Syria

Fabricated US/Israeli Intelligence on Ghouta Gas Attackby Stephen LendmanJohn Kerry repeated Colin Powell's infamous moment. He did so multiple times. He lied claiming Syria launched Ghouta's gas attack.Clear evidence shows otherwise. Insurgents bear full responsibility. Previous articles explained. They did so in convincing detail. More will follow.On September 21, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) headlined "Former British Ambassador: Israel deceived US with fabricated evidence on chemical weapons use in Ghouta."Former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig John Murray, said Israel lied. It manufactured fake evidence.It wrongfully blamed Syria for Ghouta's gas attack. Murray called Kerry's accusations "sheer lies."British intelligence has no information about alleged "radio and communication intercepts between the Syrians despite having the most modern and advanced electronic tapping post on the Mountainous Troodos region of Cyprus," he said."The GCHQ listening post on Mount Troodos in Cyprus is arguably the most valued asset which the UK contributes to in UK/US intelligence cooperation.""It monitors all radio, satellite and microwave traffic across the Middle East, ranging from Egypt and Eastern Libya right through to the Caucasus.""Even almost all landline telephone communication(s) in this region (are) routed through microwave links at some stage, picked up on Troodos.""The communications intercept agencies, GCHQ in the UK and NSA in the US, share all their intelligence reports (as do the CIA and MI6)."Murray disputes Kerry’s allegations, saying:"It is therefore very strange, to say the least, that John Kerry claims to have access to communications intercepts of Syrian military and officials organizing chemical weapons attacks, which intercepts were not available to the British Joint Intelligence Committee".Israel provided Washington with so-called intercept information. It's fake. It's manufactured out of whole cloth. It's intended to deceive.How did British intelligence miss what Israel claims it got, asked Murray? It's simple. "Troodos did not pick up the intercepts because they do not exist."Mossad fabricated them. Kerry's so-called "evidence" is the "shabbiest of tricks," said Murray.On September 21, Syria's real friends headlined "Former Belgian Senate President: Western intelligence may be behind manufacturing nuclear issue in Syria," saying:Anne-Marie Lizin said "a small group in French intelligence may be responsible for the idea of manufacturing the chemical weapons issue in Syria."A video circulating online "raised her suspicions." An "unseen cameraman (recorded) from a balcony."He "focus(ed) on a location from which a rocket was launched 4 or 5 seconds before (it) was actually launched."She raised concerns about producing fake images. She blamed French hardliners connected to Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.France directly supports Syrian terrorists, she said. One example she cited involves a French-speaking man on Belgian public radio.He trains non-Arabic speaking combatants in Syria. She said "this man clearly works for a French agency."Western intelligence agencies produced fake videos, she said. They were the only ones able to do so with UN inspectors close by.She stressed that Europeans overwhelmingly reject war. Over 80% of Belgians express opposition.She added that war on Syria serves Israeli interests. Some Tel Aviv officials openly acknowledge it.Russia responsibly opposes war on Syria. It won't permit Security Council language authorizing it.Russia's Presidential Administration Chief of Staff Sergei Ivanov said Moscow will consider otherwise if Assad is found "cheating.""I am talking theoretically and hypothetically here, but if we see any certainty that Assad is cheating, we could change our position," he said.He was speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Global Strategic Review conference in Stockholm.Ivanov discussed another hypothetical situation. What if evidence shows both sides used chemical weapons, he asked? What would happen then?Russia uncovered earlier evidence blaming insurgents for doing so. Clear analysis proves it. Moscow authorities presented their findings to UN officials. So far they've been suppressed.Ivanov foresees what's likely coming. If Western/Israeli claims prevail, Syria's opposition will get "the US - like in Libya - (to bomb) the regime until it's wiped out, and in doing so pav(e) the way (for) the militants to easy victory."Ivanov and other Russian officials prioritize peaceful conflict resolution. Moscow got Assad to agree to attend Geneva II with no pre-conditions.America did nothing to pressure opposition militants to attend. Washington can do it simply by cutting off all military and other aid if they refuse.Obama won't do it. He deplores peace. He prioritizes war. Cruise missile diplomacy is his strategy of choice.He wants another sovereign state destroyed. He wants pro-Western puppet governance replacing it. He wants unchallenged regional dominance. He wants it globally.He's waging war on humanity to achieve it. He's doing it by ravaging one country after another. He bears full responsibility for millions killed, injured and/or displaced.Many more will be before he's done. He has lots more targets in mind. He's an out-of control global menace. He exceeds the worst of his predecessors. He represents rogue governance writ large.Russia's going all out to prevent what he has in mind. Assad agreed to cooperate fully. On September 21, Voice of Russia (VOR) headlined "International experts scrutinize Syria's disclosures," saying:"An announcement posted on the official website of the international Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons says the OPCW received the details of Syria’s chemical arsenal Friday and is now scrutinizing them."Assad provided information according to US/Russian brokered agreement terms.Doing so shows good faith. Assad's a man of his word. He intends fulfilling promises he made. He has every incentive to do so.Russia backs him. So does China and other important world powers. They prioritize peaceful conflict resolution.They oppose war.According to VOR, Syria complied with its contractual obligation by the agreed on Saturday deadline.The "OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) has confirmed that it has received the expected disclosure from the Syrian government regarding its chemical weapons programme." It did so by email."The Technical Secretariat is currently reviewing the information received," it added.A scheduled Sunday meeting was postponed. It's to permit more time for careful review. A new date and time will be announced as soon as possible.Syria's expected to supply more information. It'll do so as it's compiled.According to OPCW spokesman Michael Luhan, eliminating Syria's chemical weapons represents an extraordinary task.It's so in timeframe, cost and other considerations."What has been proposed for Syria is very irregular," he explained."We've never had such a situation. Everybody understands that it is an extraordinary situation, extraordinary circumstances. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures," he said.Syria's pending Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) entry becomes effective October 14.It'll be the 190th state member. Israel is one of the few international outliers. It refuses to join. It's not a Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory.It wants secretive information about its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons kept that way.It wants the right to use them preemptively. It uses banned weapons in all its wars. So does America. Rogue states operate that way.Joining CWC makes it the controlling body over Syria's chemical weapons."So, to legalize all this, to license us to comply with the request that has been made by the framework agreement, this has to be discussed and approved specifically by the state-parties," Luhan said.Assad agreed to give OPCW authorities full control over disposing of his chemical weapons.They'll decide how. They'll determine the time needed to do so. It's entirely out of Syrian hands. Assad's main responsibility is full disclosure and cooperation. He pledged both.Syria's believed to have around 1,000 metric tons of CWs. It's no simple task destroying them.Great care must be taken to do so responsibly. Key is assuring none are released into the environment. Initial OPCW inspections are scheduled for November.Preventing Obama and Israel from getting away with another false pretext for war remains the top international priority.Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen [at] sbcglobal.net His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."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.It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.