Hagel Cites Russia as Source of Syrian Chemical Weapons

[Purveyor]

WASHINGTON, September 4 (RIA Novosti) – US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Wednesday that Russia was a supplier of chemical weapons to the Syrian military, but the Pentagon quickly backed off the claim and said Hagel was referring to conventional weapons.

Speaking in testimony before the foreign affairs committee of the US House of Representatives, Hagel said: “There’s no secret that the Assad regime has had chemical weapons, significant stockpiles of chemical weapons.”

Pressed by a representative to name the origin of those chemical weapons, Hagel added: “The Russians supply them, others are supplying them with those chemical weapons, they make some themselves.”

He did not provide further details.

Russia has long stated that it sells only conventional weapons to Syria, that these transfers are in strict compliance with international law and regulations and that they in no way modify the balance of power in the volatile region.

more...

http://en.rian.ru/world/20130905/183170463/Hagel-Cites-Russia-as-Source-of-Syrian-Chemical-Weapons.html

[pancha]

1. Pentagon walked that back almost entirely

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/09/pentagon-clarifies-hagels-comments-that-russia-sent-chemical-weapons-to-syria/#.UifAVd9vDJk.twitter

[Erose999]

2. Can't find the reciept eh, Hagel? Check the junk drawer in the utility room. Its in there somewhere

you just have to dig past all the old key rings and batteries and cellphone chargers. That greasy bastard Reagan left it in there, I'm certain.

[HooptieWagon]

3. Is the administration capable of ever telling the truth?

One lie after another...shameless propaganda...We used to ridicule BushCo for that. As with BushCo, whatever they're selling must be pretty bad if they have to lie about it.

Can't wait to hear all the lies about TPP. And the BOG's feeble attempt to defend it.

[cherokeeprogressive]

7. It's like they're the freakin' Keystone Kops.

It's the blind leading the deaf, one hand not knowing what the other is doing, and every other metaphor for incompetence you've ever heard all rolled into one.

[HooptieWagon]

9. He speaks better than Bush, and hasn't groped Chancellor Merkel...

...other than that, hes doing a whole lot of shit I was voting against. Really disappointed. And foreign policy was where he could have shone, due to non-interference from Congress.

[1-Old-Man]

4. At least it wasn't us, this time.

[NightWatcher]

5. Let's keep this a proxy war and not actually go head to head with the Russians, Chucky

[DevonRex]

14. Putin won't react.

Other than say something. You could saw off his toes and he wouldn't blink. He'd kill you after. But he wouldn't blink. Or when he killed you, either.

[dawg]

6. So when are the bombs going to drop on Moscow?

I mean, those weapons are against international law, right? Why would you provide them other than for them to be used? Who is really responsible here?

[DevonRex]

8. Of course Russia supplies them. Everyone should know

that without anybody having to say it. Use Google. You'll find out about all the violations Russia commits regularly in arms shipments.

[HooptieWagon]

10. So does the US...we sold them to Saddam, remember?

And for all we know, Assad could have acquired some of Saddam's old CW inventory. It could be our stuff he allegedly used.

[KittyWampus]

11. Awesome, so you believe the freepers assertion Assad has Saddam's CW's! Can't believe you'd type it

for all to see. But there it is.

[HooptieWagon]

12. Can't ignore the possibility....

...that some of Saddam's military equipment ended up in Syria and Iran. The US was preoccupied with securing the Oil Ministry, remember? Meanwhile, everything that could be grabbed disappeared over the borders.

[DevonRex]

13. Hahaha!!! ONLY RUMMIE AND CHENEY BELIEVE THAT BULLSHIT.

And fuck the statement that 'so does the US.' That's the most vile Putinesque bilge you could hack up on DU's living room carpet. Try that on some gullible fool. All you'll get from me is told off and a laugh.