Iran may be peeling away from Assad over chemical weapons

[KamaAina]

Understandably, they're kind of sensitive about CW. Much the way Japan is about nukes.

http://news.yahoo.com/chemical-allegations-syria-haunt-ally-iran-191520978.html

For more than a generation, Iranian papers have regularly posted the announcements: Another veteran from the 1980s war with Iraq has died of complications blamed on exposure to chemical weapons from Saddam Hussein's arsenal. Each one is buried with a hero's honors.

The claims now that Iran's Syrian allies used similar tactics, including possibly unleashing sarin gas, has forced Tehran's leaders into perhaps their most difficult juncture of the nearly 30-month civil war. Iran's rulers could face an uncomfortable backlash at home — and possibly stir upheavals inside its powerful Revolutionary Guard — if they're seen as ignoring allegations and U.N. investigations into possible chemical attacks by Bashar Assad's regime....

Such decisions cannot be made by Rouhani alone and must pass through Khamenei and the rest of the ruling establishment, including the Revolutionary Guard. But pressure could quickly mount to review Iran's backing for Assad in a country that has made the horrors of chemical attacks a centerpiece of its remembrances of the 1980-88 war with Iraq, which was then backed by Washington....

"There seems to be deep division in the Iranian leadership as to what to do with Assad," said Meir Javedanfar, a lecturer in Iranian affairs at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel. "The moderates seem to want to distance Iran from him as he is becoming a serious diplomatic and financial liability. The conservatives, headed by the Revolutionary Guard, seem to want to continue supporting him, because they see everything and anything to do with Syria as their turf."

This is good news indeed. That would leave only Russia propping up the Assad regime. If we could isolate him completely, he'd go away without us having to start World War II 1/2.

And by the way, where was the righteous indignation when Saddam was using CW against the Iranians? Oh, right. Because Reagan.

[KittyWampus]

1. Reagan & Bush Sr. managed to spread lots of misery around. This is interesting

[rdharma]

2. Where was the righteous indignation when Saddam was using CW against the Iranians?

We were providing Saddam with satellite targeting imaging. That's where we were.

Oh, and we were providing him with the necessary chemicals to produce his chemical weapons.

[KamaAina]

3. Remember this?

[msanthrope]

6. I was getting arrested in front of the Iraqi embassy in DC. nt

[JI7]

4. this does show that those who experienced it view chemical weapons as especially bad

that it's not as simple as "just another way to die".

but this is very good news if this does get them to try to make Assad back off.

[rdharma]

5. Like napalm? Or white phosphorous (used for "smoke cover") or the after effects of DU rounds?

Really?

[KamaAina]

7. Remember, people, in this context, DU means

depleted uranium.

[rdharma]

9. Sorry, I didn't think about that.

Military abbreviation for depleted uranium.

Thanks for the clarification, KamaAina.

[Renew Deal]

8. I wonder if the "just another way to die" crowd is OK with the electric chair

Hanging, firing squads, etc.

[JI7]

10. one thing i'm reminded of is the people who jumped from the buildings during 9/11

all the deaths were horrible. but the people who jumped still make me feel a certain way which i wish i didn't have to.