US-Supported Terrorists Responsible for CW Use in Syria
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
US-supported ISIS, al-Nusra and other terrorists used them numerous times throughout nearly seven years of Obama’s war on Syria, now Trump’s.
Most often, Damascus was falsely blamed for their criminal actions. US-sponsored endless war rages.
Syrians are victims of Washington’s rage for unchallenged dominance, wanting all sovereign independent governments replaced by pro-Western puppet regimes.
America’s imperial project is humanity’s greatest threat. Its permanent war agenda is out-of-control, new nations on its target list to rape and destroy - with bipartisan support.
Trump is the latest in a long line of US warrior presidents, a captive of the nation’s military/industrial complex, Wall Street, and other corporate interests, waging war on humanity at home and abroad - flagrantly violating every responsible campaign promise made.
New CW incidents in Syria are likely ahead, a strategy of US imperial terror, a pretext for continuing war and pursuing regime change.
During a Thursday Security Council session on non-proliferation of WMDs, Sergey Lavrov discussed the risk of “chemical terrorism” spreading beyond the Middle, terrorists using them.
“We cannot ignore the very real danger,” Lavrov stressed. Pentagon contractors train US-supported terrorists on CW use in Jordan. Lavrov failed to explain, instead saying:
Western countries are “turning a blind eye” to the production and use of these weapons, mostly civilians in harm’s way affected by their use.
“We have repeatedly suggested passing a resolution of the UN Security Council or at least a statement by its chair denouncing concrete incidents of chemical terrorism in Syria and Iraq,” Lavrov explained, adding:
“Unfortunately, all our proposals have been always met with tough resistance from a number of our Western colleagues, who prefer to turn a blind eye to the facts of use and even production of chemical weapons by terrorists, and come forward with unfounded accusations against Damascus.”
He denounced the failure to address this issue for “selfish geopolitical aims,” stressing the need to create “a new mechanism to investigate” regional use of CWs - according to principles of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is mandated to implement their elimination. Its work includes:
(1) Demilitarization: destruction of all chemical weapons and precursors.
(2) Non-Proliferation: ensuring against proliferation of toxic chemicals and their precursors.
(3) Assistance and Protection: member states able to protect their populations pledge and help others that can’t.
(4) International Cooperation: ensuring chemicals are used for peaceful, not destructive purposes.
(5) Universality: promoting adherence to CWC provisions.
(6) National Implementation: establishing national authorities to assure state parties meet their CWC obligations.
The Convention prohibits development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons, mandating their elimination. It called on all UN member states to eliminate them by April 29, 2007.
Nearly 11 years later, proliferation continues. Syria destroyed its CWs, monitored and confirmed by the OPCW.
Last year, Russia completed the elimination of its CW stockpile. At the time, Vladimir Putin criticized Washington for “not observing the deadline for destroying” its formidable arsenal, adding:
“They have pushed the date back three times, citing lack of budget funding. Frankly, this sounds strange…”
Neither Russia or America met their 2007 deadline, extended to 2012 to give them more time. Moscow fulfilled its obligation last year - eliminating 39,967 metric tons of CWs, according to the OPCW.
Washington stonewalls, its excuses unacceptable, maintaining huge stockpiles of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.
The CWC mandates all nations failing to destroy their CWs be referred to the Security Council for appropriate actions against them.
Washington’s veto power prevents SC resolutions and other actions hostile to its interests.
Israel is nuclear armed and dangerous. It maintains large stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, no SC action taken to address this issue.
CWs include all toxins and their precursors able to cause death, injury, temporary incapacitation or sensory irritation. Munitions and other delivery devices are included.
Toxic substances are categorized as choking, blister, blood or nerve agents. Best known ones include chlorine and phosgene, mustard and lewisite blister agents (or vesicants), hydrogen cyanide blood agents, sarin, soman and VX nerve agents.
US-supported terrorists used some of the above CWs in Syria and Iraq. No evidence suggests either government used them.
False accusations against Syria persist. Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004, unanimously adopted) requires all UN member states develop and enforce legal and regulatory measures against the proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons, along with their delivery systems - especially preventing their spread to non-state actors.
Washington flagrantly breached the resolution, training terrorists in Syria in their use - mainly responsible for their proliferation.
The world community consistently fails to hold the United States responsible for its high crimes.
It’s reckless behavior threatens humanity’s survival.
VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at [email protected].
My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."
