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onehandle

(51,122 posts)
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 04:41 PM Jun 2013

Syria Has Used Chemical Weapons Against Rebels, U.S. and European Official Conclude

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — American and European intelligence analysts now believe that President Bashar al-Assad’s troops have used chemical weapons against rebel forces in the civil war in Syria, an assessment that will put added pressure on a deeply divided Obama administration to develop a response to a provocation that the president himself has declared a “red line.”

WASHINGTON — American and European intelligence analysts now believe that President Bashar al-Assad’s troops have used chemical weapons against rebel forces in the civil war in Syria, an assessment that will put added pressure on a deeply divided Obama administration to develop a response to a provocation that the president himself has declared a “red line.”

According to an internal memorandum circulating inside the government on Thursday, the “intelligence community assesses that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale against the opposition multiple times in the last year.” President Obama said in April that the United States had physiological evidence that the nerve gas sarin had been used in Syria, but lacked proof of who used it and under what circumstances. He now believes that the proof is definitive, according to American officials.

But a flurry of high-level meetings in Washington this week only underscored the splits within the Obama administration about what actions to take to quell the fighting, which has claimed more than 90,000 people. The meetings were hastily arranged after Mr. Assad’s troops — joined by fighters from the militant group Hezbollah — claimed the strategic city of Qusayr and raised fears in Washington that large parts of the rebellion could be on the verge of collapse.

Senior State Department officials have been pushing for an aggressive military response, including airstrikes to hit the primary landing strips in Syria that the government uses to launch the chemical weapons attacks, ferry troops around the country, and receive shipments of matériel from Iran. But White House officials remain wary, and one American official said that a meeting on Wednesday of the president’s senior advisers yielded no firm decisions about how to proceed.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/14/world/middleeast/white-house-pushes-back-on-bill-clintons-syria-remarks.html

29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Syria Has Used Chemical Weapons Against Rebels, U.S. and European Official Conclude (Original Post) onehandle Jun 2013 OP
Wonderful! In_The_Wind Jun 2013 #1
So is this it? ForgoTheConsequence Jun 2013 #2
Now what?? dbackjon Jun 2013 #3
more from the article how conclusion was reached-unclear azurnoir Jun 2013 #4
The Big Dog was too much. Laelth Jun 2013 #5
I doubt that what IMO we will do is azurnoir Jun 2013 #6
We want to isolate Iran. Laelth Jun 2013 #7
93,000 dead Syrians, according to the UN. Now, we will do our best to double it. Comrade Grumpy Jun 2013 #19
But see also the latest headlines coming out: muriel_volestrangler Jun 2013 #23
The rebels used them too. Fucking war pigs! L0oniX Jun 2013 #8
I still don't believe them. John2 Jun 2013 #9
They were caught with chems in Turkey. L0oniX Jun 2013 #11
Obama, the CIA, John2 Jun 2013 #14
I don't expect the Russians to just stand by. Maybe they could impose a no-fly zone too... L0oniX Jun 2013 #15
I was in the U.S. John2 Jun 2013 #17
It's always made zero sense for the SAA to use them. arewenotdemo Jun 2013 #28
Curiously, we reach this certainty just as Syria gains the upper hand against the insurgents Scootaloo Jun 2013 #10
Get ready to battle the same crowd of Iraq invasion cheer leaders. L0oniX Jun 2013 #12
Dont forget Israel bombing Syria rastaone Jun 2013 #24
I guess Bush had enough time to get the PNAC going and now we cant stop it.. bamacrat Jun 2013 #13
I voted for this? indio55555 Jun 2013 #16
As the Church Lady would say, "How conveeeenient." Comrade Grumpy Jun 2013 #18
Horse Shit! No public proof, No specifics that would make a case in the World Court, No names... Ford_Prefect Jun 2013 #20
Large Boulder of Salt, Meet Swallowing. Fantastic Anarchist Jun 2013 #21
Get ready for a ME regional war. roamer65 Jun 2013 #22
Syria will end up being a representitive democracy. jessie04 Jun 2013 #25
Liars! MrSlayer Jun 2013 #26
When do the protests in D.C. begin? arewenotdemo Jun 2013 #27
This has to be determined by the U.N. Eddie Haskell Jun 2013 #29

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)
4. more from the article how conclusion was reached-unclear
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 05:13 PM
Jun 2013

It is unclear precisely how the Obama administration made its final determination about the chemical weapons use in Syria. According to the internal memorandum, intelligence agencies have “high confidence” in their assessment, and estimate that between 100 and 150 people have died to date from chemical weapons attacks. The memorandum goes on to say that the conclusion is based on a variety of intelligence.

“Our intelligence community has high confidence in that assessment given multiple, independent streams of information,” the memorandum said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/14/world/middleeast/white-house-pushes-back-on-bill-clintons-syria-remarks.html?hpt

what is clear is the Administrations need something to excuse supplying the 'rebels' in order to keep this going

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
5. The Big Dog was too much.
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 05:14 PM
Jun 2013

It has been apparent for some time that the President has been resisting increasing calls to escalate our involvement in the Syrian conflict. Well, when the Big Dog breaks Presidential etiquette and makes a public statement of advice to a sitting President, well, that appears to have been the last straw for President Obama. He couldn't hold out any longer.

This release, if it is coming from the White House, means (imo) that ...

... we are going to war in Syria.

-Laelth

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)
6. I doubt that what IMO we will do is
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 05:17 PM
Jun 2013

,keep the rebels supplied just enough to keep this going, because who's allies in the region are being tied up by this?

70,000 dead Syrians means pfft apparently

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
7. We want to isolate Iran.
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 05:22 PM
Jun 2013

Syria is Iran's proxy (and a thorn in Israel's side). We have to take out Syria before we move on Iran (or, so the hawks argue). We are, obviously, deeply invested in the region.

-Laelth

 

John2

(2,730 posts)
9. I still don't believe them.
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 05:44 PM
Jun 2013

Clinton also, approved of attacking Iraq. Their proof are rebels, that are losing badly. The Obama Administration is going to stand by their statements, Al Nusar or Al Qaeda in Iraq, doesn't have access to Sarin or the involvement of any country's intelligence agents involed in Syria? They have the opportunity right now to be transparent to the American people. If evidence comes out in the future, it is not true, then it will be Obama's legacy.

 

John2

(2,730 posts)
14. Obama, the CIA,
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 06:04 PM
Jun 2013

and European Intelligence services are also discrediting the Iraqi Government. Aleppo is in danger of falling to the Assad Forces, which almost puts the stamp on this rebellion if it happens. So the question is, thats what the rebels supporters are really reacting to? I think it is. I think it will escalate, into something Obama want be able to get out of. I don't think the Syrian government and their supporters are just going to let the U.S. invade their territory, with some No Fly Zone. You are going to see some American deaths and probably prisoners. Then they will have to use ground forces. Obama and the Neocons are playing a dangerous game with American lives. If information reveals itself in the future, that the Obama Adminstration lied, regardless of what he has done as President, that will be his legacy. I hope this man puts his hand on his Bible and swear, that he is telling the truth. Obama is President, not Bill Clinton. It will be the biggest cave of his life, and he will be the one living with it.

 

L0oniX

(31,493 posts)
15. I don't expect the Russians to just stand by. Maybe they could impose a no-fly zone too...
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 06:10 PM
Jun 2013

...a no-fly zone to keep the USAF out. They have agreements with Syria and they will back them up.

 

John2

(2,730 posts)
17. I was in the U.S.
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 06:27 PM
Jun 2013

military, and this is sad. You have to support American Troops when they go to War, but not those who commence them to it. Obama has been tempting down this neocon road for awhile now. I don't forsee a quick end to this if that is what this man must do. I think it will tarnish his presidency when all is said and done. A No Fly zone is going to cost millions. It will cost lives too. They have not defeated Syria yet, but it will escalate to Iran and others. My sense is, that he will be a failure as a President when all is said and done.

 

arewenotdemo

(2,364 posts)
28. It's always made zero sense for the SAA to use them.
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 08:09 PM
Jun 2013

Only the jihadists and their British, French, and American allies had reason to.

 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
10. Curiously, we reach this certainty just as Syria gains the upper hand against the insurgents
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 05:44 PM
Jun 2013

Anyone here who didn't see that particular timing coming from a mile away? Show of hands? Anyone? Anyone at all? Beuller?

bamacrat

(3,867 posts)
13. I guess Bush had enough time to get the PNAC going and now we cant stop it..
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 05:50 PM
Jun 2013

Iraq, Afghanistan, Lybia, Egypt, now Syria all on the list in the PNAC, only one left is Iran... This civil war was set in motion years ago and now we must lie in the bed we made.

 

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)
18. As the Church Lady would say, "How conveeeenient."
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 06:45 PM
Jun 2013

France and Britain have been dying to get deeper in, and I believe the US intelligence community about as far as I can throw it.

Ford_Prefect

(7,872 posts)
20. Horse Shit! No public proof, No specifics that would make a case in the World Court, No names...
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 06:49 PM
Jun 2013

Need I say more?

Suspiciously close on the heels of the Iranian and Russian statements of support for the Regime. Benjamin Netanyahu and the NeoCons can't wait to hit Iran.

This is the Gulf of Tonkin part II a la PNAC, AIPAC and Haliburton.

And what happens to the NSA now?

roamer65

(36,744 posts)
22. Get ready for a ME regional war.
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 06:55 PM
Jun 2013

A full blown Shia-Sunni conflict with the Israelis and their nukes thrown into it.

 

MrSlayer

(22,143 posts)
26. Liars!
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 07:37 PM
Jun 2013

But even if they did, who fucking cares? Let them kill each other, it has nothing to do with us.

 

arewenotdemo

(2,364 posts)
27. When do the protests in D.C. begin?
Thu Jun 13, 2013, 08:07 PM
Jun 2013

I'm going. Voted for the man 2X. Now he makes me want to puke.

May as well have Wolfowitz in the White House.

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