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UN finds Syria war crimes ‘on both sides’

"It was clear that 'the majority of casualties result from unlawful attacks using conventional weapons,' the Commission of Inquiry on Syria said in a statement. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's regime 'have continued to conduct widespread attacks on the civilian population, committing murder, torture, rape and enforced disappearance as crimes against humanity,' according to the report, which covers the period from May 15th to July 15th. It also charged that anti-government groups had 'committed war crimes,' including murder, torture and hostage-taking. The report does not address the period which includes the August 21st suspected chemical attack." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUN finds Syria war crimes ‘on both sides’

Ron Paul: Why Aren’t We Talking About the Cost of War in Syria?

"Despite Obama’s assurances that U.S. military action won’t involve 'boots on the ground,' Paul warned about the human cost of 'so many more lives lost than [lawmakers] are anticipating. They think they can predict these things, but there is a cost – the cost of life and limb, the cost of freedoms at home because of a war atmosphere.' 'Just because one cruise missile might cost one-and-a-half million dollars –there are a lot more expenses involved' in any military strike, said Ron Paul. 'It will be easy [for costs] to go much, much higher.' He compared the difference in costs in the Iraq War: 'It was estimated to cost $60 billion – and it turned out to be into the trillions.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRon Paul: Why Aren’t We Talking About the Cost of War in Syria?

Iran Ruling In Europe Blocking Sanctions Draws Anger From U.S.

"In a setback for the United States’ attempts to isolate Iran, a European Union court threw out sanctions Friday on seven Iranian companies, including four banks, rejecting arguments that they were acting as front companies to bypass the punitive measures. The General Court in Brussels, the union’s second-highest tribunal, ruled that the bloc wrongly imposed sanctions against the Iranian companies as part of its efforts to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons, a decision that immediately drew the ire of American officials. The United States Treasury took the opposite tack on Friday, imposing restrictions on a network of six individuals and four businesses for links to oil sales." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIran Ruling In Europe Blocking Sanctions Draws Anger From U.S.

Where Congress stands on Syria

"Lawmakers appear to be tentatively dividing into four camps over military action in Syria. Each square represents a lawmaker who has indicated how he or she might vote, and the sentiment of the quote is mapped across the four categories. Among the lawmakers mapped below are members of leadership and several 'people to watch,' a category comprising influential or opinionated individuals, committee chairmen and 2016 presidential hopefuls." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhere Congress stands on Syria

A war the Pentagon doesn’t want

"They are embarrassed to be associated with the amateurism of the Obama administration’s attempts to craft a plan that makes strategic sense. None of the White House staff has any experience in war or understands it. So far, at least, this path to war violates every principle of war, including the element of surprise, achieving mass and having a clearly defined and obtainable objective. They are repelled by the hypocrisy of a media blitz that warns against the return of Hitlerism but privately acknowledges that the motive for risking American lives is our 'responsibility to protect' the world’s innocents." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingA war the Pentagon doesn’t want

Russian spokesman mocks Britain, the little island

"Britain has faced questions about its role and influence in the world since Mr Cameron was embarrassed by last week’s Commons vote to rule out a military strike against Syria. Dmitry Peskov, Mr Putin’s official spokesman, is said to have highlighted that embarrassment, telling Russian journalists that Britain was now diplomatically irrelevant. Britain is 'just a small island … no one pays any attention to them', Mr Peskov is reported to have said. The blunt remarks appeared to realise British fears that the Russians would use the St Petersburg summit to upstage Mr Cameron over his criticism of Syria, Russia’s closest Middle Eastern ally." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRussian spokesman mocks Britain, the little island

Syrian jihadist rebels attack, kill 12 Alawite civilians

"Twelve civilians from Syria’s Alawite minority, to which President Bashar al-Assad belongs, have been killed by jihadist fighters in the central province of Homs, a Syrian NGO said Wednesday. Fighters from the Al-Nusra Front and another rebel group attacked three Alawite villages near the city of Homs Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The rebels entered the village of Maksar al-Hissan and 'shot 12 Alawites to death before leaving the area.' Troops retook the village on Tuesday night, after clashes in which they lost two men and killed several members of Al-Nusra, he added." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSyrian jihadist rebels attack, kill 12 Alawite civilians

Syria tentatively accepts surrender of alleged chemical weapons arsenal

"Obama warned Monday he had not taken military strikes off the table but, in agreeing to consider the Russian initiative, he effectively pushed back the timetable for possible action. 'I think what we’re seeing is that a credible threat of a military strike from the United States, supported potentially by a number of other countries around the world, has given them pause and makes them consider whether or not they would make this move,' he told NBC television. 'And if they do, then this could potentially be a significant breakthrough. But we have to be skeptical because this is not how we’ve seen them operate over the last couple of years.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSyria tentatively accepts surrender of alleged chemical weapons arsenal

Assad did not order Syria chemical weapons attack, says German press

"President Bashar al-Assad did not personally order last month's chemical weapons attack near Damascus that has triggered calls for US military intervention, and blocked numerous requests from his military commanders to use chemical weapons against regime opponents in recent months, a German newspaper has reported, citing unidentified, high-level national security sources. The intelligence findings were based on phone calls intercepted by a German surveillance ship operated by the BND, the German intelligence service, and deployed off the Syrian coast, Bild am Sonntag said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAssad did not order Syria chemical weapons attack, says German press