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Fake News Report Suggests
Assad |
By
Stephen Lendman |
| An exclusive Reuters report spuriously suggested Assad, his brother Maher,
and other high-ranking Syrian officials ordered use of toxic chlorine attacks
in 2014 and 2015. A Syrian government official debunked the claim, saying it has “no basis in truth.” It’s part of longstanding attempts to blame Syria for use of toxic agents frequently used by US-supported terrorists. Pointing fingers the wrong way came from a UN/Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inquiry, lacking credibility. The report was strategically leaked ahead of January 23 peace talks, one of a number of attempts to undermine them. So far, it hasn’t been made public. Reuters said it’s “unable to independently review the (alleged) evidence or to verify it.” The so-called Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) was comprised of three alleged independent experts, along with technical and administrative personnel. Its mandate was to identify individuals and groups responsible for CW attacks in Syria. Volumes of evidence show only US-backed terrorists use them, nothing credible suggesting Syrian government or military use. JIM head Virginia Gamba denied the team’s inquiry named suspects. “There are no…identification of individuals being considered at this time,” she said. The report only identified 15 individuals “to be scrutinized in relation to use of CW(s) by the Syrian Arab Republic Armed Forces in 2014 and 2015.” It says nothing about what anyone may have actually done. It’s part of an Obama administration-led smear campaign, the UN and OPCW complicit in suggesting Syrian involvement in using CWs, despite no credible evidence proving it. The report leaked to Reuters is fake news. Discount it entirely. Russia will block any Western Security Council draft resolution to bring Assad and other Syrian officials before the International Criminal Court based on fabricated charges. Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. |
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