by Stephen Lendman
Longstanding US regime change plans remain firm. Previous articles explained. Washington targets all independent governments. Replacing them with subservient pro-Western puppet ones is policy. Pretexts are created to do so. War is America’s option of choice. It’s a national addiction. Post-9/11 ones rage. New ones are planned.
Syria remains in the eye of the storm. Obama’s war plans are delayed. They’re not deterred. Another false flag ahead is likely. What better way to launch war. John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met in Geneva. On Saturday, they concluded three days of talks. They announced an agreed on six-point plan:
(1) Syria will place its chemical weapons under international control.
(2) In one week, it will provide a “comprehensive” CW list.
(3) Extraordinary Chemical Weapons Convention procedures will be implemented to destroy them.
(4) Syria will give international inspectors full, “unfettered access” to all chemical weapons sites.
(5) All CWs must be destroyed by mid-2014. No precise date was stipulated.
(6) The UN will provide logistical support and compliance assurance with what’s agreed on.
The Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (CPCW) must approve the above plan. Syria agreed to become a Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) signatory.
Its documents were submitted to do so. They were received in proper form. A UN statement said:
“The secretary-general, in his capacity of the depositary of the 1992 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, has today received the formal instrument of accession to the Convention by the Syrian Arab Republic.”
“Pursuant to the Convention, any state may accede to the Convention at any time.”
“The Convention will enter into force for the Syrian Arab Republic on the 30th day following the date of deposit of this instrument of accession, namely on 14 October 2013.”
Syria’s eligible to join the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (CPCW). On September 15, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) discussed the Kerry/Lavrov deal.
Lavrov said it “would and could help avoid any military scenarios. (T)here was no talk about any punishments as this issue can only be discussed at the Security Council,” he stressed.
“We now have to translate the agreements into a clear legal language, though the agreements first need to be approved and ratified.”
“However, what matters now is that Russia and the US reached a deal quickly, which indicates that when there is an intention and a will for joint work, the two countries can make great successes, particularly in terms of preventing risk of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”
“We agreed that every violation of measures and every breach of provisions or any chemical weapons use would be discussed by the Security Council, which will then make suitable decisions.”
Lavrov called the deal a starting point toward resolving two and half years of conflict. It’s an important one.
“We stressed with John Kerry that we insist on the peaceful solution,” he said. Geneva II is still planned. Lavrov hopes for an October date. All parties should participate without preconditions.
Syrians must determine their own destiny. International law prohibits outside parties doing it for them.
Lavrov expressed concern about fabricated chemical weapons use. Verification and attribution are essential. Syria’s been wrongfully accused numerous times.
Insurgents’ CW use is officially ignored. They bear full responsibility for the August 21 Ghouta attack. Lavrov was unequivocal saying:
“There is a wide variety of testimony by independent experts in this respect, including by a nun from the nearest convent and other witnesses.”
“Western correspondents were there. As you know, European and US experts, including 12 former Pentagon and CIA officials, sent an open letter to (Obama) explaining how all this had been fabricated.” Russian experts provided clear evidence. It proved insurgents used chemical weapons on March 19. It was swept under the rug and ignored.
Ammunition used was homemade. A Russian Foreign Ministry statement said:
“(H)exogen was used to detonate the shell but it is not used in standard chemical ammunition.”
“The samples of the ammunition and soil contain the nerve gas sarin, which was not commercially made, and diisopropylfluorophosphate, which was used by Western countries in chemical weapons during World War II.”
“Attempts have been made to ignore information provided by official Damascus about Syrian army personnel’s toxic poisoning on August 22, 24 and 25 when they found materials, equipment and tanks with traces of sarin in one of the suburbs of Damascus.”
“As we all know, the condition of the affected soldiers was assessed by members of the UN expert group.”
“Obviously, any objective investigation of the August 21 incident will be impossible unless these circumstances are taken into account.”
Failure to do so shows what Syria is up against. It’s wrongfully blamed for insurgents’ crimes. Lavrov said Putin and Obama agreed to exchange assessments on Syrian CWs going forward. They’ll do so through proper channels.
On August 14, a White House statement said:
“Statement by the President on U.S.-Russian Agreement on Framework for Elimination of Syrian Chemical Weapons”
“I welcome the progress made between the United States and Russia through our talks in Geneva, which represents an important, concrete step toward the goal of moving Syria’s chemical weapons under international control so that they may ultimately be destroyed.”
“This framework provides the opportunity for the elimination of Syrian chemical weapons in a transparent, expeditious, and verifiable manner, which could end the threat these weapons pose not only to the Syrian people but to the region and the world.”
“The international community expects the Assad regime to live up to its public commitments.”
“While we have made important progress, much more work remains to be done.”
“The United States will continue working with Russia, the United Kingdom, France, the United Nations and others to ensure that this process is verifiable, and that there are consequences should the Assad regime not comply with the framework agreed today. And, if diplomacy fails, the United States remains prepared to act.”
“Following the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons to kill more than 1,000 men, women, and children on August 21, I decided that the United States must take action to deter the Syrian regime from using chemical weapons, degrade their ability to use them, and make clear to the world that we will not tolerate their use.”
“In part because of the credible threat of US military force, we now have the opportunity to achieve our objectives through diplomacy.”
“I spoke to Secretary Kerry earlier today and thanked him for his tireless and effective efforts on behalf of our nation. I also spoke to Ambassador Samantha Power who will ably lead our follow-on negotiations at the UN Security Council in New York.”
“The use of chemical weapons anywhere in the world is an affront to human dignity and a threat to the security of people everywhere. We have a duty to preserve a world free from the fear of chemical weapons for our children. Today marks an important step towards achieving this goal.”
Fact check
Eliminating all chemical weapons is vital. America and Israel maintain formidable stockpiles. New CW weapons replace old ones. Both nations represent the gravest threat to world peace. Syria threatens no one. No evidence links it to CW use any time throughout months of conflict. Claims otherwise are fabricated.
Obama deplores peace. He abhors diplomatic conflict resolution. He lied saying otherwise. Peacemakers don’t wage war. Obama’s done so since day one of his tenure. Nothing suggests he’ll stop. He intends escalated war on Syria. He plans more against new targets. He’s waging multiple proxy wars. Obama calling CW use “an affront to human dignity and a threat to the security of people everywhere” is duplicitous on its face.
Washington uses chemical, biological and radiological weapons in all its wars. It’s longstanding policy. America used toxins since before it became a nation. Plans to use gas against Nazi Germany were readied. Chemical and biological weapons were used in Korea, Vietnam and thereafter. Radiological weapons are used. They include depleted and enriched uranium ones.
Coverup and denial conceal horrendous war crimes. Obama’s words about “preserv(ing) a world free from” CW ring hollow. He’s a war criminal multiple times over. Syria is his war. He launched it. He bears full responsibility. Imported death squad proxies are used. He plans air power support. Expect it later, not now. Most likely, it’ll follow another major false flag incident. It’s America’s favorite tactic.
It’s been used at least since the mid-19th century Mexican war. It repeats with disturbing regularity. Doing so reflects how Big Lies launch all wars. Fear, misinformation and deceit work best.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book is titled “Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour
