sarin gas

Another devastating report from the Middle East: some 40 children hit by a gas attack in Syria, with Assad’s government being blamed.
President Trump tweets Assad is an “animal,” but that Russia and Iran are responsible for backing him. And there’s a “big price to pay.”
Twelve hours later, missile strikes hit a Syrian air base, killing 14 including Iranians. Assad blames Israel, and Senator Lindsey Graham says Israel would have every right to do so “because Iran is very embedded in Syria.”

(ZHE) — It’s deja vu all over again. Remember when the US admitted Syrian “rebels” have used chemical weapons? Or when earlier this year, the now former Secretary of State blamed Russia for an alleged Syrian chemical attack, despite admitting he doesn’t know who actually did it? Or when the US finally admitted there was “no evidence” Assad used sarin gas? Or just last […]

(TIM) — It was a stunning announcement, stunning because of what was said and maybe equally as stunning because it was honest. Secretary of Defense James Mattis says there is no evidence that the Syrian government used sarin gas on its own people. It is a narrative we have been pushing back on for years. So what […]

Although passed unanimously, the UNSC Resolution was not without its usual diatribes between Russia and the US.
The resolution, tabled by Sweden and Kuwait, passed 15-0 after three days of wrangling over wording [Xinhua]
After three days of delays over wording of the document, the United Nations Security Council on Saturday unanimously passed Resolution 2401 which called for all parties in the Syrian conflict to an immediate ceasefire which would last for at 30 consecutive days.

Russia has vetoed several draft resolutions on Syria which it says are unfair and biased, often following “fabricated” evidence [Xinhua]The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on a new resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, following reports of heavy fighting and mass casualties near the capital Damascus.
Russia had called for the Security Council to meet to discuss the resolution, while Kuwait and Sweden called for a vote.

(MEE) — U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said on Saturday that public reports showed Syria was using chemical weapons and added that it was time for the international community to hold the Syrian government to account. “Public accounts and photos clearly show that Assad’s chemical weapons use is continuing,” McMaster said at the annual Munich Security […]

(TIM) — U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis confirmed that the U.S. government has no evidence that the Syrian government used sarin gas on its people— a claim that was used by the White House as justification for an April 2017 launch of 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Al Shayrat airfield in Syria. On Friday, Mattis said that reports of […]

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has admitted the US has no evidence that Syrian President Assad used sarin nerve gas against his own people, and mainstream media failed to report this important statement. Mattis then accused Assad of using chlorine gas to attack his own people. [To our knowledge, no one has asked him if there is any evidence of that, either. We doubt that there is inasmuch as doing so would be of no advantage to Assad and, in fact, just the contrary. The only ones who benefit from such attacks are Assad's enemies.

Patrick Henningsen and Shawn Helton
21st Century Wire

Russia has vetoes 11 draft resolutions on Syria which it says are unfair and biased, often following “fabricated” evidence [Xinhua]
Russia has for the second time this week vetoed a draft resolution in the Security Council aimed at renewing the mandate of the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), which investigates chemical weapons attacks in Syria.
The vetoed drafted presented by Japan to the Security Council on Saturday was designed to give JIM a temporary extension to continue its work.