Syria, are you ready for these?
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IC people chemicals are no joke. If Obama lets that go its a signal to all the other crazy dictators to act the same!
Imo chemicals against soldiers is gross to begin. No excuse for using it against your own people. I highly doubt that the rebels are gasing their fellow citizen in order to win...
Those "rebels" aren't syrian. They are paid mercenaries from different parts of the middle east with strong al quieda ties. -
A.J. Trillzynski wrote: »so I'm guessing you won't even bother to read the press release as its a given whatever the government says is a lie. that's extremely close minded.Multiple streams of intelligence indicate that the regime executed a rocket and artillery attack against the Damascus suburbs in the early hours of August 21. Satellite detections corroborate that attacks from a regime-controlled area struck neighborhoods where the chemical attacks reportedly occurred – including Kafr Batna, Jawbar, ‘Ayn Tarma, Darayya, and Mu’addamiyah. This includes the detection of rocket launches from regime controlled territory early in the morning, approximately 90 minutes before the first report of a chemical attack appeared in social media. The lack of flight activity or missile launches also leads us to conclude that the regime used rockets in the attack.
Local social media reports of a chemical attack in the Damascus suburbs began at 2:30 a.m. local time on August 21. Within the next four hours there were thousands of social media reports on this attack from at least 12 different locations in the Damascus area. Multiple accounts described chemical-filled rockets impacting opposition-controlled areas.Three hospitals in the Damascus area received approximately 3,600 patients displaying symptoms consistent with nerve agent exposure in less than three hours on the morning of August 21, according to a highly credible international humanitarian organization. The reported symptoms, and the epidemiological pattern of events – characterized by the massive influx of patients in a short period of time, the origin of the patients, and the contamination of medical and first aid workers – were consistent with mass exposure to a nerve agent. We also received reports from international and Syrian medical personnel on the ground.
We have identified one hundred videos attributed to the attack, many of which show large numbers of bodies exhibiting physical signs consistent with, but not unique to, nerve agent exposure. The reported symptoms of victims included unconsciousness, foaming from the nose and mouth, constricted pupils, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing. Several of the videos show what appear to be numerous fatalities with no visible injuries, which is consistent with death from chemical weapons, and inconsistent with death from small-arms, high-explosive munitions or blister agents. At least 12 locations are portrayed in the publicly available videos, and a sampling of those videos confirmed that some were shot at the general times and locations described in the footage.
? i don't know why i even bother.. if it came from the government it must be a lie right? why do you live here then can't afford a passport?
ROFL AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! You're still quoting the White House website AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!
I'm a paralegal for a law firm but I can't help but laugh my ass off reading your post at work. You have the ? nerve to tell me, an American citizen, to leave the country because I dare say the govt/White Huse is full of ? and lies? You would have told Martin Luther King Jr to leave the country too right? He said worst things about American govt then I have ever said on this forum. You would have also told Rosa Parks to get her ass out the country because she didn't want to ride in the back of the bus no more right?
Listen bro, the United Nations has said themselves there IS NO SOLID EVIDENCE Syria used chemical weapons so far. In fact, the New York Times has said back in May 2013 that the SYRIAN REBELS THEMSELVES used chemical weapons. Sooo...uhhh.....should we bomb the Syrian rebels too??!!! After all, many of the Syrian rebels are linked with AL-Qaeda. Are you an Al-Qaeda supporter now? I have a feeling you are.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVsB07CcSNw
These are the guys that are most likely responsible for this so called civil war. Assad wasn't having it, and now they are trying to bring him down because he refused to take money from the globalist -
IC people chemicals are no joke. If Obama lets that go its a signal to all the other crazy dictators to act the same!
Imo chemicals against soldiers is gross to begin. No excuse for using it against your own people. I highly doubt that the rebels are gasing their fellow citizen in order to win...
I swear this thread is becoming comic relief to the wise here. The NY Times, Washington Times, AND United Nations found evidence back in May of 2013 that the SYRIAN REBELS used chemical weapons themselves, LOL. Should we bomb the Al-Qaeda linked Syrian rebels now? Here's a link proving what I'm saying....don't be too trustful of the American govt man, it has a VEERRRYYY long history of lying and deceiving people to convince gullible Americans to fight and murder innocent people around the world to steal oil and resources, under cover of "protecting innocents and America". Here's a link showing how many feel the AL-Qaeda linked Syrian rebels have used chemical weapons in the past....
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/6/syrian-rebels-used-sarin-nerve-gas-not-assads-regi/
Monday, May 6, 2013
Testimony from victims strongly suggests it was the rebels, not the Syrian government, that used Sarin nerve gas during a recent incident in the revolution-wracked nation, a senior U.N. diplomat said Monday.
Carla del Ponte, a member of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, told Swiss TV there were “strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof,” that rebels seeking to oust Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad had used the nerve agent.
But she said her panel had not yet seen any evidence of Syrian government forces using chemical weapons, according to the BBC, but she added that more investigation was needed.
--Lemzola, considering the rebels are linked with AL-Qaeda AND have used chemical weapons in the past themselves, why should Obama butt in? It's not like Obama hasn't killed tons of innocent people worldwide himself, him being the ? borderline terrorist he is.
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A.J. Trillzynski wrote: »UPTOWNCONNEXX wrote: »Allah_U_Akbar wrote: »Muhannad X wrote: »The sooner that dictator gets toppled the better. This animal is willing to use chemical weapons against his own people just to cling on to his power.dallas' 4 eva wrote: »I really wish we could bomb them countries into the ground so we could stop hearing about this ? .dallas' 4 eva wrote: »I really wish we could bomb them countries into the ground so we could stop hearing about this ? .
Forreal..the whole middle east need to just "disappear".Everybody!!! women and children...tired of this ? .
Why does the U.S. gotta bomb ANYBODY?
You don't hear Canada talking about taking action against Syria.
You don't hear Sweden talking about taking action against Syria and etc, etc...
First of all, how do we even know it's the Syrian government using chemicals against civilians?
Where's your proof? John Kerry said so, therefore it must be true. GTFOH!
For all we know, it could be the so-called rebels committing these atrocities and blaming it on "The Regime".
These rebels might be aligned with Al-Qeada or other terrorist organizations in an attempt to overthrow the Syrian government.
And the U.S. is all too ready and willing to get involved in another war without knowing all the facts. SMH
That's none of our business and we don't need to be spending any more loot fighting wars overseas.
no doubt ... the real reason is this tho
the US pretty much controls iraq which is inbetween SYRIA and IRAN. By taking syria, which is what the outcome of this will be, the US will have more real estate over there when it goes at iran ... eventually.
not to mention that area has always been key to global dominance so the more you control it...... you know the rest
no doubt my ass.. wtf is this ? . both these posts are garbage. you will believe ANYTHING as long as it portrays America as some evil empire. doesn't matter how senseless or stupid.
ok so explain this conflict then, america asks syria not to use chemical warfare on its own soil and now the U.S. is some benevolent super hero rushing in to save women and children because syria didnt listen LOL
wtf are you even talking about??
youre one of those ppl when talking about nasa and space travel that will say " america didnt want to go back to the moon because its not worth it" then come rushing in a thread like this and say that america will spend millions upons millions just because somebody is being mean to someone else in the middle east ... even tho america has no reason to say why fighting this "war" is WORTH IT
so obviously, since the US NEVER does anything that it doesnt benefit from. there is only one possible explanation. land and resources
have a great evening sir LOL -
Both Congressional GOP Leaders supported war today. Obama done suckered these sworn enemies of his to support and co-own a dubious-ass policy lol damn you gotta admit that's some devious ? . Free Republic is ? raging at the Republican Party right now like I've never seen.
At least the Senate is contributing to the Democracy for once:
The Senate resolution authorizing President Barack Obama to use military force against Syria would bar American ground troops for combat operations and set a deadline for any action.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the draft resolution that the Foreign Relations Committee will vote on Wednesday.
The measure would set a time limit of 60 days and says the president can extend that for 30 days more with congressional approval. -
tentative House whip counts:
Washington Post
Favor Intervention: 16
Opposed or Likely Opposed: 127
Undecided: 99
Think Progress
Likely to favor intervention: 43
Likely to Oppose: 141
Undecided: 249
Firedoglake:
Favor intervention or Likely to: 49
Oppose or Likely to Oppose: 133
In the Senate:
• 11 Democratic senators favor military intervention.
• 9 Republican senators favor military intervention.
• 5 Republicans oppose military intervention.
• 10 Republicans are leaning no.
• 4 Democrats and 1 independent, Bernie Sanders, are leaning no.
• 37 Democrats and 1 independent, Angus King, are undecided.
• 22 Republicans are undecided.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/03/1236085/-Whip-count-for-House-of-Representatives-vote-on-resolution-regarding-use-of-military-force-in-Syria -
I just saw that Foreign Relations committee thing tonight too, thankfully the Senate and the House haven't supported this travesty of a war yet. America doesn't have the backing of the Arab League and the United Nations, and it still wants war against Syria. Shameful. America is run by terrorists not much better then Osama Bin Laden. Then again, Obama has killed way more innocent people worldwide then Osama Bin Laden has, very telling.
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A very good petition going around......add your voice to those who know attacking Syria will bring us nothing but more hatred from the Muslim world and more aid to Al-Qaeda linked Syrian rebels......sign the petition. It's time for America to stop being AL-Qaeda's air force and navy, no more warmongering and failed wars
Petition: "The Administration is considering intervening in the Syrian civil war. We oppose this. There's no vital national security involved. We are not the world’s policeman, nor its judge and jury. Our own needs in America are great, and they come first. The death of civilians is always regrettable, and civil war is regrettable, but no Americans have been attacked, and no American allies have been attacked. The British Parliament understandably has voted not to join in any attack. Notably, defense contractor Raytheon's stock is up 20% in the last 60 days. It seems that nobody wants US intervention in Syria except the military-industrial complex. I oppose US military intervention in Syria. Join me."
dontattacksyria.com -
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/09/20139118235327617.htmlArab League foreign ministers have urged the international community and the United Nations to take "deterrent" action against the Syrian regime over its alleged use of chemical weapons.
"The United Nations and the international community are called upon to assume their responsibilities in line with the UN Charter and international law by taking the necessary deterrent measures", the ministers said in a statement on Sunday following a meeting in Cairo.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/04/us-syria-crisis-germany-idUSBRE9830TV20130904A Hezbollah official has said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered a poison gas attack last month and that it considered the move a mistake which showed he was losing his grip, according to German intelligence.
Participants at a confidential meeting of German lawmakers on Monday said the head of the BND foreign intelligence agency told them it had intercepted a phone call believed to be between a high-ranking member of the Lebanese Shi'ite militant group and the Iranian Embassy in Damascus. -
Wow ima chill with the joining the military thinking.
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FuriousOne wrote: »http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/09/20139118235327617.htmlArab League foreign ministers have urged the international community and the United Nations to take "deterrent" action against the Syrian regime over its alleged use of chemical weapons.
"The United Nations and the international community are called upon to assume their responsibilities in line with the UN Charter and international law by taking the necessary deterrent measures", the ministers said in a statement on Sunday following a meeting in Cairo.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/04/us-syria-crisis-germany-idUSBRE9830TV20130904A Hezbollah official has said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered a poison gas attack last month and that it considered the move a mistake which showed he was losing his grip, according to German intelligence.
Participants at a confidential meeting of German lawmakers on Monday said the head of the BND foreign intelligence agency told them it had intercepted a phone call believed to be between a high-ranking member of the Lebanese Shi'ite militant group and the Iranian Embassy in Damascus.
There are witnesses and sources who say the Syrian rebels have ALSO used chemical weapons.....how come you don't wish to bomb the Al-Qaeda linked Syrian rebels, the ones who like to eat hearts and body parts of their dead enemies? Are you supporting AL-Qaeda behind your computer screen now, as Obama clearly supports Al-Qaeda in Syria?
Also note the Arab League is not the ones willing to fire weapons in this civil war.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/05/us-syria-crisis-un-idUSBRE94409Z20130505
U.N. has testimony that Syrian rebels used sarin gas: investigator
(Reuters) - U.N. human rights investigators have gathered testimony from casualties of Syria's civil war and medical staff indicating that rebel forces have used the nerve agent sarin, one of the lead investigators said on Sunday.
The United Nations independent commission of inquiry on Syria has not yet seen evidence of government forces having used chemical weapons, which are banned under international law, said commission member Carla Del Ponte.
"Our investigators have been in neighboring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated," Del Ponte said in an interview with Swiss-Italian television.
---Why do you support Al-Qaeda linked Syrian rebels who use chemical weapons Warmonger One? -
silverfoxx wrote: »Wow ima chill with the joining the military thinking.
Smart move, unless you want to become the armed force of Al-Qaeda throughout the MIddle East. Obama and his warmongering buddies in the Democrat and Republican party have officially become the designated air force and navy of Al-Qaeda.
Whoever wants to fight for Al-Qaeda here, join the American military. The terrorist linked Syrian rebels will welcome you with open arms.....until they decide to ? Americans in their sleep, like they do in Afghanistan, dressed up as "Afghan soldiers". -
Syrians killing Syrians is bad, so let go into Syria to ? Syrians to make them stop.
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Makes sense doesn't it Big James? What I really don't get is why some people here are so willing to support Al-Qaeda in Syria but ? their children and women in Afghanistan.
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Based on behind the scenes votes being counted, it looks like the Congressional House will NOT support the Syrian warmongering, thank heavens......there may be hope left for America after all. People are furiously calling their representatives and by a 9 to 1 measure, overwhelmingly the calls are dead set AGAINST Obama's stupid plan to bomb Syria and support the Al-Qaeda linked rebels
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/syria-vote_n_3873801.html
WASHINGTON -- This sucker could go down. And unlike the Wall Street bailout, there is unlikely to be a do-over.
A resolution authorizing military force against Syria barely made it out of the hawkish Senate Foreign Relations Committee -- with the majority of Republicans opposing it -- and now is facing withering skepticism in Congress. While the Senate appears poised to come to some type of agreement, the "People's House," as it is known, is showing much more reluctance to approve the deeply unpopular bombing resolution. "Peace may well have a chance," said one top House GOP aide.
Public opinion surveys have been reflected in the outpouring of calls, emails and letters that have flooded House offices, running, say lawmakers, at more than 9 to 1 against intervention. The opposition spans the political spectrum.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said on Twitter that his delegation is unpersuaded and that public reaction has been fiercely opposed. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), who represents the libertarian opposition within the GOP, said that he's also seeing intense disapproval.
Discomfort with the war resolution is not just Republican. "Members on both sides [are] undecided, with most (not all) I've talked to feeling extremely uneasy and uncomfortable with this resolution," said one Democratic member. "I think if it went down today, it wouldn't pass the House. People though are truly undecided with concerns in a bipartisan way. The real question is if those who feel uncomfortable with this can be made to be comfortable with a resolution that has a much narrower scope." -
Ya'll saw that german ? right? well there's gonna be more info leaking out about how Assad did this.....opposing the war doesn't mean denying how awful Assad truly is. He needs to be indicted in the ICC for that ? or summin:
Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani (this ? is a OG) has roiled Iranian politics by admitting that the Syrian government gassed its own people at Ghuta in the eastern suburbs of Damascus. He was lamenting the calamities that are befalling the hapless Syrian people. He attacked the regime of President Bashar al-Assad for filling what he called “football stadiums” full of political prisoners, as well as for using gas on the rebels.
This sign of division in the Iranian elite would ideally be used by Washington to put diplomatic pressure on that country. However, the American fixation with gunboat diplomacy will probably forestall that diplomatic approach.
This site translates the key remarks this way: “The Syrian people have suffered much during the past two years. More than 100,000 were killed and seven to eight million have become displaced. Prisons are overflowing with people and they have turned stadiums into prisons. On the one hand the people have suffered a chemical attack by their own government. On the other, they have to await for US bombs today.”
The Iranian press has scrubbed the original article on the former president’s speech.
The leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran are sensitive to poison gas use, since the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq deployed mustard gas against Iranian troops during the Iraq-Iran War of 1980-1988. Many Iranian veterans still suffer from burning lungs and other bad health effects of exposure. It is a sore issue with the older leadership of the army and the Revolutionary Guards.
Even a representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, such as the Iranian representative at the UN, Mohammad Khazaei , felt it necessary to condemn the use of poison gas in Syria. Some Iranian spokesmen have taken up the same line as Russia, that the rebels gassed themselves, though this conclusion is absurd on the face of it and contradicted by French, British, US and Israeli intelligence, including telephone intercepts that make it clear that the Syrian military deployed the gas. Khazaei was non-committal in his statement, saying that the UN inspectors should be allowed to do their job. However, the UN inspectors are not charged with identifying the perpetrator, only with determining if poison gas was used and if so, what kind.
President Hassan Rouhani has been unusually quiet about the Syrian issue, despite US threats to bomb Syria over the gas use.
The Iranian elite seems starkly divided. The Supreme Leader is backing the Syrian regime to the hilt. But the reform faction, as exemplified by Rafsanjani, despises the Baathist dictatorship and is disgusted by the regime’s use of toxic gas on its own people. It may have been only an accident that Rafsanjani’s remarks were recorded on a cell phone and became known. He has embarrassed Khamenei and had to retract his statement. (real game of thrones ? lol)
It is also not impossible that Rafsanjani was deliberately embarrassing Khamenei, in a minor sort of way (he was speaking at a small town in the northern province of Mazandaran). Rafsanjani supported the Green Movement of 2009, which demanded more personal liberties from Khamenei and disputed the official story that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had easily won a second term. He was slapped down by Khamenei and his fanatical devotees, and the Green Movement was repressed. Rafsanjani could just be taking revenge on Khamenei by condemning Iran’s policy of supporting al-Assad no matter what. The implication of what Rafsanjani said, after all, is that Khamenei is supporting a dictator guilty of crimes against humanity. Although Westerners demonize the Islamic Republic, its supporters tend to see it as a repository of humane values, so that support for the Baath government of Syria sits uneasily on them.
Whatever the case, it seems to me that Rajsanjani’s admission points to severe polarization within the Iranian elite over continued support for al-Assad.
Syria is a land bridge whereby Iran resupplies the Lebanese Shiite party-militia, Hizbullah. If Iran lost Syria, its ability to intervene in Palestine would be severely set back.
http://www.juancole.com/2013/09/president-gassing-divisions.htmlkingblaze84 wrote: »Obama has killed way more innocent people worldwide then Osama Bin Laden
3,000? Source? Drones add up to like 300+ and hell naw all dem ain't innocent. And Al Qaeda & its Wu killa beez affiliates lol killed A LOT of Sunni Muslims in Iraq. Plus dem Africans at the Embassys. And a couple other things. Naw, Obeezy put ? in vacants covered in lye, but he hasn't put up the numbers in innocent deaths that Osama has.....yet. And by "yet" i mean 9/5/13 8:05 Eastern Daylight time lol smh
also:
LMAO this ? is DOA. Conservative grassroots Tea Party types are ready to LYNCH any Republican suicidal enough to support this.
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Syrian rebel admits him and his fellow rebels have used chemical weapons..........
http://www.infowars.com/video-syrian-rebel-admits-using-chemical-weapons/
--Looks like Obama will suffer an embarrassing defeat in Congress on Monday when they shut this whole war against Syria down. The world is against this, along with the Pope, European Union, African Union, and the United Nations. Only France and Saudi Arabia are willing to help out lol.....that should tell us something. Even Bush got more support invading Iraq. -
dude, you're citing Infowars. come on nowkingblaze84 wrote: »Syrian rebel admits him and his fellow rebels have used chemical weapons..........
http://www.infowars.com/video-syrian-rebel-admits-using-chemical-weapons/
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dude, you're citing Infowars. come on nowkingblaze84 wrote: »Syrian rebel admits him and his fellow rebels have used chemical weapons..........
http://www.infowars.com/video-syrian-rebel-admits-using-chemical-weapons/
Well considering Reuters has also said witnesses believe chemical weapons have been used by the Al-Qaeda linked rebels, I absolutely believe this report. After the debacle in Iraq, I don't believe ANYTHING that comes from the White House when it comes to wars that don't involve self-defense. Obama is a well known liar at this point. -
my advice in this case would be "cite Reuters instead, i guess"kingblaze84 wrote: »Well considering Reuters has also said witnesses believe chemical weapons have been used by the Al-Qaeda linked rebels, I absolutely believe this report.
i would honestly call him more of a hypocrite right now, just because it's funnier. but what i REALLY like right now is that he's basically saying that members of Congress should dismiss the national polling and/or their constituents in order to follow their consciences or follow his logic or whatever.kingblaze84 wrote: »Obama is a well known liar at this point.
only you know... i can think of an issue near and dear to MY heart where he wouldn't stop saying that something supported by the majority of the American people per national polling was something Congress should do. HUH.
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my advice in this case would be "cite Reuters instead, i guess"kingblaze84 wrote: »Well considering Reuters has also said witnesses believe chemical weapons have been used by the Al-Qaeda linked rebels, I absolutely believe this report.
i would honestly call him more of a hypocrite right now, just because it's funnier. but what i REALLY like right now is that he's basically saying that members of Congress should dismiss the national polling and/or their constituents in order to follow their consciences or follow his logic or whatever.kingblaze84 wrote: »Obama is a well known liar at this point.
only you know... i can think of an issue near and dear to MY heart where he wouldn't stop saying that something supported by the majority of the American people per national polling was something Congress should do. HUH.
Yeah I hear you, I know that issue near and dear to your heart is freedom of gun ownership.....
On further interesting Syria news, Russia released a 100 page report to the United Nations showing the Al-Qaeda linked Syrian rebels themselves used chemical weapons back in March 2013.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/09/05/201269/russia-says-it-has-compiled-a.html#.UivjBX_NnDY
The Russian analysis found soil and shell samples contained a sarin gas “not synthesized in an industrial environment,” the statement said. The report said the chemical mix did not appear to be a modern version of the deadly agent but was closer to those “used by Western states for producing chemical weapons during World War II.”
The statement said the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons team had examined Syrian soldiers injured in the March attack and said that no reaction to the more recent alleged chemical account should be considered without also considering that the rebels, too, have used chemical weapons.
“It is obvious that any objective investigation of the incident on Aug. 21 in East Ghouta is impossible without considering the circumstances of the March attack,” the statement said. Ghouta is the area near Damascus where the Aug. 21 attack took place.
---I also loved how Kerry lied his ass off saying only ? and Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons since the advent of World War 2. Lyndon B Johnson also used chemical weapons during Vietnam, using the infamous Agent Orange which poisoned many Vietnamese and American soldiers. Ronald Reagan also helped sell chemical weapons to Saddam Hussein in the 80s, and Reagan was very aware Saddam had every intention of using American anthrax on Iranian soldiers. I long for the day when America is NOT the biggest terrorist nation on the face of the planet. -
If Obama hears about what dat Iranian official said....
It was nice debating with ya'll all these years. -
The user and all related content has been deleted.
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useful to the rest of you is how it demonstrates that Obama is a lying ? on many topicskingblaze84 wrote: »Yeah I hear you, I know that issue near and dear to your heart is freedom of gun ownership.....
however...
so i have to take issue with this here:kingblaze84 wrote: »---I also loved how Kerry lied his ass off saying only ? and Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons since the advent of World War 2. Lyndon B Johnson also used chemical weapons during Vietnam, using the infamous Agent Orange which poisoned many Vietnamese and American soldiers. Ronald Reagan also helped sell chemical weapons to Saddam Hussein in the 80s, and Reagan was very aware Saddam had every intention of using American anthrax on Iranian soldiers. I long for the day when America is NOT the biggest terrorist nation on the face of the planet.
01. LBJ didn't use chemical weapons in Vietnam and Agent Orange is not a chemical weapon; it's a defoliant which could cause side effects with overexposure. not a fan of LBJ, but let's be honest here;
02. Reagan didn't "sell chemical weapons" to Saddam; the truth is actually more nuanced (more like "gave Saddam military intelligence at a time when people in the know had reason to believe Saddam WAS using chemical weapons") and this gives a BIG pass to other nations much more responsible for his chemical weapons;
03. kind of a parallel to #02, but i also note that anthrax is not a chemical weapon (just for as it relates to the Kerry quote) and it didn't get used in that war.
however, you ARE correct that Kerry is bullshitting by trying to make the ? parallel. let me quote someone else:
Kerry’s claim that only three ‘tyrants’ have used chemical weapons“In the nearly 100 years since this global commitment against chemical weapons was made, only two tyrants have dared to cross the world’s brightest line. Bashar al-Assad has now become the third.”
-- Secretary of State John F. Kerry, remarks before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Sept. 4, 2013
In making the case for missile attacks on Syria over the government’s alleged use of chemical weapons, the secretary of state sought to place Syrian President Assad in a rare category: “tyrants” who have used chemical weapons.
We might quibble with the phrase “brightest line,” as some might argue that nuclear weapons would be even more heinous. And, though we unsuccessfully sought clarification from the State Department, we presume the other two “tyrants” are Iraq’s Saddam Hussein (who used chemical weapons against Iranian forces and Kurdish villagers) and Adolf ? (who used gas in concentration camps, but notably not on the battlefield, during World War II.) As Kerry put it, ”history -- I think everyone here knows -- holds nothing but infamy for those criminals.”
But Kerry’s claim is incomplete. There are at least three more instances of chemical weapons use since the signing of the Geneva Protocol in 1925 -- a treaty spurred by the horrors of chemical weapons use during World War I, when nearly 100,000 soldiers were killed and 1 million wounded through such weapons.
The Facts
We consulted with Jeffery K. Smart, a military historian who has written extensively on the use of chemical weapons. “There have definitely been chemical weapons used in other instances,” he said.
First, in 1934, Italy’s fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, invaded Ethiopia and used chemical weapons, such as mustard bombs, despite having signed and ratified the Geneva Accord. Emperor Haile Selassie told the League of Nations that there were “tens of thousands” of victims, including women and children, but the League did nothing and the Ethiopian forces were routed. (The Italians claims the use of chemical weapons was justified because of an exception in the treaty that allowed for reprisal against illegal acts of war.)
Then, in 1937, Imperial Japan invaded China and used chemical weapons, including mustard agent by 1939. (The toll from the chemical weapon use is unknown, but an estimated 300,000 people, including civilians, died during the Sino-Japanese conflict.)
Finally, during the Yemen civil war between 1963 and 1967, Egyptian President Gama Abdul Nasser ordered the use of chemical weapons against royalist forces -- villagers supporting them. Egypt repeatedly denied using such weapons, but the International Red Cross declared they had been used after forensic examination. Egypt also had signed the Geneva Accord and the United States, preoccupied with the Vietnam war, made little protest.
We should also note that while the United States apparently has not used chemical weapons, it had an extensive chemical weapons program and did not ratify the Geneva Protocol until 1975. President Franklin Roosevelt established a policy of “no first use,” but in 1943 an American ship secretly loaded with mustard agent bombs was destroyed during a German air raid in Italy, resulting in more than 600 casualties and nearly 100 deaths. The civilian toll is unknown.
Update: A reader shared a link to a declassified CIA study showing that the Soviet Union likely used lethal chemical weapons in Southeast Asia and in Afghanistan in the 1970s, possibly killing thousands.
The Pinocchio Test
Kerry, who dined with Assad in 2009 and in 2011 said he had been “very generous with me,” certainly wants to suggest that Assad belongs in a special category akin to ? and Hussein. But list of countries and/or tyrants, however, is larger than just three; it’s at least six.
If Kerry is trying to single out leaders who just used chemical weapons against civilians, the practical effect of the three military efforts outlined above is that civilians were also killed by chemical weapons. (Egypt certainly targeted civilians; the case is a little less clear with Italy and Japan.)
so definitely he's skipping Italy (which is weird, as Mussolini can be safely bashed), Japan (which makes sense because we don't like to criticize Japan currently) and Egypt (for a mix of reasons, but EVERYONE forgets Egypt gassing dudes during that civil war in Yemen). plus an accidental US incident (which i really wouldn't count) and a POSSIBLE Soviet Union use (Kessler links to a study but it's not definitively proven as far as i know).
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