The Syrian Crisis

[W.G.Ewald]

Fears grow over Syria’s chemical arms - FT.com

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How concerned should the world be about President Bashar al-Assad's possession of chemical and biological weapons?
As the civil war between the regime and rebel groups inside Syria intensifies, the question is one that is increasingly on the minds of senior government officials in the US, Europe and the Middle East.
Any discussion of the chemical and biological stocks Syria possesses – and where they are located – presents difficulties. Syria is not a signatory to the international Chemical Weapons Convention and has never declared what its stocks might be. Nine years after the 2003 Iraq war – in which the US and Britain wrongly claimed that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction – many will want to scrutinise any claim made by western intelligence agencies about WMD stocks in Arab states.

 

[Known_Unknown]

Funny thing is, no one questions who exactly the Syrian government forces are fighting, where the rebels are getting money to purchase arms and ammunition, training in bomb-making etc. All the news coverage is one sided, with only death tolls reported.

This is a typical strategy of western news media, only report the "horrors" perpetrated by the regime which the US government wants to change, without going into the details. Eventually, the 24x7 news cycle will ensure that the propaganda acquires a life of its own on social media, blogs etc, and both local and domestic audiences start blaming the regime.

Who's to say that the rebels aren't being funded, sponsored and armed by western governments? Don't forget, even in Iraq during the height of the occupation, British Special Forces agents were captured throwing grenades in crowded markets. They were eventually freed by the British Army who destroyed the prison they were being held in through use of tanks and heavy arms.

I don't trust one whit the coverage of western news channels....they are all one sided vehicles of mass propaganda. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[The Messiah]

Funny thing is, no one questions who exactly the Syrian government forces are fighting, where the rebels are getting money to purchase arms and ammunition, training in bomb-making etc. All the news coverage is one sided, with only death tolls reported.

This is a typical strategy of western news media, only report the "horrors" perpetrated by the regime which the US government wants to change, without going into the details. Eventually, the 24x7 news cycle will ensure that the propaganda acquires a life of its own on social media, blogs etc, and both local and domestic audiences start blaming the regime.

Who's to say that the rebels aren't being funded, sponsored and armed by western governments? Don't forget, even in Iraq during the height of the occupation, British Special Forces agents were captured throwing grenades in crowded markets. They were eventually freed by the British Army who destroyed the prison they were being held in through use of tanks and heavy arms.

I don't trust one whit the coverage of western news channels....they are all one sided vehicles of mass propaganda. Nothing more, nothing less.

I believe most on this forum already know that.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Don't forget, even in Iraq during the height of the occupation, British Special Forces agents were captured throwing grenades in crowded markets. They were eventually freed by the British Army who destroyed the prison they were being held in through use of tanks and heavy arms.

I can't forget what I don't know. Got a cite for that story?

 

[W.G.Ewald]

After U.S. Uproar, Another Syrian "Civilian Massacre" Story Falls Apart

 

[Known_Unknown]

I can't forget what I don't know. Got a cite for that story?

Were British SAS Soldiers Planting Bombs in Basra? | Scoop News

Flashback: Two British SAS Officers Dressed Up as Arabs, Drove Around Basra, Iraq in a Car Fitted with Bombs And Shot Iraqi Police in an Effort to Create a Terrorist Event to Prolong The War… « Socio-Economics History Blog

Britain "apologizes" for terrorist act in Basra

 

[Known_Unknown]

double post-delete me.

 

[Known_Unknown]

After U.S. Uproar, Another Syrian "Civilian Massacre" Story Falls Apart

Didn't expect to see you post this link.

After all, as a defence professional, you're what one may think of as being part of the "defence and foreign policy establishment" of the US.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Didn't expect to see you post this link.

After all, as a defence professional, you're what one may think of as being part of the "defence and foreign policy establishment" of the US.

Life always has these little surprises.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

double post-delete me.

I could not reply to your post which contained the links for some reason.

The three sources seem questionable IMHO.

 

[Known_Unknown]

I could not reply to your post which contained the links for some reason.

The three sources seem questionable IMHO.

You can always research more sources. Problem is, the sources that are usually relied on (BBC, NYT, WaPo etc) cannot be relied on in this instance since they spout government propaganda. Syrian, Iranian or other middle-eastern sources will not be regarded as "reliable". So what's left?

There are pictures of both the SAS agents, their equipment, wigs, masks, booby-trapped car etc. I don't believe anti-tank weapons and booby-trapped cars are standard issue for the SAS, besides, they fired and killed at least one policeman who tried to apprehend them.

That's more than enough for me to draw an inference.

 

[pmaitra]

The three sources seem questionable IMHO.

You have made a valid point, and I will also quote from the link you have shared (thank you for that) with us:

After U.S. Uproar, Another Syrian "Civilian Massacre" Story Falls Apart

Despite hysterical reporting and wild statements by political leaders, however, even "opposition activists" were conceding early on that most of the dead were actually armed combatants who had staged attacks on the regime's military forces. More recent reports, even those based on anonymous "opposition activists," also suggest that closer to 100 people had died. Almost all of the dead were military-aged men, too — a far cry from Clinton's "over 200 men, women and children."

I suppose, my question is, if the mainstream news agencies have to reply on "anonymous 'opposition activists,'" then I suppose one has to take most of the news articles with a grain of salt.

 

[Scalieback]

I could not reply to your post which contained the links for some reason.

The three sources seem questionable IMHO.

The three sources are about as reliable as Austin Allegro (noteably unreliable car). The third for a start carries the headline about apologising, but just say about the damage caused when rescuing the soldiers.

If anyone on here has any knowledge of how the Iraqi Police were during that time, you would understand why they did not wish to be taken and the rescue effort was launched.

It's fanciful to suggest that British soldiers were driving around Basra throwing grenades from a car to facilitate the problems. That is firmly in 'tin foil hat territory' and deserves to be treated with contempt.

 

[Known_Unknown]

The three sources are about as reliable as Austin Allegro (noteably unreliable car). The third for a start carries the headline about apologising, but just say about the damage caused when rescuing the soldiers.

If anyone on here has any knowledge of how the Iraqi Police were during that time, you would understand why they did not wish to be taken and the rescue effort was launched.

It's fanciful to suggest that British soldiers were driving around Basra throwing grenades from a car to facilitate the problems. That is firmly in 'tin foil hat territory' and deserves to be treated with contempt.

Then why did the SAS men carry anti-tank weapons, disguises and a booby-trapped car? Why did they shoot and kill an Iraqi policeman who tried to apprehend them?

You seem to think you can go around shooting and killing anyone you like as long as your larger national interests are preserved. You have zero value for human life when your interests are at stake, yet blame other countries for not doing enough to protect them.

What nauseating hypocrisy.

 

[Scalieback]

You can always research more sources. Problem is, the sources that are usually relied on (BBC, NYT, WaPo etc) cannot be relied on in this instance since they spout government propaganda. Syrian, Iranian or other middle-eastern sources will not be regarded as "reliable". So what's left?

BBC? Govt propoganda? Get real, they are the voice of the liberal elite. The man with the monika of the nazi party is now acting like Goebells

If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth. // If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. // If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it. // If you repeat a lie long enough, it becomes truth. // If you repeat a lie many times, people are bound to start believing it.

There are pictures of both the SAS agents, their equipment, wigs, masks, booby-trapped car etc. I don't believe anti-tank weapons and booby-trapped cars are standard issue for the SAS, besides, they fired and killed at least one policeman who tried to apprehend them.

Shows you know absolutely nothing about the British army let alone Special Forces

That's more than enough for me to draw an inference.

Indeed Joseph, indeed

 

[Scalieback]

Then why did the SAS men carry anti-tank weapons, disguises and a booby-trapped car? Why did they shoot and kill an Iraqi policeman who tried to apprehend them?

When you are travelling in an arabic country, how would you dress? Booby trapped car? Really? Source? AT weapons? You mean a 66mm LAW, a very useful HE weapon

You seem to think you can go around shooting and killing anyone you like as long as your larger national interests are preserved.

Source, or just your usual blustering Joseph. The ones you quoted are pandering to your belief and have more holes than a collander!

You have zero value for human life when your interests are at stake, yet blame other countries for not doing enough to protect them.

Really? Source? Or more black propoganda Joseph?

What nauseating hypocrisy.

Indeed Joseph, indeed. Keep repeating those lies

 

[Known_Unknown]

BBC? Govt propoganda? Get real, they are the voice of the liberal elite. The man with the monika of the nazi party is now acting like Goebells

Yea sure. Is that why the NYT, Guardian et al consulted their governments about which of the Wikileaks cables to publish and which not? Get real, the so called "liberal elite" does not exist in a vacuum.

Shows you know absolutely nothing about the British army let alone Special Forces

Is it also standard practice for the SAS to shoot and kill law enforcement officials who are doing their jobs? Then you're right, I do indeed know nothing about the British army.

 

[Scalieback]

Yea sure. Is that why the NYT, Guardian et al consulted their governments about which of the Wikileaks cables to publish and which not? Get real, the so called "liberal elite" does not exist in a vacuum.

NYT? What has that got to do with the BBC?

I guess they wished to protect the names of those soldiers and others to ensure no operations were blown. A bit of forethought unlike the idiot Assange.

Is it also standard practice for the SAS to shoot and kill law enforcement officials who are doing their jobs? Then you're right, I do indeed know nothing about the British army.

As I said earlier, if you knew the relationship between Iraqi Police and those that attacked the Brits, you would understand.

Keep repeating the lies though Joseph

 

[W.G.Ewald]

The three sources are about as reliable as Austin Allegro (noteably unreliable car).

My cousin had a ca. 1968 Rover. Now there was an unreliable car.

 

[Scalieback]

My cousin had a ca. 1968 Rover. Now there was an unreliable car.

I think pretty much anything that came out of Brit car factories in the 60's, 70's and 80's was notoriously unreliable. That's unions for you

Tata own Rover now IIRC. Seems they've gone from strength to strength since Indian ownership as well.