US, UK, FRANCE UNDER SUSPICION: THE UN REPORT ON SYRIA AMBIGUOUS & DANGEROUS

US, UK, FRANCE UNDER SUSPICION: THE UN REPORT ON SYRIA AMBIGUOUS & DANGEROUS  

Part 1 http://www.4thmedia.org/2013/09/18/un-report-on-syria-ambiguous-and-dangerous/

Part 2 can be seen here in: http://nd-hugoadan.blogspot.com/2013/09/evidence-for-chemical-weapons.html

Christof Lehmann | Wednesday, September 18, 2013.

http://www.4thmedia.org/2013/09/18/un-report-on-syria-ambiguous-and-dangerous/

USA, UK and France under Suspicion for Systematic Omission of Evidence for “Opposition´s Chemical Weapons Use, to Justify Military Aggression against Syria

UN Secretary General Ban Kyi Moon has received the UN Inspectors` report on the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The report was presented at a close session of the UN Security Council.

The report clarifies that the experts did not find standard chemical weapons warheads as used by the Syrian Arab Army.

The way in which the debris of the missiles was scattered suggests, that a multiple rocket launcher (MRL) could have been used to launch the chemical laden projectiles. A procedure not used by Syria´s military forces.

Even though the report clearly supports Syrian and Russian statements and mounting evidence which points towards foreign-backed terrorists as perpetrators of the chemical weapons attack on 21 August, the report is ambiguous and leaves dangerously much room for political interpretations.

Analysts fear, that the USA, UK and France systematically omit evidence of the “opposition´s” use of chemical weapons, in an attempt to justify military action.

Even though the report in principal vindicates the Syrian government and military, it implies that the possibility exists, that “material evidence of the chemical weapons attack could have been transported from one location to another one immediately after the projectiles were fired or before the arrival of the UN inspectors at the scene”.

The attack on 21 August coincided with the arrival of UN inspectors to Damascus on invitation of the Syrian government. The territory in question was at that time held by the foreign-backed insurgents. At arrival near the scene, the UN inspectors were fired at by opposition snipers.

The report states that chemical weapons were used on a relatively large scale. UN Secretary General Ban Kyi-moon however, criticized the report, saying that the UN inspectors have failed to specify the number of victims of the chemical weapons attack in Ghouta, near Damascus.

The number of reported casualties varied from dozens to almost 1.300 dead. Early on 21 August, al-Arabiya reported first dozens, then 280 casualties. Later on, al-Arabia issued an updated report, quoting the Free Syrian Army as stating, that 1.188 had been killed in the attack.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported considerably lower numbers but stressed that many women and children had been among the victims. News agencies, including Reuters, reported that hundreds had fallen victim to the chemical weapons attack.

The report fails at referring to factual evidence, such as death certificates, autopsy reports and medical records. The vague statements about the number of casualties leave room for speculation and falsification. Falsification of purported photo and video evidence has already been reported and documented the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

During the 24th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, on Monday, 9 September, international experts provided evidence, documenting that purported photo and video evidence about the chemical weapons attack on 21 August had been falsified and fabricated.

Moreover, eyewitnesses corroborated the expert´s reports and confirmed that opposition fighters had used chemical weapons in Ghouta on 21 August.

In this regard, the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed, that the results of the investigation and the testimony had been handed over to the UN Human Rights Council´s Commission of Inquiry on Syria. The 24th Human Rights Council session was held under the title “The US Threats of Using Force against Syria”.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that all participants of the Human Rights Council session agree, that carrying out the military scenario in Syria and bypassing the UN Security Council would be a blatant violation of international law.

On Monday, 16 September, UN Secretary General Ban Kyi-moon condemned the chemical weapon attacks in Syria as a war crime and said, that UN investigators had indisputable evidence of their use. Ban Kyi-moon called on the UN Security Council to impose consequences for any failure by President Bashar al-Assad to keep to the US – Russian plan to destroy Syria´s chemical weapons arsenal.

At a meeting behind closed doors, the Secretary General told representatives of the 15 nations at the Security Council that UN investigators had now,  ”unequivocally and objectively confirmed that chemical weapons have been used in Syria”, adding: “This is a war crime. I trust all can join me in condemning this despicable crime”. 

Kyi-moon also informed the Security Council about doctors, who had treated civilians with no external signs of injuries in the streets of Ghouta and that the weather conditions that morning, of 21 August, had been conductive to maximizing the potential impact, saying:

“The downward movement of air would have allowed the gas to easily penetrate the basements and lower levels of buildings and other structures where many people were seeking shelter”. 

The UN investigators stated, that there now was clear and convincing evidence, that chemical weapons had been used on 21 September in Ghouta, Damascus and that chemical weapons were used in Syria “on rather large scale”.  The report states, that:

“Basing on the samples collected in the course of the investigation into the incident in Ghouta, experts came to the conclusion that chemical weapons had been used on rather large scale during the ongoing conflict between the rival parties in Syria and against the civilian population, including children”. 

All members at the Security Council agreed that chemical weapons had been used, and that chemical weapons had been used on a large scale, throughout Syria. The Council members however, are deeply divided with regards to interpreting the ambiguous report and with regards to assigning guilt for the chemical weapons use.

The USA, Great Britain and France categorically blame “President Bashar al-Assad” or the “Syrian Regime” for the chemical weapons use that has occurred in Syria, including the attack on 21 August in Ghouta.

Arguments in support of the claims and accusations are, among others, based on statements, such as the one, that “the rebels would not have had or have the capability nor the capacity to produce the lethal chemicals in sufficient amounts; that the rebels would not have the necessary expertise, and similar arguments which are being forwarded by the British and US governments.

The argumentation, used by the USA, UK and France leads many analysts, the author of this article included that these governments attempt to systematically omit evidence to the contrary.

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