Russia Says It Was the Syrian Rebels Who Used Chemical Weapons

Russia Says It Was the Syrian Rebels Who Used Chemical Weapons

www.theatlanticwire.com

After refusing to buy the U.S. evidence that the Syrian government was responsible for chemcial weapons attacks on its own people, Russia now says that there was a chemical attack in that country, but it was the rebels who were the responsible party. Back in April, U.S. officials formally accused Bashar al-Assad's forces of using chemical weapons and took their case to the United Nations, the Europeans, and the Russians in the hope of spurring international action. Moscow dismissed the claims as "unconvincing," but now they have submitted their own scientific analysis of a projectile that was fired on the city of Aleppo and agreed with claims that the weapon was filled with sarin gas. They just don't agree on the source.

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Related News Links:
Syrian rebels reject Russian claims on chemicals
Russia Defends Claim on Chemical Weapons Use by Syrian Rebels

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
Red Line has been crossed CONFIRMED Sarin has been used in Syria!
Defense Secretary Hagel: Syria used chemical weapons
UN accuses Syrian rebels of chemical weapons use

With the trouble going on in Egypt and Turkey as of late it's easy to forget about the tragedy going on in Syria. Last we heard, chemical weapons were used and immediately the French reported that Assad's forces are the culprits, but then UN reports find it may have been the rebels, or as I like to call them, Al Qaeda, and now not surprisingly Russia is pointing the finger at the rebels.

Truth is Assad and the rebels/terrorists have their hands on chemical weapons but if Assad uses chemical weapons he knows he's just opened the door to NATO invasion and no fly zones. Now if the rebels and or Al Qaeda uses the weapons they will be supported and probably receive a bonus in funding.

Assad is winning the war against the rebels so he doesn't need to use chemical weapons, but guess who does, the rebels/terrorists.

www.theatlanticwire.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Swills
It could be either and/or both groups using chemical weapons and each will just blame the other and no one will ever know the absolute truth of the matter. The US claimed it was Assad's regime because they were backing the rebels, and now Russia claims it was the rebels because they are backing Assad.

Honestly

What would one expect the Russians to claim?

If Assad falls they'll lose their one foothold in the region and one of their best Military hardware customers to boot.

Meh

So Russia claims the rebels used chemical weapons who got them from Assad who got them from Russia.

That bout right?

reply to post by SLAYER69


It absolutely comes as no shock that Russia is on the side of Syria but does that automatically mean Russia is wrong because they are biased? The UN also supports the idea that the rebels used the weapons, well terrorists. Al Nursa was the rebels hardest hitting faction and doing the most damage against Assad's forces and they pledged their allegiance to Al Qaeda so officially the FSA denounced them but... An Al Nursa cell in Turkey was recently busted with sarin gas and Al Qaeda forces in Iraq were also busted producing the gas. So suffice to say, chances that the terrorist cells in Syria having and using sarin gas are pretty high.

reply to post by neo96


Russia's claim (2nd paragraph)

The basis of their claim that it was rebel fighters appears to be that the weapon they found was not a standard munition like the kind that would be manufactured for a legitimate army. Therefore, it must have been rigged up by the lesser-equipped opposition. It's not clear how such primitive fighters would have got their hands on sarin gas without the weapons to deliver them.

I do remember reading something about the FSA possibly over running an Assad base that housed chemical weapons but I don't recall the exact story, so i don't know if the FSA actually accomplished that mission or were defeated but what are you thoughts about how the FSA got the weapons from Assad? Did they steal the weapons from their bases before defecting to the FSA?

Either way, as seen in my reply to Slayer above, the Al Qaeda rebels have their hands on sarin gas and I'm doubting it was Assad they got it from.

Originally posted by Swills

Either way, as seen in my reply to Slayer above, the Al Qaeda rebels have their hands on sarin gas and I'm doubting it was Assad they got it from.

And you yourself remember a story about them capturing a location of Assad that may have had chemical weapons but then you'll write the above as well?

I too remember a similar story of them capturing a location of chemical delivery "Capable" missiles...

ETA: I'm not saying it isn't possible for them obtaining sarin from others [West] however the ability of them obtaining seems to be very possible from a fairly wide arrange of suppliers. East and West.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Well if you read the entire statement I said I recalled a story about it but don't remember the results, whether the FSA accomplished their mission or not.

What I do recall is Al Qaeda cells in Iraq, Turkey, and Syria 100% having chemical weapons.

reply to post by Swills

Separately, Western diplomats said Russia blocked a draft U.N. Security Council resolution this week calling for a stalled U.N. chemical weapons investigation team to be allowed to visit Syria and to be permitted to conduct an "objective" inquiry.

Seems they are playing both sides of the fence here. They wish to make claims regarding the chemical weapons, but use their veto power to block any resolution calling for inspections. Par for the course I guess, some things never change.

source

reply to post by Swills

I do remember reading something about the FSA possibly over running an Assad base that housed chemical weapons but I don't recall the exact story,

I Do here:

www.telegraph.co.uk...


Which means they are Assad's chemical weapons that came from Russia who is famous for selling it's 'tech support'.

reply to post by youdidntseeme


"objective"

Sounds like Russia doesn't believe a proper investigation will be founded. Looking at the West's track recorded of investigating WMD's it's not hard to believe Russia is suspicious.

reply to post by Swills


IMO everthing Russia says is suspect considering its military backing of Assad.

Now if I was a 'democratically elected' despot *chuckles'

First order of business would be to order my loyal forces to go destroy/move chemical weapons, and then any other weapons that could be used agianst me.

whoops 2 year later none of that happened.

reply to post by neo96


There's that article I recalled but was unsure of the outcome. According to that article Al Qaeda was trying to get their hands on the weapons but didn't. It also went on to say Assad is moving his weapons and hiding them so it won't be so easy for Al Qaeda or the FSA to overrun a base and acquire them. Has there been an update article stating for sure Al Qaeda defeated Assad's forces and overran his base stealing the weapons?

As shown in my first reply to you, Russia's claims stem from the low tech chemical bombs used, and since, as you've stated, Russia sells Syria all its military tech you'd think they'd recognize their own hardware, hardware that wouldn't be low tech.

What are your thoughts on Al Qaeda and Al Nursa 100% having chemical weapons? Low tech chemical weapons?

reply to post by neo96


Two years later what didn't happen? Assad moving his chemical weapons?

reply to post by Swills

There's that article I recalled but was unsure of the outcome. According to that article Al Qaeda was trying to get their hands on the weapons but didn't.

Well then just proved Russia was lying then.

What are your thoughts on Al Qaeda and Al Nursa 100% having chemical weapons? Low tech chemical weapons?

Don't wanna them to have them because the only reason they are even in Syria is to get chem bio to use on the west.

Syria for Al Aqueda is nothing more than getting weapons.

reply to post by neo96


Huh? Lying about what?

Don't wanna them to have them because the only reason they are even in Syria is to get chem bio to use on the west.

They already have the chemicals weapons and didn't need to be in Syria to get their hands on them. Al Qaeda hasn't stolen weapons from Assad, they tried but haven't accomplished that yet. They have however made their own chemical weapons using sarin gas. They make their own low tech bio weapons. Al-Qaeda cell producing saring gas busted in Iraq, Turkey finds sarin in homes of al-Nusra (Al Qaeda) terrorists

Originally posted by Swills
reply to post by neo96

 

Huh? Lying about what?

Russia said the rebel used chemical weapons?

SAid Al queda didn't get them so then how did the FSA use them?

Then move the bar to 'low grade chemical weapons'.

Someone is lying already on record as stating is Russia lying others disagree with that.

reply to post by neo96


They're not lying. It's known Al Qaeda has chemical weapons. Don't you remember this ATS thread: Shock Video: Syrian Rebels Test Chem Weapons On Rabbits As Warning To Civilians.

They are making these low tech weapons.

They've gutted people. Beheaded them.

It's a strong possibility.

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