Assad regime 'using chlorine gas' in attacks

[webfact]

Assad regime 'using chlorine gas' in attacks
Ruth Sherlock

Gaziantep, Turkey: Soil sample testing conducted on behalf of Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper shows that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is using chemical weapons against civilian targets, the newspaper says.

Soil samples from the scene of three recent attacks were "collected by trained individuals and analysed by a chemical warfare expert".

They showed that chlorine and ammonia gas had been used in strikes on two villages in Idlib province earlier this month, said Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of the British army's chemical and biological warfare defences.

The Geneva Protocol, signed by Syria in 1968, bans the "use in war" of any "asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases".

The attacks were carried out by military helicopters, which dropped barrel bombs loaded with gas. In some cases, the weapons carried canisters marked with their chemical contents.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/world/assad-regime-using-chlorine-gas-in-attacks-20140430-zr1na.html


-- The Age 2014-04-30

[Ulysses G.]

How many times now has the "red line" been crossed?

[coma]

More garbage propaganda.

[Costas2008]

" In some cases, the weapons carried canisters marked with their chemical contents."

If they found the canisters why did they have to do a sample soil testing?

Daily Telegraph circulation dropped?

Edited April 30, 2014 by Costas2008

[hard124get]

Surely no one believes this BS anymore ! Why would Assad use chemical weapons, the only weapon that would bring the west into a war he is winning. It was proven to be a lie last year. "Saudi Arabia was caught red-handed supplying toxic agents. Last May, Turkish authorities arrested 12 suspected Al Nusra fighters. They had two grams of sarin nerve gas"

[PiPiFFS]

All that is missing is for the said barrels to have " property of the Syrian Army " stamped on them.

Just how much more of this utter BS are people going to just accept ?

As said why would Assad risk everything by using such inefficient weapons and risk losing the war he is winning by a long shot ?

[Ulysses G.]

Surely no one believes this BS anymore !

The only place that I was able to find the information that you posted was on loony blogs that say that 9/11 was an inside job. I can see why you did not bother posting a link as you are meant to do.

[simple1]

The allegations that the Assad regeime has been using these chemicals in attacks in the past month or so have been reported in other world media. I do not know why some are immediately claiming its BS; from the OP

"They showed that chlorine and ammonia gas had been used in strikes on two villages in Idlib province earlier this month, said Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of the British army's chemical and biological warfare defences"

Assad regeime cruelties are endless especially with the utilisation of the Assad funded militias (shabiha) who have been widely condemed of numerous & murderous human rights atrocities.

Recently there have been a number of reports claiming Assad has actually assisted Al Qaeda affiliated groups in Syria in order to support his claims that the opposition is mainly comprised of Islamic extremists; an example at:

http://world.time.com/2014/01/27/syria-assad-geneva-al-qaeda/

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies deleted. Please read the OP. It does not talk about the US, US foreign policy, or mid-term elections in the US.

Please stay on-topic.

[khunken]

Allegations from the Daily Telegraph - supported by Fox 'News' - are par for the course and have little credibility unless verified by more independent sources.

The article in Time is even worse with all sorts of allegations of Assad doing business with Al Qaeda and even allowing them to train in Syria before going to Iraq.

Both just seem like 'lets have a go at Assad today' type of woeful journalistic standards. Have the so-called journals no idea that Assad is aligned with the Shias who have (& are still) fighting against the Sunni Al-Qaeda in Syria and (still) in Iraq..

It's not hard to be sceptical of much western journalism when propaganda is substituted for factual reporting.

Edited April 30, 2014 by khunken

[Morch]

Surely no one believes this BS anymore ! Why would Assad use chemical weapons, the only weapon that would bring the west into a war he is winning. It was proven to be a lie last year. "Saudi Arabia was caught red-handed supplying toxic agents. Last May, Turkish authorities arrested 12 suspected Al Nusra fighters. They had two grams of sarin nerve gas"

Any chance for a proper link to source?

[Morch]

" In some cases, the weapons carried canisters marked with their chemical contents."

If they found the canisters why did they have to do a sample soil testing?

Daily Telegraph circulation dropped?

If they hadn't, I'm guess you would have doubted the report on the grounds that they did not check properly.

[Morch]

All that is missing is for the said barrels to have " property of the Syrian Army " stamped on them.

Just how much more of this utter BS are people going to just accept ?

As said why would Assad risk everything by using such inefficient weapons and risk losing the war he is winning by a long shot ?

Well, would you prefer a report made with no proof whatsoever?

And most people simply do not care about the Syrian conflict.

Idlib district (where the attacks are said to have taken place) is still a contested area, especially nearer to the Turkish border. Not exactly a clear win there for Assad at this point. Chemical weapons may be considered inefficient is some instances, as means to induce terror and clear urban areas of resistance, it's a different story.

[ggt]

The Obama regime...was out maneuvered by Putin on the chemicals issue...anyone who believes Assad is not using chemical weapons is wishful thinking...he has no qualms killing men, women, and children...with gas and snipers...he is a good example of Muslim leadership...gone amuck...

[PiPiFFS]

Assad is using chemical weapons just like Saddam had weapons of mass destruction ready to use at 40 minutes notice so best we get in there now and kick ass to stop mass destruction

Edited April 30, 2014 by PiPiFFS

[fasteddie]

The Obama regime...was out maneuvered by Putin on the chemicals issue...anyone who believes Assad is not using chemical weapons is wishful thinking...he has no qualms killing men, women, and children...with gas and snipers...he is a good example of Muslim leadership...gone amuck...

Cobblers! I'm not saying Assad is an angel, but he'd have to be a complete fool to use chemical weapons when he knows the yanks are chomping at the bit to to find an excuse to make some more profits for the armament industry. Syria was a peaceful secular state before the yanks middle east stooges brought massive death and destruction down upon them.

The first casualty of war is the truth!

[Tywais]

Several off topic and unrelated conspiracy theory posts removed.

[simple1]

The Obama regime...was out maneuvered by Putin on the chemicals issue...anyone who believes Assad is not using chemical weapons is wishful thinking...he has no qualms killing men, women, and children...with gas and snipers...he is a good example of Muslim leadership...gone amuck...

Cobblers! I'm not saying Assad is an angel, but he'd have to be a complete fool to use chemical weapons when he knows the yanks are chomping at the bit to to find an excuse to make some more profits for the armament industry. Syria was a peaceful secular state before the yanks middle east stooges brought massive death and destruction down upon them.

The first casualty of war is the truth!

Syria was and is 'governed' by a ruthless Shia minority dictatorship that for decades has had a reputation for excessive cruelty, including the torture of children. Claiming Syria was a 'peaceful secular state' is a camouflage for what in reality was a very repressive regime representing approx 12% of the population.

What we are witnessing is a direct outcome of the violent suppression and murder of innocents by the dictatorship during the peaceful Arab Spring demonstrations in 2011. The Civil War came about when members of Assad's military deserted and commenced their armed resistance against the regime. Now all gone downhill in a classic regional proxy war primarily represented by Shia, Sunni and the Islamic extremists on both sides of the divide..

Edited April 30, 2014 by simple1

[GentlemanJim]

Google Syrian slaughterhouses and the Syrian butcher and see what is going on. Warning, DO NOT watch any associated videos if you are of a nervous or sensitive disposition. The place is completely screwed.

[simple1]

Allegations from the Daily Telegraph - supported by Fox 'News' - are par for the course and have little credibility unless verified by more independent sources.

The article in Time is even worse with all sorts of allegations of Assad doing business with Al Qaeda and even allowing them to train in Syria before going to Iraq.

Both just seem like 'lets have a go at Assad today' type of woeful journalistic standards. Have the so-called journals no idea that Assad is aligned with the Shias who have (& are still) fighting against the Sunni Al-Qaeda in Syria and (still) in Iraq..

It's not hard to be sceptical of much western journalism when propaganda is substituted for factual reporting.

The Time article is just reporting on briefing by diplomatic sources and makes it clear that at the time there was no empirical evidence provided. After the US & coalition forces invasion of Iraq there were many claims that Syria facilitated the movement of Sunni 'fighters' into Iraq. Do you not believe the reporting the regime would be buying oil from Al Qaeda held territory as realpolitik?

Whose content does one lean towards, Western sources or the Assad regime constant denials and duplicity in the face of countless reports? It makes perfect sense to me that Assad is playing his own game to support the regimes propaganda.

Edited April 30, 2014 by simple1

[Chicog]

He can do what he likes as long as Putin and the Chinese are backing him, and they don't seem to give a toss.

[Scott]

Off topic posts and replies deleted.

[Credo]

A lot of anti-American ranting for something that was discovered by an independent agency that has nothing to do with US foreign policy and printed in a British paper.