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UN report findings indicate Assad gassed Damascus

ecofarm

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The rebels are not known to have the type of rockets used, nor the training or ability to use those types of rockets.

The trajectories established show the rockets came from within Assad controlled Damascus.


The team did identify two types or [of, that's a typo] rockets it said were used to deliver the gas and their trajectories, and international observers have said those weapons are not known to be in the hands of rebels battling the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
'War crime': U.N. finds sarin used in Syria chemical weapons attack - CNN.com


While the report’s authors did not assign blame for the attack on the outskirts of Damascus, the details it documented included the large size and particular shape of the munitions and the precise direction from which two of them had been fired. Taken together, that information appeared to undercut arguments by President Bashar al-Assad of Syria that rebel forces, who are not known to possess such weapons or the training or ability to use them, had been responsible.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/world/europe/syria-united-nations.html
 
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So the UN is on the side of the terrorists now? ;)

Who woulda thought??
 
So the UN is on the side of the terrorists now? ;)

Who woulda thought??

This is not the Conspiracy Theory subforum.
 
Nor did I think it was.

I just have a huge problem believing anything from the UN.

How about just thinking about the situation rationally and logically?

You have a Assad, a brutal Dictator whose regime has already committed unspeakable crimes against his own people. That is indisputable.
You have Assad with an enormous stockpile of chemical weapons at his disposal. Again, that is indisputable.
You have International Observers stating the rockets it said were used to deliver the gas and their trajectories are not known to be in the hands of rebels.

I guess i'm really struggling to see why so many are just shrugging off evidence that points strongly in the direction of Syrian government culpability.
 
I was hearing something like this on NPR this morning, that the trajectories implicate Assad launching the attack rather than the rebels. In any case, I can't see any logical reason that the rebels would have been able to use them, chemical weapons don't magically get possessed by insurgent groups and I don't know how the rebels could have been able to access such weapons.
 
I guess i'm really struggling to see why so many are just shrugging off evidence that points strongly in the direction of Syrian government culpability.
Because we shouldn't go to war because evidence "points strongly" at Assad. Before launching bombs and killing people we should be certain. Why is this too much to ask?

I'd also like to remind everyone that there was "certain evidence" that Saddam had WMD's. How'd that turn out?
 
I'd also like to remind everyone that there was "certain evidence" that Saddam had WMD's. How'd that turn out?

It turned out that Saddam was faking a WMD program. Do you think Assad faked using chems?
 
How about just thinking about the situation rationally and logically?

You have a Assad, a brutal Dictator whose regime has already committed unspeakable crimes against his own people. That is indisputable.
You have Assad with an enormous stockpile of chemical weapons at his disposal. Again, that is indisputable.
You have International Observers stating the rockets it said were used to deliver the gas and their trajectories are not known to be in the hands of rebels.

I guess i'm really struggling to see why so many are just shrugging off evidence that points strongly in the direction of Syrian government culpability.

It is indeed highly probable that Assad used his chemical weapons. At first, my reaction was that he couldn't possibly be that stupid. But as more comes to light, I'll bet it was him. I forgot we were in the ME, where rationality is considered an unspeakable offense against Allah.

So, what happens next? It seems we sort of gave up pursuing this. Assad probably won't use CWs again, not enough "bang for the buck" so to speak. We'll arm the rebels with light weight stuff. Russia will arm Assad with heavier stuff and we can have a little arms race. Eventually, maybe years from now, somebody will win. Then we'll find out the name of the new Dictator and the old Dictator's followers can rebel against the New Dictator.
 
It is indeed highly probable that Assad used his chemical weapons. At first, my reaction was that he couldn't possibly be that stupid. But as more comes to light, I'll bet it was him. I forgot we were in the ME, where rationality is considered an unspeakable offense against Allah.

So, what happens next? It seems we sort of gave up pursuing this. Assad probably won't use CWs again, not enough "bang for the buck" so to speak. We'll arm the rebels with light weight stuff. Russia will arm Assad with heavier stuff and we can have a little arms race. Eventually, maybe years from now, somebody will win. Then we'll find out the name of the new Dictator and the old Dictator's followers can rebel against the New Dictator.

if only there was a new saladin.
 
How about just thinking about the situation rationally and logically?

You have a Assad, a brutal Dictator whose regime has already committed unspeakable crimes against his own people. That is indisputable.
You have Assad with an enormous stockpile of chemical weapons at his disposal. Again, that is indisputable.
You have International Observers stating the rockets it said were used to deliver the gas and their trajectories are not known to be in the hands of rebels.

I guess i'm really struggling to see why so many are just shrugging off evidence that points strongly in the direction of Syrian government culpability.

I agree. For me, I think many worry that to agree means the next logical step is to support military action. I don't follow that route, I've no reason (at this stage) to doubt the evidence for Assad's culpability, but that does not mean I'm inclined to support military action. There are many more questionable factors that need ironing out before I would support action.

That said: "Syria has given Russia new "material evidence" that Syrian rebels used chemical weapons in an attack on 21 August, a Russian minister has said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also said a report by UN inspectors on the alleged use of chemical weapons was politicised, biased and one-sided.

He said the inspectors had only investigated the attack in Ghouta on 21 August, not three previous incidents"

BBC News - Syria tells Russia it has proof rebels used chemicals

This throws up a whole new avenue, yet to be explored. And if it is indeed proven that rebels have used chemical weapons, what does that then tell us?

Paul
 
FOX is reporting UN considering sending weapons inspectors back into Syria.

Why? I thought it was a done deal?
 
FOX is reporting UN considering sending weapons inspectors back into Syria.

Why? I thought it was a done deal?

Read my previous post.

Paul
 
Did it occur to you that this could be a false flag operation to get Assad out of power?

The terrorists get more powerful every day that Assad remains in power and brutalizes his people. During such they provide protection and recruit heavily into their ranks. Assad being removed from power would not be good for the terrorists.
 
The terrorists get more powerful every day that Assad remains in power and brutalizes his people. During such they provide protection and recruit heavily into their ranks. Assad being removed from power would not be good for the terrorists.

Then let them fight it out. No US troops for Terrorist blood.
 
Then let them fight it out. No US troops for Terrorist blood.

So you agree that it is irrational for the terrorists to conduct such a false flag, right?
 
Yes but, not for a third party.

If they gassed their own people, they're terrorists. What third party... the US?
 
I'll remind you again, this is not the Conspiracy Theory subforum.

There are three trains of thought at work here:

1. Assad and his government are at fault.

2. The Syrian rebels are at fault here.

3 Neither of these groups are at fault and it was a false flag operation by some or all the parties I listed.

Just because you don't agree with a possibility doesn't mean you can fluff it off as a conspiracy theory.

You and I don't know the truth.
 
3 Neither of these groups are at fault and it was a false flag operation by some or all the parties I listed.

Yes, it's a conspiracy by the US, Britain, France, Israel and NATO! There are thousands of people involved in this conspiracy and not a single whistle-blower.

Just because you don't agree with a possibility doesn't mean you can fluff it off as a conspiracy theory.

Yes, I can. It's totally impossible (multiple countries and thousands of people) and thus a crazy conspiracy theory.
 
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Yes, it's a conspiracy by the US, Britain, France, Israel and NATO! There are thousands of people involved in this conspiracy and not a single whistle-blower.


You can't conceive of that being the case?
 
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