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President Obama Nixes Close Foreign Policy Advisors | 46 comments (46 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
French Intelligence Report Not Convincing (none / 0)
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Belgian expert Jean-Pascal Zanders finds the French intelligence report not convincing. He is a leading expert on verification of WMD arms control. In a VRT television interview yesterday. Obama and Kerry are not getting NATO allies on board for an air strike on Syria to put the Islamists in power and be part of a new genocide crisis.

The so-called "sarin signature" can be found in any agricutural/rural setting in pesticides. For what reason did John Kerry attempt to halt the UN Inspectors in Damascus by putting pressure on Ban Ki-moon? I'll await the UN report on the exact composition of chemical agents used in the gas attack in Ghouta.

The strike on Syria is doing Israel's bidding in the Middle-East and taking sides in the proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
○  Gloves Come Off: Israel Lobby Goes All-In for Syrian Intervention, While New York Times Self-Censors
○  AIPAC comes out for strike on Syria- and mentions Iran more often than Syria

Have a peaceful cultural summer

by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 4th, 2013 at 06:41:28 AM EST
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Re: French Intelligence Report Not Convincing (none / 0)
Zanders finds the evidence for a chemical attack, or the fact that Assad was behind it unconvincing? If the former, he's changed his mind.
by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Wed Sep 4th, 2013 at 06:52:55 AM EST
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Zanders Didn't Change His Mind (none / 0)
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Read the article carefully and comprehend what is said. On one doubts a lethal toxic agent (neurotoxin) was released in Ghouta and caused deaths and suffering of thousands. No expert can tell from the videos who is responsible nor the exact cocktail of chemical agents involved. On these points, Zanders is still not convinced, after studying the French intelligence report, that sarin nerve agent was used. From your linked Guardian article:

Experts who have examined the first video footage of the immediate aftermath of the attack on people on the outskirts of Damascus believe it shows the most compelling evidence yet consistent with the use of a lethal toxic agent.

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While some pro-rebel sources were quick to claim it was sarin that had been used, others were cautious, among them Zanders.

"I remain sceptical that it was a nerve agent like sarin. I would have expected to see more convulsions," he said. "The other thing that seems inconsistent with sarin is that, given the footage of first responders treating victims without proper protective equipment, you would expect to see considerable secondary casualties from contamination - which does not appear to be evident."

Sarin, developed in 1938, is the most toxic of the three G-agents made by Germany. Its name is derived from the names of the chemists involved in its creation: Schrader, Ambrose, Rüdigerand van der Linde. NATO adopted it as a standard chemical warfare agent in the early 1950s. Iraq used sarin in the 1980-88 war with Iran and had large stocks available in the 1990-91 Gulf War.

BBC News report on the earliest reports of civilians suffering from the lethal toxic poison.

Have a peaceful cultural summer

by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 4th, 2013 at 07:19:18 AM EST
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Evidence Isn't There (none / 1)
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NATO partners in Europe are sitting on the fence as the US intelligence is not convincing. Today the Dutch MP's got a top secret briefing from the Dutch Military Intelligence (MIVD). The Dutch are on the Turkish border with Patriot missiles and a contingent of 250 men. The Dutch have been a willing and reliable partner for the US in both Afghanistan (ISAF) and in Iraq. Dutch FM Timmermans had previously stated there is insufficient evidence. After today's secret briefing, all members of the commission admitted there is insufficient evidence to establish Assad troops as the source of the attack and no scientific evidence sarin nerve agent was used. Obama and Kerry are not getting NATO allies on board for an air strike on Syria to put the Islamists in power and be part of a new genocide crisis. If you bomb it, you own it.

Have a peaceful cultural summer
by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 4th, 2013 at 03:02:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

President Obama Nixes Close Foreign Policy Advisors | 46 comments (46 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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