The Independent Fails Again

The Independent fails miserably once more.



The headline screams:




    Russia and Iran warn US they will 'respond with force' if red lines crossed in Syria again



    While in the actual content of the article it provides no evidence of where this claim came from bar two lines including :

        the alliance supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a joint statement
This alleged joint statement appears to be doubtful as covered here by The Duran.

The article further states that 'experts have dismissed Russias claim' that Syrian forces hit a rebel warehouse storing the gas.

It provides no evidence of this in the article but a previous one by the same journalist here delves a bit more.  

Hasan Haj Ali, commander of the Free Idlib Army rebel group, called the Russian statement blaming the rebels a “lie” and said rebels did not have the capability to produce nerve gas.
Interesting he only states they do not have the capability to produce it, not denying they haven't used it.

While Isis is known to have used mustard gas, the area around Khan Sheikhoun is controlled by a range of opposition factions including Islamists and groups linked to al-Qaeda. 
Nice to see they have forgotten to mention incidents where 'rebels' have used gas such as in Aleppo on the Kurds last year. Ahrar al Sham I believe made a statement after the attack accepting it was them and saying it was done 'by mistake'.

And older suspected attacks by 'rebels' which even the UN investigators commented on. 

The best is left to the experts though as plural turns out to be singular in the fact of only one 'expert' being quoted.

Beyza Unal, a research fellow with the International Security Department at Chatham House........'I don’t buy the Russian claims…the story doesn’t add up. '
Unal goes on to say :

“I don’t think rebel groups would have the ability governments would have to purify nerve agents to a level that would make them stable,” Dr Unal added.

She says this despite the huge financial backing,training and governmental support 'rebel' groups have and ignoring the fact of the Aum Shinrikyo cult attacks in Japan which was carried out by a non governmental although well funded group.

This attack is highlighted in a report she authored for Lloyds  and on page 10 says:

The heightened terrorist and saboteur threat in the world today arguably increases the likelihood of chemical weapons use by malicious actors. Countries experiencing political or social instability, and which possess chemical weapons programmes (such as Syria) or have in the past (such as Iraq), run the risk of hazardous precursor agents or chemical weapons themselves falling into the wrong hands.

In terms of potential terrorist use, VX and other nerve
agents are low-probability but high-impact agents,
meaning that while there is difficulty in obtaining the
chemicals, their use could potentially be catastrophic.
In this report she opens the possibility of terrorist procured chemical weapons such as sarin being used but dismisses it out of hand for the Idlib incident.

Unal is also the author of a near hysterical anti Russian NATO research document  , the highlights of which include:


  • Forwarding a scenario where 'little green men' replicate the Crimean model in the Baltic states (for apparently no other reason apart from a under performing Russian economy)
  • Russian foreign and security policy is driven by the need of survival of the 'Putin regime'
  • NATOs own assessment will suffice in deciding what 'deterrents' should be in place - Russia's input is unwanted
  •    Pre-positioning heavy assets will be critical to mitigate against NATO vulnerabilities 
  • Military power must remain the core deterrence against Russia
  • Advocates for an 'considerable improvement'  in 'human intelligence assets' for early warning (in other words, more spies into Russia security services)

Among many other typical NATO propagated ideals.
So for a brief summary of our unbiased weapons expert:

Beyza Unal
Turkish
 NATO, participated with Joint Forces Staff College, receives funding from US Dept of Energy, participated with the Atlantic Council, works for Chatham House.

Chatham House donors include :


  • Department for International Development, UK (£500k +)
  • Foreign & Commonwealth Office, UK (£500k +)
  • Asfari Foundation  (£250K+)
  • Chevron Ltd(£250K+)
  • Rockefeller Foundation(£250K+)
  • United States Agency for International Development(£250K+)
  • Cabinet Office, UK
  • European Commission
  • Crown Prince Court, Abu Dhabi
  • British Army
  • Ministry of Defence, UK
  • Saudi Petroleum Overseas Ltd
 Never mind the obvious huge conflict on interest in governmental funding but it should also be noted from the Asfari Foundation. Ayman Asfari is a Syrian-British businessman who has been outspoken against Assad and the Syrian state.

It's nice when the children behave and speak as they're told to in public.









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