U.S. spies certain Assad used nerve gas 'after intercepting phone call from panicking Syrian def...

Daily Mail ^ | August 28, 2013 | Amanda Williams and Jill Reilly

[maggief]

Full title:

U.S. spies certain Assad used nerve gas 'after intercepting phone call from panicking Syrian defence chief demanding an explanation from its chemical weapon military unit'

NOTE: FOREIGN POLICY is published by the FP Group, a division of The Washington Post.

[Timber Rattler]

The U.S is confident that Syria was behind the deadly chemical weapons attack after intercepting a phone call from a Syrian defence chief demanding an explanation from its chemical weapon military unit for the action, according to new claims.

OK, IF true (and that's a big IF), then the Syrian government neither ordered nor authorized the chemical strike. So why all this talk of war if the solution is to let Assad's people identify the rogue officer(s) and execute him/them publicly?

[HollyB]

Good point. Plus, what was the response from the team?

[varon]

U.S. spies certain Assad used nerve gas 'after intercepting phone call from panicking Syrian defence chief demanding an explanation from its chemical weapon military unit'

Another article for the Fiction Section................

[Gen.Blather]

“So why all this talk of war if the solution is to let Assad’s people identify the rogue officer(s) and execute him/them publicly? “

Uhm...never let a crisis go to waste?

The problems with portioning out the gas agents to many sources of control is that they might either be used without orders or in desperation, or that they will be captured and used in a false flag operation or against your own forces.

One or more of these bad outcomes became a certainty when Assad moved the gas to many locations to prevent effective bombing.

[Enchante]

Exactly right! IF this report is true then the Obamabots know that it was not an authorized action. Allow the specific perps to be dealt with, don’t start a freakin’ war over it.......

[rdcbn]

This information actually supports the False Flag operation hypothesis.

[AnAmericanAbroad]

A rogue commander - especially one in charge of WMD’s - is bad news; think “Dr. Strangelove” and General Jack D. Ripper.

It could also mean that the chinless opthamologist really doesn’t have command of his military, or at least there’s no proper chain of command for the deployment/authorization of WMD use. Pretty slipshod, in my book, but perhaps that’s just the nature of Syria’s military command structure.

I would imagine that a partial transcript of that conversation would included the memorable line, “YOU JUST DID WHAT?! WTF? SERIOUSLY! S**T!!”

[Bobalu]

This is damned thin evidence...almost invisible.
The same call might have been made if the rebels used the gas.

Israel listens to Syrian rf traffic from Mt Hermon, I wonder if they also intercepted such a call?

[maggief]

True. But, this looks like a deliberate leak ... FP is a division of the WaPo, a WH tool. Weak.

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/08/27/exclusive_us_spies_say_intercepted_calls_prove_syrias_army_used_nerve_gas

But the intercept raises questions about culpability for the chemical massacre, even as it answers others: Was the attack on Aug. 21 the work of a Syrian officer overstepping his bounds? Or was the strike explicitly directed by senior members of the Assad regime? “It’s unclear where control lies,” one U.S. intelligence official told The Cable. “Is there just some sort of general blessing to use these things? Or are there explicit orders for each attack?”

[wiggen]

and if they don’t?

[agere_contra]

The U.S is confident that Syria was behind the deadly chemical weapons attack after intercepting a phone call from a Syrian defence chief demanding an explanation from its chemical weapon military unit for the action

So they're confident that Syria was behind it, while providing evidence that they weren't.

[rdcbn]

Good point. Plus, what was the response from the team?

---

Probably, that is was not them using the weapons

[FreedomPoster]

But this is all about Obama “looking tough”, not truth and what makes sense.

[don-o]

Half assed cover story from the Phoney Regime.

[HollyB]

This is about an excuse to weaken their military, so the rebels can get an upper hand.

[cincinnati65]

Wow, this is weak "evidence". So, let's say you're the Syrian Military Commander. Evidence starts rolling in that there was a nerve gas attack, one you know you didn't order. Wouldn't the natural response be to pick up the phone and call the head of the chemical weapons division and find out what the heck was going on? And don't you think you'd be a little "panicked" since you know you're in a boatload of trouble if the attack was launched on your watch?

This does not rise to the standard of proof.

[txrefugee]

And this makes our spying look effective....a win/win for our feckless “leader.”
Who but the most gullible among us believes anything they “leak” for his benefit?

[maggief]

Ping.
#

Other developments:

REUTERS:

Russia says too early for U.N. resolution on Syria attack

Hugo Dixon @Hugodixon
2 With Ban-Ki Moon saying inspectors need time and French MPs not voting until Sept 4, UK MPs don’t need to rush. #syria

6:45 AM

Hugo Dixon @Hugodixon
1. UK MPs should delay a vote on #Syria until UN inspectors have finished job and US has published its evidence that Assad is culprit

Agence France-Presse @AFP 27m

#BREAKING US rules out unilateral military action against Syria: official

Agence France-Presse @AFP 53m

#BREAKING Security Council clearance needed before Syria military strike: UN envoy

RT:

11:17 GMT: Saudi Arabia’s armed forces have been placed on high alert amid widespread expectations that Western governments are planning to carry out a military strike against Syria in the coming days.

11:14 GMT: The French parliament is to hold an extraordinary session later Wednesday to discuss the situation in Syria, Reuters cited government spokeswoman Najat Vallaud-Belkacem as saying. “The president has taken the decision to summon parliament on Wednesday to assess the situation in Syria,” she said after a Cabinet meeting.

10:59 GMT: German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle urged members of the UN Security Council, including Russia, to back the UK resolution on Syria expected to be proposed later Wednesday. The resolution will condemn the chemical weapon attacks allegedly carried out by the Assad government and authorize “necessary measures” to protect civilians.

10:32 GMT: The UN’s Syria envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, said that international law is clear that a Security Council resolution is required for military action.

10:16 GMT: American and British warships deployed in the eastern Mediterranean may carry out a strike on Syria using cruise missiles as soon as in the early hours of Friday, according to Fox News quoting unknown military sources.

9:40 GMT: Israeli intelligence has reportedly intercepted a conversation between Syrian officials concerning the use of chemical weapons, an unnamed former Mossad official told German magazine Focus. The content of the conversation was relayed to the US, the ex-official underlined.

9:20 GMT: The UK has drafted a resolution condemning the chemical weapons attack allegedly carried out by Bashar Assad forces and authorizing “necessary measures” to protect civilian population. The document is to be presented later on Wednesday at a meeting of the five permanent members of the Security Council in New York.

9:16 GMT: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that the UN inspection team in Syria needs “time to do its job.”

7:37 GMT: An al-Qaeda linked group has threatened a ‘volcano of revenge’ against the Syrian government and military targets in retaliation for the suspected chemical weapons attack in a Damascus suburb last week, Reuters reports.

[chris37]

Then play the tape.

Make your case for war, Mr. Obama, because I do not believe a damn thing you or any one under you says.