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Syria Chemical Weapons: Britain, France Reportedly Inform UN They Believe Chemical Weapons Were Used Posted: 04/18/2013 6:05 pm EDT
Britain and France have reportedly informed the United Nations that they believe there is evidence that chemical weapons have been used in the conflict in Syria.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official told the Washington Post that both countries addressed their concerns in letters to UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon. According to the Post, the letters state that evidence suggests chemical weapons were used in and around the cities of Aleppo, Homs, and possibly Damascus.
The European letters come in the wake of mutual accusations by the Syrian regime and opposition fighters. Each side claims that the other fired a rocket with chemical agents in the town of Khan al-Assal, near Aleppo, back in March. The UN has deployed a team of investigators led by Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom to the region to probe the claims, but the mission has faced one hurdle after another. The team was first held on Cyprus because of safety concerns and is currently still waiting for authorization to enter Syria.
But diplomats say the United States has responded more cautiously. The United States, said one Security Council diplomat, has been “less activist on this” than Britain and France.
James R. Clapper Jr., director of national intelligence, told a Senate panel Thursday that accusations that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons are still being evaluated.
Originally posted by pacifier2012
Are molotov cocktails 'chemical' weapons?
Originally posted by topdog81
Each side claims that the other fired a rocket with chemical agents in the town of Khan al-Assal, near Aleppo, back in March.
Syrian officials warned Monday that they would deploy chemical weapons against any foreign intervention, a threat that appeared intended to ward off an attack by Western nations while also offering what officials in Washington called the most “direct confirmation” ever that Syria possesses a stockpile of unconventional armaments.
Originally posted by MaxSteiner
The problem is if it's deemed the rebels used the chemical weapons, given the UK, France and US's "assistance" of the rebels in the form of training and armaments they're on very shaky ground if this is the case - which goes to show you why imposing regime change and arming insurgents isn't encouraged by international law (to whit having a 50 cal on the back of your Hilux isn't really grounds for forming your own government).
Given how we've handled the last 3 attempts in the region (Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan) and how well those have gone, you'd seriously hope we're considering a different tact this time round...
Originally posted by pacifier2012
Are molotov cocktails 'chemical' weapons?
Brig. Gen. Itai Brun, the head of research and analysis in Israeli military intelligence, told a security conference in Tel Aviv that Assad has used chemical weapons multiple times. Among the incidents were attacks documented by the French and British near Damascus last month. He cited images of people hurt in the alleged attacks, but gave no indication that he had other evidence, such as soil samples, typically used to verify chemical weapons use.
"To the best of our professional understanding, the regime used lethal chemical weapons against the militants in a series of incidents over the past months, including the relatively famous incident of March 19," Brun said. "Shrunken pupils, foaming at the mouth and other signs indicate, in our view, that lethal chemical weapons were used."
He said sarin, a lethal nerve agent, was probably used. He also said the Syrian regime was using less lethal chemical weapons, and that Russia has continued to arm the Syrian military with weapons such as advanced SA-17 air defense missiles.