If it was meant to rally world opinion behind the prompt punishment meted out by three leading Western democracies to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad바카라s murderous regime and for his predilection for using chemical weapons on his own people, the script seems to have gone quite awry.
Instead of cheering the US and its two NATO allies바카라the UK and France바카라for their April 14 missile attacks on Syria, the motives for their action are being questioned around the world. Were they aimed more at saving their own proxies in the Syrian conflict? Was it also a response born out of their respective domestic compulsions? Or was it the plight of hapless civilians in this strife-torn nation that forced their hand?
Even though Donald Trump proclaimed 바카라Mission Accomplished바카라 after the missile strikes바카라shadowing another such dubious declaration 13 years ago바카라serious doubts remain on whether chemical weapons were indeed used on civilians on April 7 in Douma and, if so, if it was actors other than the Syrian army who were behind these dastardly acts.
The US-UK combine is perhaps not the best entity to convince people about the veracity of a chemical weapons attack, since the world, and especially West Asia, still has fresh memories of their bogus claims of WMDs in the possession of Saddam Husain바카라s regime to justify their 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Several hundred sea- and air-launched missiles were shot at Syria, apparently targeting the government바카라s chemical weapons facilities. But none were aimed at either Russian or Iranian assets in Syria, even though the two countries are regularly pilloried for being the main backers of Assad. Syria says only three people were injured in the attacks.
Amidst claims and counter-claims by the major actors in Syria, analysts and reporters are trying to cut through the thicket of 바카라fake news바카라 and orchestrated propaganda to get to the raw, unvarnished truth, which is elusive as ever.
바카라The information war has been elevated beyond the status of an adjunct to the conflict on the ground to the point where it is now a key and crucial front in itself,바카라 says an independent observer.
For many countries, including India, the developments in Syria have important lessons. One, 바카라fake바카라 news on WMD attacks on civilians can lead to a larger military conflict in the region. Two, any country that resists the line of the US and its allies may come under huge pressure and unwelcome scrutiny. India may not be a pushover, but the unquestionable faith some of its policy planners seem to have in the US needs a reality check.
바카라In the not too distant past, we have faced such malicious propaganda by the US and its Western allies on Kashmir,바카라 says former Indian diplomat Talmiz Ahmad. 바카라There is no reason to feel complacent that it may never happen again in future,바카라 he adds.
The Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons바카라the international body in The Hague to deal with cases of use of chemical weapons바카라has formed a fact-finding team to investigate developments in Syria. Indian ambassador Venu Rajamony says, 바카라The alleged use of chemical weapons, if true, is deplorable. We call for an impartial and objective investigation by the OPCW.바카라
The destroyed Syrian Scientific Research Centre in Barzeh
But neither the US nor the UK or France was in a mood to wait for the OPCW바카라s final report. They felt they had enough 바카라evidence바카라 to act unilaterally. Interestingly, all three, as well as most Western opinion-makers, appear to rely on information provided by Syrian rebels and opposition outfits of Assad바카라s use of chemical weapons on civilians.
According to the BBC, 바카라Activists from the Violations Documentation Centre (VDC), which records alleged violations of international law in Syria, reported two separate incidents of bombs believed to contain toxic substances being dropped by the Syrian air force바카라 in the town of Douma in East Ghouta, the rebel-held area to the southwest of Damascus.
But the VDC, a Switzerland-registered human rights body operating in rebel-controlled Syria, had been citing reports from the Syria Civil Defence바카라whose workers, known as 바카라White Helmets바카라, have a dubious track record. The White Helmets emerged at a time when opposition fighters were under pressure from government forces, say observers. Furthermore, these volunteers have only worked in rebel-held areas and are seen to be closely linked with the Al Qaeda-affiliate in Syria, Jabhat Nusra. They supplied most of the information about the two-day use of chemical weapons and its effect on hapless civilians, especially women and children.
According to the VDC, more than 500 patients were brought to hospitals in the rebel-held areas. 바카라The patients showed signs of 바카라respiratory distress, central cyanosis (blue skin or lips), excessive oral foaming, corneal burns, and the emission of chlorine-like odour바카라, One woman who died had convulsions and pinpoint pupils,바카라 it said. While the initial figure of deaths from these attacks was put at 150, later it was brought down to 70; finally, the agreed figure seems to be 43 deaths.
However, all the graphic description of suffering meets with scepticism. Russian officials and other independent sources who visited Douma claimed hospitals and doctors there did not report any case of treating victims of chemical weapons attacks. Instead, they pointed out that video clips posted by the Syrian rebels showed White Helmet volunteers without any protective gear (which a 바카라chemical attack바카라 would necessitate) while ferrying victims to hospitals.
바카라Either the chemical weapons attack in Douma is nonsense or Bashar al-Assad is the stupidest man on the planet,바카라 writes John Wright in Sputnik International. He argues, 바카라Simply, because the potential consequences attached to Syrian military forces carrying out such an attack...would be catastrophic.바카라
As the argument goes, the Syrian army, generously backed by Russia, was already heading towards 바카라complete success바카라 in East Ghouta and did not need chemical weapons. Douma remained under the control of Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam and other Salafi groups, particularly Jabhat Nusra. Russia recently brokered a deal for these fighters to move out with their families to other safer areas.
But there was a split within the Jaish al-Islam, between those who wanted peace and move out and those who wanted to stay and fight. This also coincided with Trump바카라s announcement in late March that the US would withdraw its troops from Syria soon, sending shock waves among US allies, especially Saudi Arabia, which naturally feared an outcome in favour of its rival Iran.
Conveniently for many, reports of the chemical weapons attack came at a juncture when the Syrian army is in the ascendant. For regional US allies, it was important to ensure America does not take its eyes off Syria. Observers also pointed out domestic compulsions in the three nations that prompted these leaders to take action.
바카라Trump has his hands full with the various allegations about his many transgressions; including his having been in collusion with Putin et al,바카라 says C. Uday Bhaskar, director of Society for Policy Studies.
Likewise, British PM Theresa May is battling the Brexit fiasco and a revolt within her own party, and French president Emmanuel Macron is facing unrest over his economic policy바카라both have enough reason to use such safe, diversionary tactics.
For Trump, who had been talking of a detente with Russia, the challenge바카라to come out tough against Syria and Russia while under pressure from hardline US establishment바카라is stiffer. But significantly, despite the anti-Moscow rhetoric, US and Western missiles carefully avoided Russian assets in Syria. If punitive tactics have real bite, they may not have such a tame ending. They evidently heed Russia바카라s rising note of displeasure.
