Bill Van Auken

In an attempt to pave the way for a direct military intervention aimed at toppling the government of President Bashar al-Assad, Washington, its NATO allies, Israel and Qatar have all in recent days broadcast trumped-up charges that Syria has used chemical weapons.

In a letter to members of Congress Thursday, the White House declared, “The US intelligence community assesses with some degree of varying confidence that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria.”

In the midst of a Middle East tour dedicated to arranging a $10 billion deal to provide Israel and the right-wing Arab monarchies with advanced weaponry directed against Iran, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel denounced the chemical weapons use, saying it “violates every convention of warfare.” He went on to acknowledge, “We cannot confirm the origin of these weapons, but [they]...very likely have originated with the Assad regime.”

Similarly, British Prime Minister David Cameron charged Syria with a “war crime,” stating: “It’s limited evidence, but there’s growing evidence that we have seen too of the use of chemical weapons, probably by the regime.”

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Stephen Lendman

What's ongoing now bears eerie resemblance to events preceding Bush's Iraq war. Obama's replicating a familiar scenario. Waging war requires a pretext to do so. When none exists, it's invented. It's easy. Lies substitute for truth. Claims about Syria using chemical weapons don't wash. Repetition gets people to believe them.

We've seen it all before. Colin Power's infamous February 5, 2003 Security Council speech led to war. It was shameless deception. Later he admitted WMD claims were false. It was too late to matter. Plans were set. The die was cast. Weeks later, America bombed, invaded and occupied Iraq. The cradle of civilization was destroyed. No WMDs existed. It was well-known but ignored. More on that below.

Powell lied claiming them. US media scoundrels repeated what demanded renunciation. A New York Times editorial headlined "The Case Against Iraq," saying:

"Secretary of State Colin Powell presented the United Nations and a global television audience yesterday with the most powerful case to date that Saddam Hussein stands in defiance of Security Council resolutions and has no intention of revealing or surrendering whatever unconventional weapons he may have."

A (no longer available online) Washington Post editorial headlined "Irrefutable," saying:

"….it is hard to imagine how anyone could doubt that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction."

Months later, a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace report titled "WMD in Iraq: Evidence and Implications" said the Bush administration "systematically misrepresented the threat from Iraq’s WMD and ballistic missile programs."

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Stephen Lendman

FBI organizes almost all terror plots in the US. The FBI
has provided at least 150 people with bombs, transpor-
tation and other means of carrying out terrorist plots.

Innocence is no defense. Lies substitute for truth. Imperial priorities matter most. America's war on terror shows no mercy. It's institutionalized. Everyone's harmed. Freedom is fast disappearing. America's war on humanity continues. Full-blown tyranny looms.

Boston's marathon bombings leave disturbing questions unanswered. Official accounts lack credibility. Mounting evidence suggests FBI responsibility. It doesn't surprise.

Project Censored's fourth top 2013 censored story headlined "FBI Agents Responsible for Majority of Terrorist Plots in the United States." More on that below.

Post-9/11, George Bush declared war on terrorism. It continues under Obama. America needs enemies. When none exist, they're invented. Muslims are America's target of choice. Numerous innocent victims are entrapped. It occurs when law enforcement officials or agents induce, influence, or provoke crimes that otherwise wouldn't be committed.

Project Censored discussed Russia Today's report. It headlined "FBI organizes almost all terror plots in the US."

Mother Jones covered the same issue. Its article titled "The Informant" said "(T)he FBI has built a massive network of spies (allegedly) to prevent another domestic attack. But are they busting terrorist plots - or leading them?"

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