incompetent than arming your country's deadly enemies on the say-so of a 26-year-old fake 'expert' who somehow fails to notice that the banner on said enemies' FB page depicts your nation's capital in flames.

And why the HELL is anyone over the age of 15 paying attention to the Official Rebel FB and twitterfeed in the first place?

You can bet your bottom dollar Putin is doing it the old-fashioned way, with Russian boots on the ground, on the feet of 'tourists'.

Oh good God, it's even worse than the banner....





A photo-illustration from the Facebook page of the al-Aqsa Islamic Brigades, a faction of the opposition Free Syrian Army fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, shows Islamic fighters marching away from a burning U.S. Capitol.

By Robert Windrem, Investigative Reporter, NBC News
As debate grows over the extremism of some armed factions battling to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime, an incendiary illustration on the Facebook page of one such group leaves little doubt where its leaders envision the uprising ending – with masked Islamic fighters marching through Washington, D.C., as the U.S. Capitol burns in the background.


The image is one of eight photos posted on the official Facebook page of the “Al-Aqsa Islamic Brigades,” a small armed Sunni rebel faction fighting with the Free Syrian Army, the main umbrella military organization of the opposition forces. Two other photos posted on the group’s page feature the widely recognized black flag of the al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist group, which operates freely in Syria.

more at:

http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/06/20348901-not-one-of-bad-guys-but-syrian-rebel-group-proclaims-anti-american-bent?lite

Can't really blame Putin for calling Kerry a liar over Al Quaeda involvement, can you? Really, Lily, your military would be quite justified in arresting Obama, Kerry, and anyone else involved in this and charging them with treason.

Thank God something resembling the truth about all this is starting to be heard.

Bonny, I could see for myself that Kerry has been lying so I can't blame Putin one bit. In fact, thank goodness that someone with enough power was able to do so.

I know that they probably won't but they should face a court of some kind. Their actions surely seem like treason.  

More from the Jihadists Omaba has been arming:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2420263/As-rebels-behead-Assads-thugs-children-question-really-sides-Syrias-bloodbath.html

I think that a good idea would be to have the President and his staff, politicians, together with their sons, daughters and other family members go in and put their boots on the ground.

Then when they have decided it is okay, Americans can follow suit.

Good that the UN is getting somewhere, Lily, and I suppose if they can find the chemical composition of whatever was used, they might be nearer knowing who did it.

But, I have a feeling this is going to turn into another Princes in the Tower, or Grassy Knoll. No-one's ever going to be 100% sure who did it, as both sides are ghastly.