US Doubts Israel’s Claims of Syrian Chemical Weapons Use

Kerry Pushes for More Rebel Aid Anyhow - In a world where “Israel said so” is often seen as the only proof needed, US officials are expressing an unusual level of doubt today, saying they are “not persuaded” by Israeli claims Syria has used chemical weapons. The claims came at a Tel Aviv conference, where Brig. Gen. Itai Brun claimed Syria had “repeatedly” used sarin nerve gas, and accused the US of ignoring its own “red line” on military intervention in Syria. As with all of these claims, which have been floating around off and on for months, there is no proof to be had, and Secretary of State John Kerry reportedly pressed Benjamin Netanyahu on the matter, who said he couldn’t confirm anything about the general’s claim. Still, Kerry is not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, and he cited the “chemical weapons threat” today in his latest exhortation for Western nations to throw more money at Syria’s rebels.

Stephen Lendman: Target Syria: Allegations of Chemical Weapons Use - New allegations claim Syrian chemical weapons use. We've heard similar ones before. Obama calls using them a "game changer." He also said their use crosses a "red line." Syrian officials are unequivocal. Weeks earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad spoke for others saying: "Syria stresses again, for the 10th, the 100th time, that if we had such weapons, they would not be used against our people. We would not commit suicide." Alleging Syrian chemical weapons use resembles bogus claims about Saddam's nonexistent WMDs. It's similar to false charges against all US enemies. Big Lies launch wars. They facilitate them. They perpetuate them.

Joseph Kishore: US ramps up plans for military intervention in Syria - Responding to unsubstantiated allegations by Israel that Syria has used chemical weapons, US Secretary of State John Kerry declared at a NATO council meeting in Brussels on Tuesday that it was necessary to “carefully and collectively consider how NATO is prepared to respond to protect its members from a Syrian threat, including any potential chemical weapons threat.” The Obama administration has previously declared chemical weapons use to be a “red line” that would spark an aggressive response. The chemical weapons claims from Israel are based on photographs supplied by opposition forces relating to a battle that took place near Aleppo on March 19. The Assad regime has claimed that it was the rebels, not government forces, who used the weapons.