EU: All info on Syria gas attack points to Assad

[ProSense]

EU: All info on Syria gas attack points to Assad

By RAF CASERT

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — The European Union agreed on Saturday that the Aug. 21 chemical attack outside Damascus appears to have been the work of Syria’s regime, but that any potential military attack against it should wait for a U.N. inspectors’ report.

After meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the EU ministers ended days of division on the issue with a statement saying the available intelligence ‘‘seems to indicate strong evidence that the Syrian regime is responsible for these attacks.’’

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, who hosted the meeting, put it more bluntly in targeting Syrian President Bashar Assad, speaking of ‘‘more and more evidence that the Assad regime is behind all these crimes. We can’t just ignore this.’’

<...>

The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported Saturday that the U.N. chemical weapons inspectors could submit initial findings from their tests of samples collected in Syria by the end of next week. The respected weekly said the interim report to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon will likely contain details on the gas, ammunition and delivery systems used in the attack that killed hundreds of people in a suburb of Damascus.

- more -

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/2013/09/07/all-info-syria-gas-attack-points-assad/YlPgujEctHCsr8j77R3ujO/story.html

European Union Wants U.N. Report Before Any Military Action in Syria

By MICHAEL R. GORDON

VILNIUS, Lithuania — The European Union said Saturday that a military strike against Syria should be put off until United Nations inspectors submit a preliminary report on a deadly chemical weapons attack near the Syrian capital, Damascus.

The senior foreign policy official for the European Union, Catherine Ashton, said that it was clear that a large-scale chemical weapons attack had occurred on Aug. 21 and that it was “a blatant violation of international law, a war crime and a crime against humanity.”

Ms. Ashton said the evidence also “seems to indicate” that the Syrian government was responsible because it was the only side in the civil war that has chemical weapons and the means of delivering them in such a substantial quantity.

But she endorsed the French decision to wait until United Nations inspectors had submitted their report, even though the results might be “preliminary.”

- more -
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/08/world/europe/european-union-wants-un-report-before-any-military-action-in-syria.html

International joint statement on Syria (issued by some G-20 members)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023610073

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Bang the war drum!

[ProSense]

2. Bury that head. n/t

[msongs]

4. Assad and Obama both kill children via air strikes. bury THAT head nt

[ProSense]

5. You voted for someone who you believe equals Assad.

Obama is not Assad, but evidently you don't care about Assad launching a chemical attack on his own people.

[Logical]

9. We care, but the fix does not have to be the USA doing it. If this was Bush you would not be....

defending it. But since it is Obama, it HAS to be correct. That is your theme on every topic.

[Zynx]

8. Obama has never intended to. Assad actively tries to.

[Warren Stupidity]

29. When you fire missiles into villages children die.

It is absolutely intentional. We just declare it "collateral damage".

[ProSense]

32. Right because the civilian casualties of all wars are "intentional."

What's your opinion of FDR and Hitler?

[Warren Stupidity]

33. The bombing of Dresden was a war crime.

[ProSense]

34. So are you saying that FDR = Hitler? n/t

[Warren Stupidity]

35. No. What a fucking stupid inference that would be.

I'm saying exactly what I said. The firebombing of Dresden was a war crime. You might equate endless lying for authoritarianism with Goebbels, but FDR = Hitler is just an inane insulting accusation. Not unexpected.

[bobduca]

37. Illogic is one of her most often used defenses.

[ProSense]

39. "When you fire missiles into villages children die. It is absolutely intentional. "

Own that. You made the claim that Obama actions were intentional to equate him with Assad.

I asked: What's your opinion of FDR and Hilter?

You weren't talking about "war crimes." You were talking about intentionally killing civilians.

[Warren Stupidity]

40. You said "So are you saying that FDR = Hitler? "

At which point you entered into surreal idiocy.

Own that.

Now about collateral damage: yes it is of course known that when you fire missiles into villages you kill villagers, including children, along with any alleged bad guy. These acts are intentional.

Now go back to your regular business of beating the war drums for a war you would have opposed if Bush were in office.

[War Horse]

3. PNAC-ers, all of them

But seriously, everything points to the Assad regime at this point. Keeping an open mind is one thing, but I wish people would let the conspiracy theories go and ponder what to if the Assad regime really behind this.

I'm at a loss.

[Logical]

6. "In U.S. and around world, doubts grow over attack on Syria"

President Obama, traveling in Russia, struggled to make his case to skeptical foreign leaders for military strikes in Syria, while his administration faced growing opposition from Congress back home, where head counts Thursday showed his war plan in danger of being defeated.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/5/senate-will-come-back-early-debate-syria

The rest of the world is not as gullible!

[DavidDvorkin]

7. Washington Times!

Ha, ha, ha.

[Logical]

10. LOL, so if they disagree with your agenda it makes you whine? n-t

[DavidDvorkin]

14. Ha, ha, ha = laughter, not whining

And I'm laughing because you think the Washington Times is a credible source.

[Logical]

16. The point is, it is as credible as any source promoting the bombing! n-t

[DavidDvorkin]

24. Nonsense.

[emulatorloo]

26. Moonie Times is not credible.

[ProSense]

12. Not only that, that piece is from four days ago. The OP is about where they stand today. n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. I think you are conflating two separate issues

1) Who did the gassing

and

2) What is the appropriate response.

I think direct and indirect evidence establishes beyond a reasonable doubt who was behind the chemical attack.

[Logical]

19. I agree, and someone else can fix the problem. We have done our share! n-t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

22. I respect your position.

It's a lot more intellectually honest than to argue the rebels gassed themselves in some cockeyed attempt to draw Americans into the war.

[cali]

11. You seem to have missed the bit about the EU

not supporting a military strike. This is a "strongly worded letter" and not a statement of solidarity with the President re military strikes.

[ProSense]

15. I haven't "missed" anything. In fact, I made no comment in the OP. n/t

[Barack_America]

21. You seem to have missed the second linked article in the OP.

That states military action remains on the table with a final decision held until the UN inspectors submit their report.

[mick063]

17. I'm glad the EU came to this conclusion

Now when are they going to buy a global force to deal with it?

[polichick]

18. Yes, we know that the administration wants us to read this.

[Coyotl]

20. KEYWORDS left out of OP: "appears to have been"

[SidDithers]

23. DU rec...nt

Sid

[RetroLounge]

30. SID RECS PROSENSE

Water is wet.



RL

[Warren Stupidity]

36. Not just any old rec, a "DU rec".

[RetroLounge]

38. I guess that keeps it separate from a BOG rec

or something.



RL

[Warren Stupidity]

41. I've found my du experience much better since I learned "trash this forum".

[ocpagu]

25. Well...

What they really said is that available intelligence "seems to indicate strong evidence that the Syrian regime is responsible for these attacks."

Seems... to indicate... evidence?

So... they don't even have evidence... they have possible evidence...

Ok. I'll wait for UN report.

[soundsgreat]

27. France has reversed course - Obama isolated

Hollande no longer is ready to participate in an anti-Assad strike before the UN inspectors are ready with their report.

[Thinkingabout]

28. With some of Syrian military defecting I am wondering if this is some kind of signal to

the results will be positive and they know there will be strikes. Also it could mean they realize Assad is about to bite the dust.

[Sand Wind]

31. Kick nt