Chemical weapon used on civilians in Syria + Airstrikes

RebelButtMunch

cnocbui wrote: »

Comedy gold. You couldn't make this up!

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-opcw/syria-says-will-holds-west-responsible-for-any-obstruction-to-opcw-mission-idUSKBN1HJ2TM

And a week on and the OPCW still haven't gone on site due to Syrian/Russian obstruction.

This is reminiscent of Russia pre-warning of the Syrian governments chemical attack in Douma by claiming a false-flag avent was about to occur.

Bit of a pattern forming here: pre-announce to the world your bad deeds - pre-blaming the opposition as being the real culprits, and expect the world to be collectively thick and unable to see through your ruse.

Have a look here, its not Russian obstruction
https://www.opcw.org/news/article/media-alert-update-on-the-deployment-of-the-opcw-fact-finding-mission-to-douma-syria/

On arrival at Site 1, a large crowd gathered and the advice provided by the UNDSS was that the reconnaissance team should withdraw. At Site 2, the team came under small arms fire and an explosive was detonated. The reconnaissance team returned to Damascus.

Shurimgreat

kaymin wrote: »

How about taking in the views of a doctor that was actually on the ground in Douma:

Fisk goes on to identify the doctor by name – Dr. Assim Rahaibani – which is notable given the fact that all early reporting from Douma typically relied on “unnamed doctors” and anonymous opposition sources for early claims of a chlorine gas attack (lately morphed into an unverified “mixed” chlorine-and-sarin attack).

The doctor’s testimony is consistent with that of the well-known Syrian opposition group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which initially reported based on its own pro-rebel sourcing that heavy government bombardment of Douma city resulted in the collapse of homes and underground shelters, causing civilians in hiding to suffocate.

According to SOHR, which has long been a key go-to source for mainstream media over the course of the war, “70 of them [women and children] have suffered suffocation as a result of the demolition of home basements over them due to the heavy and intense shelling.

Fisk details the Syrian doctor’s testimony, who is adamant in his emphasis that civilians were suffocating en masse, and were not gassed:

It was a short walk to Dr Rahaibani. From the door of his subterranean clinic–“Point 200”, it is called, in the weird geology of this partly-underground city–is a corridor leading downhill where he showed me his lowly hospital and the few beds where a small girl was crying as nurses treated a cut above her eye.

“I was with my family in the basement of my home three hundred metres from here on the night but all the doctors know what happened. There was a lot of shelling [by government forces] and aircraft were always over Douma at night–but on this night, there was wind and huge dust clouds began to come into the basements and cellars where people lived. People began to arrive here suffering from hypoxia, oxygen loss. Then someone at the door, a “White Helmet”, shouted “Gas!”, and a panic began. People started throwing water over each other. Yes, the video was filmed here, it is genuine, but what you see are people suffering from hypoxia–not gas poisoning.”

So if its not gas why are the Russians so reluctant to let in the inspectors? Why did they try to veto an investigation.

Shurimgreat

cnocbui wrote: »

Comedy gold. You couldn't make this up!

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-opcw/syria-says-will-holds-west-responsible-for-any-obstruction-to-opcw-mission-idUSKBN1HJ2TM

And a week on and the OPCW still haven't gone on site due to Syrian/Russian obstruction.

This is reminiscent of Russia pre-warning of the Syrian governments chemical attack in Douma by claiming a false-flag avent was about to occur.

Bit of a pattern forming here: pre-announce to the world your bad deeds - pre-blaming the opposition as being the real culprits, and expect the world to be collectively thick and unable to see through your ruse.

First Russia/Syria/RT/ etc said there was no chemical attack.
Then they said it was a staged chemical attack.
Then they prevent inspectors investigating the scene of this "staged attack".
On one level you have to laugh at the Russians. They are so blatant in their disregard for the truth. I guess they have gotten used to killing with impunity and supporting others who kill with impunity.

cnocbui

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Have a look here, its not Russian obstruction
https://www.opcw.org/news/article/media-alert-update-on-the-deployment-of-the-opcw-fact-finding-mission-to-douma-syria/

On arrival at Site 1, a large crowd gathered and the advice provided by the UNDSS was that the reconnaissance team should withdraw. At Site 2, the team came under small arms fire and an explosive was detonated. The reconnaissance team returned to Damascus.

An article stated 5000 Syrian and Russian troops had entered Douma. I don't believe the small arms fire and explosion were due to remaining rebel forces. Which leaves....

You also didn't mention the nonsense for the first few days of the Syrians claiming the team didn't have the correct UN documents and thus refusing them access

RebelButtMunch

cnocbui wrote: »

An article stated 5000 Syrian and Russian troops had entered Douma. I don't believe the small arms fire and explosion were due to remaining rebel forces. Which leaves....

pure speculation?

cnocbui

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

pure speculation?

Well obviously, but it isn't credible that with 5000 troops they can't keep a crowd back or provide security.

RebelButtMunch

cnocbui wrote: »

Well obviously, but it isn't credible that with 5000 troops they can't keep a crowd back or provide security.

I'd think it would be credible. I can imagine a place like that is swamped with guns and explosives outside the hands of Russians.

skepticalme

It seems it is only the UK delegation OPCW that are saying the russians and syrians are blocking them from Douma. The official OPCW page makes no such allegation.

Discodog

skepticalme wrote: »

It seems it is only the UK delegation OPCW that are saying the russians and syrians are blocking them from Douma. The official OPCW page makes no such allegation.

It says they were attacked in an area swarming with Syrian & Russian troops.

Annd9

Shurimgreat wrote: »

And what was your previous username out of interest?

You have still have not provided the section of this forum that you expect first time (or lapsed ) members to contribute. My feeling is , because I have a different opinion to yourself that you felt the need to question my motivation.

Why would you not be sceptical about a group founded by a former brittish army intelligence officer claiming to be the Syrian civil defence ?
All the while , the ACTUAL internationally recognised Syrian civil defense are in the shadows crying out for some funding .

Every player in this conflict are spinning stories to suit their own narrative, if you question one it does not mean you believe the others

Barry Badrinath

cnocbui wrote: »

Well obviously, but it isn't credible that with 5000 troops they can't keep a crowd back or provide security.

When the individual rebel groups agreed to cease hostilities and opt for a relocation deal, there was also another offer. This offer was to cease fighting, come to an arrangement with the Syrian government and remain in Eastern Ghouta.

There are still rebel fighters located in the area, some of whom had no say in the matter to relocate. Some did not want to go Eastern Qalamoun, Idlib or Aleppo. They wanted to stay and fight. Not to mention the ISIS pocket in the southern Damascus suburbs.

It is very logical, that one of the tens of thousand members of Jaysh al-Islam, Ahrar al-Sham, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Faylaq al-Rahman or ISIS would be able to take a few pot shots at a safe distance.

If you think that there is no more shooting in Damascus....you are very wrong.

skepticalme

They found the 11 year old boy in the hospital video supposedly gassed. The one who is hosed and told to swallow the ventolin inhaler. He is safe and well, and says he was paid in cookies for his part in the theatrics.

Gatling

skepticalme wrote: »

They found the 11 year old boy in the hospital video supposedly gassed.

Who said

nacho libre

According to some media reports the Yazidis in Afrin are now being persecuted by members of the so called moderate rebels which are backed by Turkey.
With this in mind someone mentioned earlier that Bashar Assad had asked for a loan to rebuild parts of Syria, is this a tacit admission by him that he knows he will never be able to reclaim all territory? If his forces do retake Idlib i don't see him then risking a direct confrontation with Turkey. Perhaps we will then see a deal being done by all sides. Or is that too optimistic?

skepticalme

Gatling wrote: »

Who said

He said it himself. His name is Hassan Diab.

Discodog

skepticalme wrote: »

He said it himself. His name is Hassan Diab.

He meant where's the link?

Gatling

Discodog wrote: »

skepticalme wrote: »

He said it himself. His name is Hassan Diab.

He meant where's the link?

It's a sputnik exposé

Safe to say it's fake

skepticalme

Russia said they are presenting his evidence to the UN. He looks fine anyway.

Gatling

skepticalme wrote: »

Russia said they are presenting his evidence to the UN. He looks fine anyway.

Russia said this and russia said that yada yada yada.

Russia trying to deflect from the current blocked OPCW investigation .
Russia is lying

Discodog

skepticalme wrote: »

Russia said they are presenting his evidence to the UN. He looks fine anyway.

Probably terrified.

cnocbui

More comedy gold from Russia:

All Conditions Created for OPCW to Work Normally in Douma, Russian Envoy Says
Middle East
06:07 17.04.2018(updated 14:18 19.04.2018)

GENEVA (Sputnik) – The Syrian authorities have created all conditions for the normal work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons experts in Syria’s Douma, their safety is being ensured, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva Gennady Gatilov said Monday.

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201804171063632977-opcw-douma-condition-ceated/

So the shots fired were a Syrian/Russian ruse, as suspected, since the inspectors safety was assured. You could only do that if you were the ones doing the shooting.

Gatling

cnocbui wrote: »

More comedy gold from Russia:

All Conditions Created for OPCW to Work Normally in Douma, Russian Envoy Says
Middle East
06:07 17.04.2018(updated 14:18 19.04.2018)

GENEVA (Sputnik) – The Syrian authorities have created all conditions for the normal work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons experts in Syria’s Douma, their safety is being ensured,

So the shots fired were a Syrian/Russian ruse, as suspected, since the inspectors safety was assured. You could only do that if you were the ones doing the shooting.

Absolutely that's the case delay , block and deflection .
Seems to be the same tactics employed here on boards

RebelButtMunch

cnocbui wrote: »

More comedy gold from Russia:

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201804171063632977-opcw-douma-condition-ceated/

So the shots fired were a Syrian/Russian ruse, as suspected, since the inspectors safety was assured. You could only do that if you were the ones doing the shooting.

How did you get that form that article

Shurimgreat

I always find it amusing when armchair experts speaking from their front room or bedroom in Ireland with no chemical weapons experience, claim to know more than actual chemical weapons experts who have spent decades in the field.

Lets leave this to the chemical weapons experts.
Which in turn begs the question have they been allowed to investigate yet or are they still being delayed?

RebelButtMunch

Shurimgreat wrote: »

I always find it amusing when armchair experts speaking from their front room or bedroom in Ireland with no chemical weapons experience, claim to know more than actual chemical weapons experts who have spent decades in the field.

Lets leave this to the chemical weapons experts.
Which in turn begs the question have they been allowed to investigate yet or are they still being delayed?

No update here since the 18th
https://www.opcw.org/special-sections/syria/press-releases/

cnocbui

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

How did you get that form that article

It's in the post you quoted - plain as day.

RebelButtMunch

cnocbui wrote: »

It's in the post you quoted - plain as day.

I don't think so. It says
" At Site 2, the team came under small arms fire and an explosive was detonated. The reconnaissance team returned to Damascus."

Where does it say who did the shooting?

cnocbui

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

I don't think so. It says
" At Site 2, the team came under small arms fire and an explosive was detonated. The reconnaissance team returned to Damascus."

Where does it say who did the shooting?

Err...

since the inspectors safety was assured. You could only do that if you were the ones doing the shooting.

RebelButtMunch

cnocbui wrote: »

Err...

Are we getting our wires crossed?
I posted this
https://www.opcw.org/news/article/media-alert-update-on-the-deployment-of-the-opcw-fact-finding-mission-to-douma-syria/

The word 'shooting' doesnt appear in that.

kaymin

'since the inspectors safety was assured. You could only do that if you were the ones doing the shooting.'

Or you've just secured the area and eliminated the threat.