OPCW says has proof chemical weapons used in ISIL attack in Syria

[Jonathan Fairfield]

OPCW says has proof chemical weapons used in ISIL attack in Syria



The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons says its analysis of an August ISIL bombardment proves mustard gas was used. First used 100 years ago, it causes severe delayed burns to the eyes, skin and lungs.

Toxicity and soil samples reveal that the gas was used during fighting in Marea, north of Aleppo, on August 21. There is no indication ISIL are capable of producing their own, or if these were seized ex-Syrian army munitions.

Russian air support for Syrian government forces and their Hezbollah and Iranian allies continues at a high rate, but mostly in the west, where ISIL is less present. Instead it is anti-Assad rebels pressing hard here.

In several Damascus suburbs rebels and civilians run a daily gauntlet of fire from the air.

Death can strike at any time, for fighter and innocent alike. For those trapped by the fighting with no choice, it has become a daily certainty more reliable than peacetime habits that seem a lifetime away.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-11-07

[Kerryd]

When the first reports of chemical weapons being used in Syria came out I had doubts that it was Assad's government. Obama was drawing his "red line in the sand", looking for an excuse to send in the troops which is exactly what the rebels were hoping for.

Assad knew that as well and it would have been incredibly stupid to do exactly what the rebels wanted, knowing it could result in a massive US response. The rebels were upset though because the US (and the "West") hadn't intervened on their behalf the way they had for the Libyan rebels. They were getting desperate and (as I suspected) had little concern for the very people they were supposedly fighting for.

Another red flag that went up (for me) was that the first chemical attack happened in an area under control of the Syrian government, in Assad's backyard so to speak. Seriously, why the F*** would Assad use chemical weapons in areas under his control, against people that weren't fighting him, in an area fairly close to the center of his government, knowing that the West was itching for an excuse to send in an armada to bomb him back into the stone age.

On the other hand that is exactly what the rebels wanted for almost the exact opposite reasons of Assad. Attack an area under government control, against people that aren't supporting your cause, near the center of your enemy's government and hope that it spurs the "West" into joining the fight (on your side of course). It almost worked. Had Russia not intervened it is quite possible that Syria would be as screwed up as Libya is. The end result was a UN Resolution demanding that Syria hand over all of it's chemical weapons (that it still had control of). Assad complied with the resolution and whatever weapons/chemicals he had were removed.

The head of the OPCW announced on 23 June 2014 that the last of Assad's chemical weapons were removed. Interestingly it seems that the OPCW merely took the word of the rebels that the chemical weapon facilities they had captured didn't have anything in them. The rebels also rejected the idea of a ceasefire to allow the inspectors to check all the sites the government had identified. (The Syrians claimed that 1/3rd of all the chemical sites were in areas under rebel control while the rebels claim there are none in the areas they control.)

I'm betting that a lot of people in the "West" are quietly thanking their lucky stars that they didn't jump head first into this mess. Would really set your moral clock back if you leapt before looking only to find out (too late) that the "noble rebels" you climbed into bed with were in fact nothing more than murderous criminals that use chemical weapons against their own people. Many in the West are still desperate to find something they can use against Assad but are finding it difficult as these days there is so much suspicion (on all sides) that it would have to be a very obvious, very flagrant and, ultimately, very verifiable event before any talk of intervention could be started.

It's kind of difficult for the "moral" West to support rebels that apparently are just as bad as the people they are fighting against.

[Expat1]

That gas does it have a name? Mustard gas? Really? The effects are pretty pronounced. Have there been any verified medical reports? It would not be hard to determine. BTW, mustard gas is pretty basic and can be made in a make shift lab and certainly ISIL has enough money and people to do better than a make shift lab. This smacks to me of there being WMDs in Iraq, etc. old false flag style attempts. Considering the source of the info I think I will stick with that.