Germany Joins U.S. In Blaming Assad For Attack

[Tx4obama]

Germany Joins U.S. In Blaming Assad For Attack

BERLIN — Germany has joined the United States and ten other members of the Group of 20 biggest economies in blaming the Syrian government for a chemical attack against civilians last month.

Germany had been the only European member of the G-20 not to co-sign a joint statement issued Friday at the end of the G20 meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The statement calls for a strong international response against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad but stops short of explicitly calling for military action against the Syrian government.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Saturday in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius that Germany wanted to wait for European Union foreign ministers to agree on a common position before backing the statement.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/07/germany-assad_n_3885481.html

Full text of the Joint Statement on Syria, here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023619299

[bluestate10]

1. That a violation happened should be clear to anyone with their eyes open.

A diplomatic solution would be preferable, but with Russia blocking every route in that direction, the only choice remaining is to strike Assad. That is a sad choice. May be people like Alan Grayson should focus their efforts on convincing Russia to use it's influence to get Assad out of Syria and allow Russia and the international community to broker a peace deal.

Syria is in violation of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Ban. Assad is Syria today.

[Tx4obama]

2. See Comment #25 on the link below...

Here ---> http://election.democraticunderground.com/10023620807#post25

Grayson has said that: 'Syrian Atrocities ‘Simply Not Our Problem' and 'This Literally Has Nothing to Do With Us'

So, I don't think Grayson has any desire to do anything - other than appear on TV and to raise money for his campaign.

[iamthebandfanman]

3. Lies!!

dontcha know some weirdo ate a heart over there and so therefor assad is innocent of all the accusations made against him and his government?

[Tx4obama]

6. I've started a real 'You Lie List' on the link below

Comment #2 here: http://election.democraticunderground.com/1014588870#post2

[soundsgreat]

4. only after France agreed to wait for the UN inspectors' report

The headline is misleading as it conveys only a part of what happened.

[Tx4obama]

5. Not sure what you mean. France signed the joint statement at the G20.

Germany did not sign the statement at the G20 conference, but now give their support along with the 11 others that did sign it.

[soundsgreat]

7. Germany signed only after Hollande promised to wait for the UN report

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius sought agreement from EU counterparts meeting in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius that President Bashar al-Assad's government was responsible for an August 21 gas attack that the United States says killed more than 1,400 people, a source close to Fabius said.

But he was rebuffed by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and other ministers who said countries contemplating military action must await the findings of U.N. chemical weapons inspectors, which could take weeks.
...

On arrival in Vilnius, Fabius played down the U.N. inspectors' report, saying it was likely to disappoint, because the inspectors had only been asked to look into whether it was a chemical attack, not who was responsible for it.

But French President Francois Hollande said later in St. Petersburg, Russia, that France would await the conclusions of the inspectors before deciding on action.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/06/us-syria-crisis-eu-idUSBRE9850WY20130906

[Tx4obama]

8. Okay, BUT...

France (Hollande) signed the 'Joint Statement on Syria' when the other 10 leaders did at the G20 conference.

Germany didn't sign it at the G20 - Germany gave support to the statement 'after' the G20 was over.

See the statement here: http://election.democraticunderground.com/10023619299