Via The Wall Street Journal, Syrians Used Chemical Weapons Against Rebels: U.S. Officials
The U.S. has concluded that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have used chemical weapons in the country’s civil war with rebels, U.S. officials said, a determination that could lay the ground for a decision by the U.S. to arm the rebels and take other steps expanding American involvement in the conflict.
The finding comes nearly two months after the White House informed Congress that U.S. intelligence agencies believed with “varying degrees of confidence” that Mr. Assad has used chemical weapons, likely including sarin gas. President Barack Obama has said that the use of chemical weapons by Mr. Assad would cross a “red line” for the U.S.
A senior U.S. official said the determination could be used by the White House to sign off on a proposal to arm moderate Syrian rebels and other measures now under consideration.
CNN, White House: Syria crosses ‘red line’ with use of chemical weapons on its people:
The White House acknowledged Thursday the Syrian government has used chemical weapons, including the nerve agent sarin, on a small scale a number of times, according to a statement.
The administration also indicated it will increase the “scope and scale of assistance” to rebels in Syria following its acknowledgment that the Bashar al-Assad government has used chemical weapons in the civil war, according to the statement.
Time, Red Line Crossed: U.S. Officials Confirm Syrian Chemical Weapons Use:
The development, announced Thursday by White House Deputy National Security Advisor For Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes, puts the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over President Barack Obama’s “red line” announced in August 2012 promising severe consequences for the use of chemical weapons.
“We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized,” Obama said at the time. “That would change my calculus. That would change my equation.”
Given that this announcement comes on the heels of major Syrian-Hezbollah-Iranian gains, including retaking the city of Qusayr, expect claims that this is a pretext to arm the rebels.
Update: Prelude to war? Remember, it’s Bad or worse in Syria:
https://twitter.com/iowahawkblog/status/345299141007646721
White house will now send weapons and other aid to rebels now that it agrees #Syria has crossed redline on chemical weapons
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) June 13, 2013
McCain, Graham called on Obama to establish no-fly zone in #Syria http://t.co/AUgzMnRZmS by @RamseyTheHill
— The Hill (@thehill) June 13, 2013
WH's Ben Rhodes: US intel community assesses w/ high confidence that Assad regime used CW, inc sarin, multiple times. #Syria
— Laura Rozen (@lrozen) June 13, 2013
US concludes #Syria has killed 100-150 w/ chemical weapons, crossing a line. I guess the other 93K deaths are ok. http://t.co/70MoTOYZkM
— Ali Riazi (@ali_riazi) June 13, 2013
No "reliable" evidence #Syria opposition has used chemical weapons, White House statement says http://t.co/N3D9iuqUTz
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) June 13, 2013
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Comments
I am weary of the middle east and am satisfied with muslims killing muslims. Let’s stay out of it.
better yet, let’s send just enough arms to keep the war going, but not enough for the rebels to win…
Yeah, how about a “Fast & Furious II”?
Benghazi was another Fast and Furious – the US arming Al Queda.
The ‘Syrian”rebels’ are Al Queda Islamists from all over the Islamic world, plus some from EU, Canada, US and elsewhere.
The conflict in Syria is not what Obama and his PR media would have you believe. It is an attempt to continue to establish the Caliphate and spread Islam.
Rumor has it, Obama wants to be head of the UN, expand its powers, destroy US nationalism and sovereignty, forbid blasphemy or any truth about Islam.
Obama thought bubble: “Hmmm. Should never have drawn that line in the sand over Syrian chemical weapons. Will I look worse going in late or never going in at all?”
[Holy crap. Just looked out my office window to the west to see an incoming wall of storm clouds unlike anything I’ve seen. Yikes. Call Al Gore! Halp! I’m being globally warmed!]
will Ear Leader send a strong note of protest, o just give another speech?
i don’t think anyone in the Middle East takes him seriously” they know a weak horse when they see one.
Obama thought bubble: “Hmmm. Would another war divert attention from all the scand… witchhunts?”
Hey Henry…..are you hooked up with the NSA? I tweeted almost those exact words a few minutes ago.
On the other hand, maybe it just shows that great minds think alike. 🙂
Or that crazy is contagious. (lol, j/k)
“This will not end well…”
Whatever else is true, that is.
[…] when compared to Bill Clinton). In addition to the humiliation inflicted upon him by Bill Clinton, what does Obama do now that everyone is agreed that Syrian President Assad has crossed Obama’s…. Does Obama resort to “I double dare you!”? Then, “I triple dare you!”? […]
Chemical weapons? Coming soon to a red state near you.
Okay, that may be reaching, but not by much. Hey, where’d all the ammo go?
“Tail wagging the dawg,” an action to direct attention to other matters.
Bill Clinton was an expert at this methodology…
White House: Syrian chemical weapons red line crossed
…mere hours after Bill Clinton publicly called Obama a wussie for not intervening in Syria.
ya mean slick Willy forced Soetoro to pull his finger out?
All that ordinance, meant for Israel, used on each other?
Hamas vs. Hezbollah, sunni vs. shi’te, faction vs. faction, proxy vs. proxy, islamist vs. islamist……in Syria.
Outside my heartbreak at the killing of the innocent, excuse me while I focus on the betterment of my country, my fellow citizens, my family, and myself.
If anyone can determine A “red line”, it’s an Alinksy Neo-Marxist scholar. Here’s looking at you, Barry.
“Obama learned his lesson well. I am proud to see that my father’s model for organizing is being applied successfully beyond local community organizing to affect the Democratic campaign in 2008. It is a fine tribute to Saul Alinsky as we approach his 100th birthday.” –Letter from L. DAVID ALINSKY, son of Neo-Marxist Saul Alinsky
Obama helped fund ‘Alinsky Academy’: “The Woods Fund, a nonprofit on which Obama served as paid director from 1999 to December 2002, provided startup funding and later capital to the Midwest Academy…. Obama sat on the Woods Fund board alongside William Ayers, founder of the Weather Underground domestic terrorist organization…. ‘Midwest describes itself as ‘one of the nation’s oldest and best-known schools for community organizations, citizen organizations and individuals committed to progressive social change.’… Midwest teaches Alinsky tactics of community organizing.”
Hillary, Obama and the Cult of Alinsky: “True revolutionaries do not flaunt their radicalism, Alinsky taught. They cut their hair, put on suits and infiltrate the system from within. Alinsky viewed revolution as a slow, patient process. The trick was to penetrate existing institutions such as churches, unions and political parties…. Many leftists view Hillary as a sell-out because she claims to hold moderate views on some issues. However, Hillary is simply following Alinsky’s counsel to do and say whatever it takes to gain power.
“Obama is also an Alinskyite…. Obama spent years teaching workshops on the Alinsky method. In 1985 he began a four-year stint as a community organizer in Chicago, working for an Alinskyite group called the Developing Communities Project…. Camouflage is key to Alinsky-style organizing. While trying to build coalitions of black churches in Chicago, Obama caught flak for not attending church himself. He became an instant churchgoer.”
http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/communism/alinsky.htm
So it is …
Syria Iraq( Shiite) Iran Hizbollah vs Al Quaeda iraq(Sunnis) Turkey ( those not at the square ) Jordan.
That is just for starters.
Oh me oh my.
I forgot Hamas on the AlQuaeda side. Fatah is never far behind Hamas.
Those weapons are not going to magically stay out of the territories.
So are the Taliban, Hamas and most of the other terrorist groups also Sunni?
There is usually at least one bombing per day in Pakistan and Iraq. Afghanistan is not far behind. Is all that Sunni vs Shiite?
This is from 5 May, 2013 after the UN’s investigation indicating the same from December, 2012.
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2013/05/un-sources-say-rebel-forces-not-assad-used-sarin-gas/64897/
Who’s the real enemy? You decide…
This is horsefeathers.
Obama is using this as an excuse to fund Al Qaeda in Syria.Then he is going to import thousands of Syrian Muslims into the US in his bid to displace its Christian majority.Don’t tell me I’m paranoid cuz every notion I’ve ever had about Obama has been found to be true.
That Obama would use this “red line” as a pretext for supporting Al Qaeda now, when he knew full well that Syria had used chemical weapons before, is patently absurd.
Even more, this excuse for funding Al Qaeda in Syria is an indirect way of striking at both Israel and the US.
At Israel because Obama has funded terrorists in Egypt and Libya while making nice, or trying to with Iran which he has permitted to control Iraq. He’s also moving to destabilize Jordan. The end result is that Al Qaeda is Obama’s catspaw to bring about the caliphate and to exterminate Jews from the region.
At America because Obama is waging war on Christians in this country and seeking to replace it with Islam as the dominant ideology so that the flag of Islam will be able to fly from the WH openly. Next follows the extermination of American Jews and the dhimmitization of Christians at the hands of Muslims in the country.
Obama is playing a game intending to wipe out the foundation of Western civilization: Judaism and Christianity.
As for those Jews who think this is crazy, just look at whom Obama is putting in positions of power on the international stage. None of them are friendly to you.
Will Hezbollah push Hamas into the arms of Israel ?
Never!