Former Bush official: Syria chemical weapons could be ‘Israeli false flag operation’

[DonViejo]

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, the former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell under President George W. Bush, on Thursday warned that the chemical weapons that were reportedly used in Syria could be a “Israeli false flag operation” because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was running an “inept regime.”

During an interview with Current TV’s Cenk Uygur, Wilkerson explained that he had been told by his sources in the intelligence community that evidence that Syria had used chemical weapons was “really flaky” and that President Barack Obama should think twice before intervening.

“This could have been an Israeli false flag operation,” he said. “You’ve got basically a geo-strategically, geo-political — if you will — inept regime in Tel Aviv right now.”

Wilkerson pointed to the fact that Obama had to tell Netanyahu to “pick up the phone, you idiot,” and call Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to apologize for a Israeli raid that killed killed eight Turkish civilians aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla in 2010.

“Look at Israel’s situation right now, it’s as dangerous as it’s been since 1948,” Wilkerson remarked. “You’ve got Lebanon growing increasingly unstable with [Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan] Nasrallah and Hezbollah having more and more political power. You’ve got Syria involved in a brutal civil war. You’ve got Iraq in Iran’s back pocket with [Iraq Prime Minister] Nuri al-Maliki, the Sunnis realizing that and restating the civil war. You’ve got Saudi Arabia funding the Sunnis in Iraq. You’ve got Jordan, whose king has publicly said he wished he weren’t the king. You’ve got Egypt in an untenable position, no longer the security that Israel needed on that flank.”

“So Israel is in a very, very dangerous situation right now. The president has got to be very circumspect about what he does in exacerbating that situation. Netanyahu is clueless as to this. I hope that President Obama gave him a lecture into geo-strategic realities.”

Watch the video below from Current TV’s The Young Turks, broadcast May 3, 2013.

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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/03/former-bush-official-syria-chemical-weapons-could-be-israeli-false-flag-operation/

full article posted with permission

[geek tragedy]

1. Oh sweet Jeebus. If you don't have actual facts to support this kind of

speculation, keep it to yourself.

It's one thing for an Alex Jones to spout off like this, but Wilkerson should be a lot more responsible.

It could have been any number of groups that used poison gas, if it was used.

[starroute]

6. I think he's just suggesting Israel came up with dubious evidence

The term "false flag" seems misplaced here. I don't think he's saying Israel created a chemical weapons attack to blame on Syria -- just that the evidence is unreliable.

[geek tragedy]

9. If so, extremely careless use of words.

Extremely.

Someone of Wilkerson's level of sophistication should be aware what "Israeli false flag" evokes and from what quarters it emanates.

[David__77]

10. I think it "evokes" what it says.

That Israel "planted evidence." Not sure what else.

I agree that it could have anyone. There is no good evidence.

[geek tragedy]

11. "false flag" would imply that Israel gassed the people and then

made it seem like it was Syria.

try googling: "false flag" israel OR mossad

Really popular language amongst the Al Qaeda and KKK crowd.

[David__77]

12. Fair enough.

I interpreted it as meaning that the evidence was concocted, and coordinated with a media push by Israeli figures. I don't happen to think that's what happened, but that's how I interpreted the use of the term.

People should exercise caution with such terms, because of the dog whistle phenomenon and all. One would not want to unwittingly convey the wrong thing.

[leveymg]

2. False flag possibility has been raised in the MSM and by US officials

(without identifying Israel as a specific possible culprit, of course).

Second, I'd probably identify Wilkerson as Colin Powell's former deputy and a frequent critic of the Iraq War and other US misadventures in the region. That's a distinction, even if it doesn't fit easily.

[moondust]

3. Doubt.

Israel Fears End to 40-Year Peace on Syrian Front

Simple logic would suggest that Israel favors stability over the unknown--and possibly much worse than Assad--next door, but there obviously may be more to it than simple logic.

[Arctic Dave]

4. Actually it does make a bit of sense.

If you are not sure of the outcome, the second best thing to do would to destroy as much military power as possible so it doesn't get siphoned to the "rebel" terrorist.

[moondust]

5. That makes some sense.

But last I heard the Obama admin is reconsidering arming the rebels. In other words, adding more weapons to the conflict rather than destroying the weapons already there.

[pampango]

7. I agree. Israel was quite happy with Mubarak and with Assad. Dictators are easy to deal with.

Dictators are primarily interested in one thing - staying in power. Israel wants to avoid a military confrontation. Mubarak and Assad wanted no outsiders to mess with their control over their people. "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." Voila! 39 years of peace!

Israel is more worried now about Egypt than when it was ruled by one man. It will be worried more by Syria in the future if Assad goes for the same reason.

Neither this Assad nor his father have lost a single tank, plane or soldier fighting with Israel for 39 years. Although it has one of the most powerful militaries the region, the Syrian government has used it for other purposes than for confronting Israel. That kind of stability is hard to come by in the Middle East.

[Rex]

8. Former Bush official = zero credibility.

Sorry, but you guys fucked us all over by lying about Iraq.