Friday 2 September 2016

Fabricated UN Report on Chemical Weapons Use in Syria


8-31-16
Throughout years of conflict, Syria was falsely accused of using chemical weapons numerous times, accusations without verifiable evidence each time – along with being blamed for war crimes committed by US-supported terrorists and Pentagon warplanes.
The new UN report looks like the latest attempt to maliciously vilify Assad and Syria’s military, likely orchestrated by Washington, part of what looks like an imperial scheme for greater US-led intervention – escalated war instead of legitimate efforts to end it, prelude to when Hillary succeeds Obama.
As secretary of state, she orchestrated war to oust Assad forcefully. As president, she’ll likely prioritize unfinished business ahead of challenging Iran, then Russia and China.
During a closed-door Security Council session, Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin blasted the UN report, saying “(a)lready at this stage, we have a number of questions regarding the findings of the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism on some cases.”
“Evidence provided in the report gives rise to serious doubts. It could have been fabricated by the forces opposed to Damascus and terrorist groups, perhaps not without outside help.”
Investigators based their findings on hearsay, assumptions and dubious testimonies, excluding hard evidence linking the attacks to Syria, Churkin explained.
“We know that chlorine most likely (was) used…but there are no fingerprints” indicating who’s responsible. “There is nobody to sanction in the report. It contains no names. It contains no specifics…If we are to be professional we need to question all the conclusions.”
Syria’s UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari also criticized the report’s findings, saying:
Envoy: OPCW-UN Report on Chemical Attacks in Syria Full of Gabs
“The conclusions contained in the report were totally based on statements made by witnesses presented by the terrorist armed groups or their incubator environment. Therefore, these conclusions lack any physical evidence whether by samples or attested medical reports that chlorine was used.
The report “cannot be considered corroborating proof. Syria destroyed its entire chemical weapons stockpile under OPCW supervision. No evidence indicates anything remains.
Security Council Resolution 2118 (September 2013) mandated the scheduled destruction of its CWs, consistent with US/Russia Geneva agreements on Syria.
Military force was ruled out, Sergey Lavrov earlier saying
“(t)he resolution does not fall under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter and does not automatically authorize measures of compulsion.”
“It reaffirms the agreement reached at the Russian-US meeting in Geneva to make a breach of its provisions and the use of chemical weapons by any side a subject of thorough investigation at the UN Security Council, which will be prepared to act under Chapter 7 of the Charter.”
“Naturally, (it will act) proportionately to the severity of violations, which must be proven to be 100% true,” Lavrov stressed. Syria fully complied with resolution provisions in eliminating its entire CW stockpile.
US-led efforts appear heading toward greater war in Syria than already, perhaps the worst to come when Hillary succeeds Obama.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. – See more
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