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Russia Unfairly
Blasted for Vetoing |
| By
Stephen Lendman |
| Russophobia is out-of-control, a relentless Western vilification campaign
raging. The Kremlin faces constant criticism for whatever it does or doesn’t do, notably the following phony accusations: US election meddling; widespread doping of its Olympic athletes; military intervention in Ukraine; threatening its neighbors; supporting Syria’s legitimate leader Assad, falsely called a dictator; bombing civilians in Syria - a US high crime, not Russia’s, its warplanes combating US-supported terrorists, scrupulously trying to avoid civilian casualties; Brexit; Catalonia’s independence movement; and whatever else Russophobic spinmeisters can invent to unfairly vilify the country. A same day article discussed dueling Russia/US Security Council resolutions on extending the OPCW/UN Joint Investigation Mechanism (JIM), probing use of CWs in Syria. Each country vetoed the other’s resolution on this issue. America’s was one-sided, including a provision for invoking the UN Charter’s Chapter VII, authorizing “action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.” If passed, Washington could claim justification for attacking government forces and Damascus, waging all-out war for regime change, based on the false claim of Syrian CW use. No evidence proves it. Russia responsibly vetoed the resolution, proposed a fair and balanced one instead - disgracefully vetoed by Washington, Britain and France voting against it. Media scoundrels jumped all over Russia, one-sidedly reporting on what happened. Here are some distorted headlines: The New York Times: “In UN Showdown, Russian Veto Kills Syria Chemical Arms Panel” - more on the deplorable Times report below. Neocon/CIA-connected Washington Post: “Russian veto ends UN probe of chemical weapons use in Syria” Wall Street Journal: “US, Russia Trade Blame After Syria Chemical-Arms Probe Lapses” CNN: “Russia vetoes UN resolution on chemical weapons probe in Syria” CBS News: “Russia vetoes US effort to extend Syria chemical weapons investigation” NBC News: “Russia vetoes UN resolution on Syria chemical weapons inquiry” AP News: “Rival US and Russian resolutions defeated on Syria weapons” ABC News and USA Today ran the AP report. Reuters: “Russia vetoes extension of mission probing chemical weapons use in Syria” Al Jazeera: “Russia blocks bid to probe Syria chemical weapons use” BBC: “Russia blocks extension of chemical attacks probe” London Guardian: “Russia uses veto to end UN investigation of Syria chemical attacks” Deutche Welle (DW) News: “Russia vetoes UN resolution on chemical weapons probe in Syria” Wall Street Journal and AP News headlines were the only balanced ones. New York Times Russophobia again showed, saying: “Infuriating the United States and its allies, Russia on Thursday blocked an American-sponsored resolution at the Security Council to extend the life of a panel investigating who is using chemical weapons in the Syria conflict.” Like numerous times before, the Times falsely accused Syria of using CWs. Buried well into its report, the self-styled newspaper of record mentioned Russia’s resolution, failing to explain it was fair and balanced, not unacceptable like the US one. Nor did it say Washington vetoed it, instead saying Russia’s resolution would extend the JIM mandate “under conditions that the United States and its allies said would have eviscerated its abilities” - a Big Lie the Times failed to explain and denounce. Nor have the Times and other Western media reported on Syria accurately throughout the conflict - featuring deplorable disinformation on it, some of the worst in memory, including in the above headlined reports. VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. My newest 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 |