Chemical Attack in Douma: a false pretext for escalating war against Syria?
8
April, 2018
Update
20 April – now
we have heard testimony not only from residents and medics, but also
from one
of the children featured in the video.
Further update: German TV News from ZDF carries report of numerous witness statements from Douma refugees who all say the chemical attack was staged (from minute 7:30), which does reduce the likelihood that witnesses could have been ‘planted’ or coerced. (I have added a separate note on this latter matter,
21 April.)
Further update: German TV News from ZDF carries report of numerous witness statements from Douma refugees who all say the chemical attack was staged (from minute 7:30), which does reduce the likelihood that witnesses could have been ‘planted’ or coerced. (I have added a separate note on this latter matter,
21 April.)
Update
16 April –
further to doubts expressed by prominent journalists and senior
British military figures over recent days, today renowned journalist
Robert Fisk visited the actual scene of the clinic and reports
doctor’s confirmation of what two medical workers had previously
said (April 13), namely, that smoke/dust inhalation following an
explosion had caused the breathing difficulties patients presented
with. What then happened was that a man came in shouting that there’d
been a gas/chemical attack, causing panic, and starting getting
people hosed down for the camera. This same story was also reported
by Pearson Sharp for OAN who additionally interviewed dozens of local
residents, randomly chosen from queues for relief supplies, none of
whom had seen any sign of any chemical attack.
Original
post 8 April 2018 Allegations
of a chemical attack in Douma by Syria on 7 April were met by threats
from President Trump to attack Syria. These were followed by Israeli
missile strikes on an airfield in Homs early on 9 April. Given the
pace of events and their significance for potential escalation in
tensions between the Western powers and Russia, it is helpful to have
timely information about questions that are under investigation by
independent researchers. This post will be updated as and when
insightful contributions are published, including as work in
progress. Comments are open to allow for readers’ further
recommendations and observations.
In
the media
German
TV news from ZDF reports that numerous refugees from Douma all say
alleged chemical attack was staged (20 April) video report,
in German, from minute 07:30
Peter
Oborne, in The Spectator, ‘We have a moral duty to mistrust the
government on Syria’ (19 April)
‘OAN’S
Pearson Sharp refutes MSM reports of alleged Syrian chemical
attack’ (18
April) – 7 minutes of interviews with witnesses in the street by
the site of alleged attack
Tucker
Carlson agreeing with Peter Ford that alleged chemical attack has
been “intelligence fiasco” (18 April)
Virginia
State Senator, Richard Black: Syria Chemical Weapons attack was a
rigged “false flag” (17 April)
Dirk
Emmerich, RTL Deutschland (16 April) [in
German, shows citizens saying they were used as human shields, knew
of no gas attack, and are very glad for the food they can now get.]
Pearson
Sharp, for OAN, investigates on the ground in Douma, finding no
evidence or witnesses of alleged chemical attack (16 April)
10 mins video.
Robert
Fisk, from the clinic in Douma, reports that there was no
chemical/gas attack (16 April) – short podcast, expect
more…
Former
First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, Lord Alan West, articulates deep
scepticism about allegations (13 April) – see interview
from minute 06:40
‘Stunning
evidence from BBC journalist exposing White Helmets staging chemical
attacks in Douma’ (11
April)
‘Experts
warn Assad is not to blame for latest chemical attack’ from One
America News Network (10
April)
Testimony
from on the ground in Douma
Current
work in progress
On
the alleged chemical attack of 7 April 2018 in Douma, running updates
(with analysis of graphic images) Adam Larson
On
anomalies concerning position and condition of the chlorine
cylinder Michael Kobs (twitter thread)
‘Syria
– Manipulated Videos Fail to Launch World War III’ Moon
of Alabama (13 April)
Research
on previous chemical incidents in Syria:
Updated
assessment of Khan Sheikhoun incident Paul McKeigue
Analysis
of video footage from Khan Sheikhoun incident @qoppa999 (twitter
thread)
Research
on 2013 Kafr Batna incident ACLOS collective
Selected
interviews about wider context of the current crisis
Jeffrey
Sachs (12 April)
Maria
Zacharova (12 April)
Summary
of key questions
1.
Was there a gas attack?
[
If no, how can deaths alleged caused by it be explained?]
2.
If yes, was Syrian government responsible?
[If
no, who was?
3.
If yes, were the airstrikes justified under principles of
international law?
The
answer to (3), even assuming affirmative answers to (1) and (2) = NO,
according to Professor Mary Ellen O’Connell, Robert and Marion
Short Professor of Law and Research Professor of International
Dispute Resolution—Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame.
(Unlawful
Reprisals to the Rescue against Chemical Attacks? – 12
April 2018)
Further
discussion of legitimacy and legality of Western action
Richard
Falk, ‘Attacking Syria’, in The Transnational (18 April
2018)
Jack
Goldsmith and Oona Hathaway, ‘Bad Legal Arguments for the Syria
Airstrikes’, Lawfare (14
April)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.