Orchestrators of crisis call them "uncivilized" ─ West v. East

U.S. Korean Peninsula to 

U.S. Syrian Mediterranean: Diplomacy among "equals" imperative

Editing, comment by 

Carolyn Bennett 

Whose weapons: who sought, who bought, who sold 

Whose chemical attack 

Whose provocation, prosecution of endless conflict, war 

Who benefits 

Not covered in western news sources but reported by FARS News Agency is a “militant” group in phone conversation with a Saudi financier about obtaining and having used chemical weapons against the government of Syria.

The ‘international community” (whatever that means, clearly a discredited lot) is again calling for an investigation of chemical weapons use; but before such an investigation can be undertaken, let alone an independent query into the question of chemical weapons’ use ─  western government officials who dominate and run roughshod over the UN Security Council (France, United States, England) are pushing for added foreign force (violence) in further breach of Syria’s sovereignty and the rights of its government and people.

West’s preemption

French Empire

Leaping into preemptive warfare, “France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Thursday that the international community should respond with force if allegations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in a deadly attack on the outskirts of the capital Damascus are confirmed: ‘There would have to be reaction with force in Syria from the international community, but there is no question of sending troops on the ground.’”

Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague had the temerity to talk about “civilized,” conveniently forgetting Britain’s and the west’s centuries-old penchant for and practice of repeated and sustained barbarism.

Saying it is “not something that a humane or civilized world can ignore,” Hague, without a scintilla of evidence, made a charge, threatened and imposed sentence, saying he believed “President Assad was behind a chemical attack in Syria” and that “the UK would be ready to go back to the United Nations Security Council to secure a stronger mandate ‘for the world to speak together more forcefully about this’ if there was no movement over the next few days.”

East’s opposition to preemption, call for impartiality

 

China’s Foreign Ministry yesterday issued a statement from Beijing “resolutely opposing” the use of chemical weapons in Syria and calling for impartiality.  

As ‘the UN chemical weapons inspection team for Syria is on the ground beginning its investigations, [China] hopes that the team fully consults with the Syrian government and ─

…maintains an objective, impartial and professional stance, to ascertain what really happened.

Russia opposes further propaganda targeting the Syrian government [Serious charges]

“Against the background of another anti-Syrian wave of propaganda, we believe calls from some European countries to apply pressure on the UN Security Council and already now take a decision on the use of force are unacceptable.” Evidence is mounting that ─

 …the attack was ‘clearly provocative in nature’; and

…footage posted online claiming to incriminate the Syrian regime had been posted before the chemical attack took place.

[And insurgents] are ‘directly impeding an objective investigation’ of the incident. [Today’s statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry]

Reports of an alleged attack were conveniently issued just as a UN chemical weapons inspection team arrived in Syria. And in the response statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Alexander Lukashevich said, “[this makes] us think that we are once again dealing with a premeditated provocation.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had confirmed in July “that

On March 19, the foreign-backed Takfiri militants had used chemical weapons in the region of Khan al-Assal.

More than two dozen people died in the attack including 16 Syrian soldiers.

Speaking to FARS News Agency (FNA) in March, Tehran’s Envoy to Rome Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini called for rapid termination of foreign funding and arming of Syrian “rebel” groups and cautioned that continuation of such support would result in “spillover”: from the Syrian crisis into regional countries’

crises. Hosseini said:

Termination of financial and arms support by foreign parties for extremist and terrorist groups are the first and most important provisions for obtaining results in Syria.

Countries that are supporting these groups should know that if they maintain the present policy, unrests will spill over into their countries.

As Kofi Annan had said months ago, Hosseini repeated, that the crisis in Syria needs a “political not military” solution and that “opposition groups and the Syrian government should hold talks and find a way to end the crisis.” But there is rub.

   

UN Security Council

Chronic western obstructionism

 

On the question of chemical weapons, investigation, and obstructionism, former diplomat Vyacheslav Matuza told Press TV back in March that the United States does not want either a “real investigation” or a “political solution.”

UN General Assembly

They don’t like a real solution to the Syrian crisis. 

They are trying to achieve their egoistic political goals in the Middle East … and reaching compromise through any political solution … will be very difficult for all those who are trying to push Syrian crisis from military content to political dialogue between Syrian political sides.

U.S.
Expansionism
Obstructionism
Over-reach
Orchestrator of
incessant conflict

…The questions of the stalled investigation and the use of chemical weapons in Syria by opposition military groups obviously reflect “the stance of the United States relative to the Syrian crisis as a whole ─ because the United States is using the Syrian crisis for political purposes, not for people’s right to democracy …

U.S. UK
Allies in
global violence
barbarism

“This reflects a global approach of the United States,” Matuza said, “to the developments in the Middle East in different areas ─ regions in the Arab World, in North Africa, in Iran, in Afghanistan, in Middle Asia…

If they want democracy, if they want the rights of the people, to provide rights for people, to develop political developments, they should respond positively on the Syrian government’s making its case.

Diplomacy of equals

Political analyst Dr. Kevin Barrett in April was talking about the U. S. foreign relations with the Korean Peninsula but what he said speaks to U.S. foreign relations all over the world.

He told Press TV that we must “get out of this mindset that the U.S. Empire and its partners play by one set of the rules”; and everybody has to obey the U.S. and its partners. The “obvious solution,” he said, “is for international law and diplomacy to be invoked among equals.

“We need to have real diplomacy, which means discussions between equals; and, ultimately, the United States has to tell North Korea that ─

…we are going to get out of your neighborhood and let you (the Koreas) settle between yourselves the issue of how to re-unite North and South Korea.

T

hat critical idea bears repeating: We need to have real diplomacy: discussions between and among equals. Ditto: U.S. relations with Syria and Lebanon and the Occupied Territories, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Libya and Somalia, Bahrain and Yemen, Iraq and Iran, the United States generally with Arab and Muslim populations.

 

Is that too much to ask? 

Only with uncorrupt and uncompromised, truly progressive leaders in the west and in the United Nations (fix the UN Security Council’s composition and its structural power relation with the UN General Assembly) can we expect truly progressive thought and action in world relations: a philosophy of  and penchant for coexistence, conflict resolution without barbarism (east or west, north or south) but with nonviolence and mutual respect seeking understanding of difference.

Sources and notes

“France urges ‘force’ if Syria chemical attack confirmed, August 22, 2013,

http://www.france24.com/en/20130822-france-calls-force-syria-chemical-weapons-attack-confirmed

“William Hague believes Assad behind chemical attack ─ UK Foreign Secretary William Hague: ‘It seems the Assad regime has something to hide’: UK Foreign Secretary William Hague says he believes President Assad was behind a chemical attack in Syria, “http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23812398

“Russia slams 'unacceptable' calls to use force in Syria,” August 23, 2013, http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/23/320107/russia-slams-calls-to-use-force-in-syria/

Russian Foreign Ministry said evidence was mounting that the attack was "clearly provocative in nature" and that footage posted online claiming to incriminate the Syrian regime had been posted before the chemical attack took place. It also accused the insurgents of "directly impeding an objective investigation" of the incident."

“China calls for ‘objective’ UN investigation in Syria,” August 23, 2013, http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/23/320019/china-urges-objective-probe-in-syria/

“Syria opposition preventing chemical attack probe: Russia,” August 23, 2013,

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/23/320110/syria-militants-preventing-chem-probe/

On Wednesday, Syria’s opposition claimed that hundreds [had been] killed in a government chemical attack on militant strongholds in Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar before dawn. George Sabra, head of the “Syria’s opposition National Coalition, told reporters in Istanbul that more than 1,300 people were killed in the alleged attack.

“The Syrian army has vehemently denied allegations that it used chemical weapons against Takfiri militants in the suburbs of the Ghouta region, saying the accusations were fabricated to distract the visiting team of UN chemical weapons experts [the an investigating team that arrived in Syria on Sunday] and to cover up militant losses.

“Two Phone Calls Reveal Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria's Homs by Rebels,” August 23, 2013, http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920601000443

TEHRAN (FNA) - A phone call between a militant affiliated to the so-called ‘Shuhada al-Bayada Battalion’ in Homs and his boss, called Adulbasit from Saudi Arabia, uncovered that antigovernment fighters used the chemical weapons in Deir Ballba in Homs countryside. During a phone call broadcast on the Syrian TV Channel, the militant said that his group which comprises 200 terrorists escaped from al-Bayadah to al-Daar al-Kabera through a tunnel, adding that they needed to buy weapons to attack the City of Homs, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported.

[Also] During the phone conversation, the Saudi financier who was in Cairo admitted to extending support for the rebels in Daraa and Damascus Countryside and asked the militant about details on his group and the way they intended to receive the money. In response, the militant said that one of the achievements of his ‘Battalion’ was the successful use of chemical weapons in Deir Ballba. 

“Diplomat Warns of Spillover of Syrian Crisis,” March 26, 2013, FARS News Agency.

“U.S. doesn’t seek political solution to Syria crisis: Vyacheslav Matuza,” March 22, 2013, http://familysurvivalprotocol.com/2013/03/26/warnings-of-syrian-crisis-spilling-over-to-bordering-countries-it-doesnt-seem-to-be-a-major-concern-for-those-countries-who-continue-to-aid-the-opposition-yes-the-al-qaeda-connection/

Vyacheslav Matuza is a former councilor of the Russian Embassy in Washington.

“U.S. arrogance endangers Koreas, pushes world towards destruction: Dr. Barrett,” April 6, 2013, http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/04/06/296832/us-pushes-world-towards-destruction/

Dr. Kevin Barrett is an author and political commentator

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