Tuesday, 19 June 2012

RUSSIA, CHINA, IRAN PLAN TO STAGE IN SYRIA “BIGGEST MID EAST MANEUVER”





SABRE RATTLING OR COUNTER TACTICS?

Via DEBKAfile

 MIDDLE EAST MILITARY TENSIONS AROUND SYRIA

shot up again Monday, June 18, with the news reported by the semi-official IRANIAN news agency Fars that a joint RUSSIAN-CHINESE-IRANIAN exercise is to take place in SYRIA.
It was described as “the biggest of its kind ever staged in the MIDDLE EAST” with 90,000 personnel, 400 air planes and 900 tanks taking part.
As part of its preparations, Beijing is reported to have asked Egyptian authorities to permit the passage through the SUEZ CANAL in late June of 12 naval ships heading for the Syrian port of Tartus, where Moscow maintains a naval and marine base. debkafile reported earlier this week that RUSSIAN naval vessels with marines on board were heading for Tartus. The IRANIAN media did not itemize their contribution to the joint exercise.

OBSTRUCTING US-EUROPEAN-ARAB MILITARY INTERVENTION IN SYRIA

debkafile stresses that this would be the first time that substantial RUSSIAN and CHINESE military strength has ever been deployed in SYRIA or anywhere else in the MIDDLE EAST. It means that the two powers are prepared to parade their unabashed partnership with the IRANIAN and SYRIAN armies for the shared purpose of obstructing US-EUROPEAN-ARAB military intervention in SYRIA. A large-scale RUSSIAN and CHINESE military presence in the embattled country would expect to deter the UNITED STATES from leading a military operation against Bashar Assad and his regime.

No date was attached to the report but the exercise may possibly take place before the end of the month
The large-scale maneuver was announced in Tehran on the first day of the nuclear crisis talks in Moscow between IRAN and the six world powers, their third attempt to resolve the crisis by diplomacy. However, RUSSIAN and IRANIAN sources close to the talks were pessimistic about progress. An IRANIAN delegation member complained the atmosphere was harsh and unconstructive. A RUSSIAN source saw no way of bridging US-led WESTERN differences with Tehran when the parties reconvene Monday.
debkafile also notes that the big joint RUSSIAN-CHINESE-IRANIAN exercise “at sea, air and land on SYRIAN soil,” was released for publication shortly before US President Barack Obama was due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit in MEXICO.

Monday, 18 June 2012

Nachdenken über Syrien

 Wieder mal ist Krieg im Nahen Osten.  

via The European 
von Alexander Wallasch

Wieder mal können wir nicht glauben, was wir sehen. Weil wir wissen, dass der Augenschein nicht die Wahrheit sein muss – und unsere Medien versagen.

Wer erinnert sich nicht? 2003 hatte Colin Powell in seinem liederlichen Auftritt vor dem UN-Sicherheitsrat, einem der höchsten weltlichen Gremien, erklärt: ja, im Irak gibt es Massenvernichtungswaffen. Und damit einen Krieg und eine Kettenreaktion ausgelöst, die bis heute anhält. Die aktuell in Syrien angekommen ist. Und die aller Wahrscheinlichkeit nach Damaskus in eine dieser Höllen aus Blut, Bomben und Elend verwandeln wird.
Längst weiß jeder: rückwirkend hat sich diese Powell’sche Wahrheit als „Verschwörungstheorie“ herausgestellt. Genauer als Verschwörung, denn was sich als Lüge herausgestellt hat, das kann ja keine Theorie mehr sein. Nur was ist nach Powell noch ein Beweis und was nicht? Ein großes Dilemma. Und es wurde zur mächtigen Zäsur. Powells Lüge ist zum Sündenfall geworden. Zur Werte-Kernschmelze.
Jahre später sprach Powell in der „FAZ“ christlich-demütig, oder heuchlerisch – wie man mag – vom Schandfleck seiner Karriere. Und dass er „enorm enttäuscht“ wurde. Das ist seltsam. Denn „getäuscht“ wäre das treffendere Wort gewesen, wenn er, wie er sagt, nicht im Bilde war. Aber dann hätte er noch dringender benennen müssen, was seine persönliche Schuld war.
Die „Bush-Administration“ (längst Synonym für etwas sehr, sehr Schmutziges) hat der Weltgemeinschaft – die zu retten sie offiziell mit dieser „Neuen Weltordnung“ angetreten war – einen Bärendienst erwiesen. Denn wenn die Wahrheit keine mehr ist, ist auch ihr Gegenpart, die Verschwörungstheorie, als solche wieder ergebnisoffen. Die positive Seite: Nicht jede geäußerte Wahrheit kann jetzt noch zur Verschwörungstheorie runtervergewaltigt werden. Klar, der Vorwurf „Verschwörungstheoretiker“ greift zwar noch, aber seine inflationäre Nutzung weist darauf hin, dass er als perfekte Massenmeinungsvernichtungswaffe zum Auslaufmodell geworden ist.
Wenn wir über Syrien nachdenken, ist das die Vorgeschichte
Gewissermaßen der unheilvolle Nährboden oder unangenehm amerikanischer ausgedrückt: die Saat des Bösen. W. Bushs „Neue Weltordnung“ hat tatsächlich eine noch viel schlimmere Verwüstung angerichtet als nur die Kriegshandlungen zur Diktatorenbeseitigung. Mit der Unauffindbarkeit von Massenvernichtungswaffen im Irak ist ein großer breiter Damm aus Diplomatie und diplomatischer Lüge einfach weggebrochen. Dass Assange mit allen Mitteln gestoppt werden musste, ist völlig klar. Er war der Brandbeschleuniger mit dem Wahrheitskerosin.
In Kombination mit einem rapide verödenden Schwarmgedächtnis sind internationale Umgangsformen, sind lange Zeit als unverrückbar geltende Werte verloren gegangen. Werte, die vor dem Zusammenbruch der Ost-West-Blöcke zumindest für den kapitalistischen Westen, für den NATO-Einflussbereich in Stein gemeißelt schienen wie die zehn Gebote. Klar, diese weltlichen Gesetzestafeln existieren immer noch. Aber sie werden heute von ihren ehemaligen Gralshütern schlechter behandelt als die verwitterten Preisanschläge der Hurenhäuser in Pompeji.
Irak, Afghanistan, Ägypten, Tunesien, Libyen, nun Syrien. Genug ist genug. Ja, die 1950er- bis 1980er-Jahre mit ihrem US- und Sowjet-Imperialismus in Lateinamerika, auf Kuba, in Indochina, in Afrika usw. – im Westen alles gedeckelt unter der größten aller Ängste: der roten Gefahr. Aber auch die damals unumstößlichen Wahrheiten platzen nun unter der blutroten Sonne Syriens. Alles drängt wieder hoch. So war es während der Libyen-Eroberung und so ist es erneut. Inflation auf dem Weltwahrheitsmarkt und ihren Mediensprachrohren.
Versagen der Nachrichter im Syrien-Konflikt
So werden „Tagesschau“ und „heute“ zu blöd-dreisten Verdummungsveranstaltungen. Hat man sich längst arrangiert mit der Groteske? Also reden wir vom Versagen der Nachrichter im Syrien-Konflikt. Wie selbstverständlich suchen wir heute die tatsächliche hinter der eigentlichen Nachricht. Ein Automatismus. Ein verdammtes scheiß Suchspiel! Sekundiert und manchmal noch persifliert in Talk-Shows, wo dann doch mal einem der eingeladenen Komparsen der Kragen platzt, bevor er von der Moderation runtergebügelt werden kann. Noch knapp im Vorteil sind da greise Weise wie Scholl-Latour oder Unantastbare aus anderen Kulturkreisen. Also solche, die ein Stück weit nach eigenen Regeln spielen bzw. die Regeln nicht beherrschen oder akzeptieren.
Und dann sind da die Auslands-Korrespondenten. Niemandem scheint bisher aufgefallen zu sein, dass die „Live-Schalte“ – als ehemals fester Bestandteil deutscher Nachrichtensendungen – quasi zum Erliegen gekommen ist. Einer wie dieser Jörg Armbruster wird vorher aufgezeichnet. Bequemlichkeit? Denkfaulheit? Egal – jedenfalls wird so aus einer unbequemen Momentaufnahme direkt und live vom Ort des Geschehens ein aufgezeichnetes und von einem Telefongespräch untermaltes YouTube-Filmchen in erbärmlicher Qualität und erbärmlicher Beweiskraft. Oder ein Porträtfoto-Interview mit den nächtlichen Autolichtern einer Kreuzung mit beleuchtetem Minarett im Hintergrund. Das kennt jeder.
Ein angeschwitzter Armbruster mit zerzaustem Haar schaut gekonnt übermüdet und emotional angeschlagen in die Kamera, als käme er direkt aus dem Schützengraben: Wieder 30 Tote in Syrien. Nach Meldung der Rebellen. Und Assad hat Kinder als menschliche Schutzschilde auf Panzer der Regierungstruppen setzen lassen, um „angreifende Soldaten“ – dann verbessert Armbruster sich und sagt „Freischärler“ – der „Freien Syrischen Armee“ daran zu hindern, diese Panzer zu beschießen. Und so weiter. Ich warte auf den Moment, wenn der Teleprompter bereits abgelesen ist. Wenn doch noch ein Stück Redlichkeit, ein bisschen Scholl-Latour aus dem armen Armbruster hochschießt. Dieser Moment Wahrheit, der es am Schnittraum vorbei geschafft hat. Ein Satz, der relativiert, also aus einer dieser im vorauseilenden Gehorsam gestreamten Konsensmeldung, aus der Verlautbarung eine echte Nachricht macht. Armbruster im Nachfassen: Auch die „Freie Syrische Armee“ missbraucht laut UN-Bericht Kinder zu militärischen Zwecken. Wumms.
Oder doch nicht wumms? Wer kennt die Wahrheit? Vielleicht niemand mehr in ihrer Gesamtkomplexität. Oder kann es sein, dass die heutigen Medien und die extreme Diversifikation von Informationen – und das quasi in Echtzeit – das Individuum vielmehr in die Lage versetzen, ein eigenes Bild zu formen? Und entsteht dadurch lediglich der Eindruck, alles sei schlimmer geworden? Stimmt am Ende die These, dass es immer schon so schlimm war, dass es sich früher nur nicht so einfach dechiffrieren ließ? War die Manipulation aufgrund ihrer Einkanalkommunikation „nur durch die ,Tagesschau‘“ einfach nur einfacher und somit perfekter?
Die trübe Brühe der Gesinnungspolitik
Was nun? Einfach zu kompliziert ist es da, wo man Klarheit wünscht. Weil man behandelt werden möchte, als litte man an Gedächtnisverlust. An Amnesie. Verständnislosigkeit ist die neueste Form schweinischer Hypochondrie. Schweinisch, weil sie Menschenleben kostet. Weil es nicht viel Mühe macht, zu erinnern, oder mindestens zu recherchieren, dass die US-Regierung und ihre Dienste schon vor Jahren angefangen haben, eine syrische Opposition mit Millionen Dollar aufzubauen. Weil man weiß, dass unter Billigung und Anweisung der US-amerikanische Regierung unter dem schmutzigen Banner der „Demokratie“ seit 9/11 ganz offensichtlich ein Kreuzzug geführt wird. Ja, aber gegen wen eigentlich? Die Interessenlage ist so vielfältig, dass auch das dem Fokus einer allgemeingültigen Wahrheit entrückt ist. Lässt es sich besser auf, wenn man sich nach den unterschiedlichen Interessenlagen im Vorfeld erkundigt? Öl, strategische oder/und religiöse Positionen. Da werden Koalitionen geschmiedet und gewechselt wie die Weiber beim Gangbang im Provinzpuff. Russland, Brasilien, China. USA, Katar, Saudi-Arabien. Jeder kocht sein eigenes Süppchen. Die trübe Brühe der Gesinnungspolitik.
Die kleine schmutzige Hure Demokratie, von der schon Plato sagte: „Wer in der Demokratie die Wahrheit sagt, wird von der Masse getötet.“
Die ehemaligen Vasallen rund um die Ölfelder und im Dunstkreis Israels werden nun also Schlag auf Schlag enthauptet und die Region komplett destabilisiert. Diese Destabilisierung ist nicht der notwendige Übergang, sondern das eigentliche Ziel der wie nebenbei dann Menschenmassen vernichtenden konstatierten Aktionen. Wann sind syrische Bürger Rebellen und wann werden Wohnhäuser bombardiert und wann sind es bereits hochgerüstete Rebellenhochburgen? Wann versucht eine wie auch immer geartete Assad-Regierung, den relativen Frieden im Land gegen Aufständische zu verteidigen und wann werden aus Aufständischen legitime neue Ansprechpartner?
Ein gigantisch obszönes Geschäft
Fakt ist bisher, dass in diesen Krisenregionen auch später kein Nährboden für europäische Demokratie vorhanden zu sein scheint. Das kann religiöse Ursachen, aber auch mit Stammesverhältnissen und ihren traditionellen bis ins Religiöse hineinreichenden Machtansprüchen zu tun haben.
Das wussten die Rebellenunterstützer. Und man wusste es schon, als das State Department bereits ab 2006 „mindestens sechs Millionen Dollar an syrische Oppositionsgruppen“ zahlte, wie die „Washington Post“ berichtete. Nach dem Zeitungsbericht soll das sogar Teil einer lang angelegten Kampagne sein, um Assad zu stürzen. Was berechtigt nun also das Massensterben, wenn der Wunsch nach Demokratie nicht die erste Triebfeder gewesen sein kann? Denn die rasch fallenden Diktaturen in Nordafrika scheinen ja bereits zu beweisen, dass nicht die Demokratie, sondern Destabilisierung erste Option ist.
Zwischen den Teleprompternachrichten schimmert es brutal durch: Es geht um die Chance der Neuverteilung von Macht und Einfluss. Früher ebneten Geheimdienste erst den GI’s, dann den Profiteuren den Weg. Man nannte das Imperialismus. Heute spart man sich immer öfter dieses komplizierte, kostenintensive Prozedere. Solange die einheimischen neuen Hoffnungsträger noch voller Hoffnung auf Partizipation an der Umverteilung sind, ist das auch nicht nötig. Ein gigantisches gigantisch obszönes Geschäft.

Sunday, 17 June 2012

AUSTRALIA AND CHINA




AUSTRALIA IS KEEN TO AVOID NON WIN CHOICE BETWEEN CHINA AND US
Via Global Times
By Hugh White
EAST OR WEST?
When AUSTRALIA'S Defence Minister visited CHINA in recent past, he faced a tough grilling from CHINESE experts over reports that AUSTRALIA'S 2009 Defence White Paper had a "secret chapter" about AUSTRALIA'S military support to the US in a war against CHINA. Smith denied the reports, but the impression remains that AUSTRALIA is siding with the US against CHINA.

AUSTRALIA does not want to make a choice between the US and CHINA. Both its future prosperity and its future security depend on maintaining close relationships with each country.

If AUSTRALIA turns its back on the US, it would lose a longstanding and very valued ally, whose support and friendship should remain central to AUSTRALIA'S security for decades to come.
CHOICES: ECONOMY VERSUS POLITICS

On the other hand, if it turns its back on CHINA, AUSTRALIA would lose an equally valued economic partner which will be critical to AUSTRALIA'S growth prospects in the decades to come, and forgo the benefits of deeper engagement with a country that is destined to take a leading role in ASIA and beyond in many fields.

AUSTRALIA'S future therefore depends on it being able to maintain and develop both relationships as fully as possible.

But despite its wishes, AUSTRALIA may be forced to make a choice between the US and CHINA, if strategic rivalry between the two countries continues to grow as it has over the past few years. The more intense that rivalry becomes, the greater the risk that either the US or CHINA will press AUSTRALIA to loosen its links with the other.

And in addition, escalating rivalry between the region's two strongest powers increases the risk of confrontation and war between them, which would be devastating not just for AUSTRALIA but for the whole region.

It is therefore strongly in AUSTRALIA'S interest to encourage both Washington and Beijing to work with one another to avoid escalating the strategic rivalry between them. This can only be done if both sides are willing to make concessions to accommodate one another.

USA' S STRATEGIC ASIAN ADVANCES

On the one hand, CHINA must accept that the US will continue to play a key leadership role in ASIA as one of the region's great powers. The more clearly CHINA can affirm that it welcomes the US' continued strategic and political engagement in ASIA, the easier it will be to avoid escalating rivalry.

On the other hand, the US must acknowledge that as CHINA'S power grows, it too must be accorded the status of a great power in ASIA, with a larger role in regional leadership. That means the US must step back from the role of primacy that it has exercised in ASIA for the past four decades, and deal with CHINA as an equal.

Understandably, the US is finding this hard to accept. Some important figures, such as former national security adviser Henry Kissinger and even Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have urged the US to redefine its role in ASIA to accommodate CHINA'S rise.

But President Barack Obama has made it clear that he intends to resist any compromises with CHINA, and plans instead to reassert US primacy in ASIA with all the instruments of US power, including its military power.

Moreover, Obama has made it clear that he expects US allies like AUSTRALIA to support the US as it tries to preserve its primacy in ASIA. This poses a great dilemma for AUSTRALIAN leaders, as could be seen when Stephen Smith visited CHINA last week.

AUSTRALIAN leaders know that Obama's policies, including his military "pivot" to ASIA, run a grave risk of escalating strategic tensions with CHINA, and are therefore contrary to AUSTRALIA'S interests. But they lack the political courage to say no to Washington, or to explain to the AUSTRALIAN public how CHINA'S rise will require major changes in ASIA'S order, including in the US' role.

So instead they try to pretend that increasing military cooperation with the US, such as the new deployment of US Marines to Darwin for training, has nothing to do with the US anxieties about CHINA. Not surprisingly, Smith was met with disbelief.

KEEPING THE BALANCE
But ultimately AUSTRALIANS are smarter than their leaders. Like everyone else in ASIA, AUSTRALIANS want the US to stay as a key strategic power in ASIA, because it will help keep the peace between ASIA'S other great powers and help ensure that no one, including CHINA, tries to become a regional hegemony.

However, AUSTRALIANS do not want the US and CHINA to become strategic adversaries, let alone enemies. They want the US to stay in ASIA on a basis which is acceptable to CHINA, just as they want CHINA to accept a continuing US role. That means they want Washington and Beijing to reach a deal on their future roles and relationship.

We can only hope that leaders on both sides realize that they have no choice but to do such a deal, because it will be a disaster for everyone if they do not.

RUSSIA and SYRIA


RUSSIA FLIES ANTI-AIR, ANTI-SHIP MISSILES TO ASSAD AS ITS FLEET HEADS TO TARTUS

Via DEBKAfile

Moscow is using the time up until Russian President Vladimir Putin faces US President Barack Obama across the G20 conference table in Los Cabos, Mexico Sunday, June 17 - or in its corridors - to ship sophisticated arms to Syria able to prevent a no-fly zone and a fleet of warships to the Mediterranean port of Tartus.
While Pentagon sources Friday disclosed the approach of a “small contingent” of Russian warships to Tartus, debkafile’s military and intelligence sources have discovered that heading for the Russian base at this Syrian port is a Russian fleet that includes Ropucha-toad or Project 775 class landing-craft carrying Russian marines. Each craft can carry 250 marine personnel and 500-ton armored vehicles.
And flying overhead are Russian air transports that are touching down at Syrian air bases bearing, according to our sources, a variety of sophisticated munitions for the Syrian army: advanced Russian Pantsyr-S1 anti-air missiles capable of hitting fighter-bombers flying at an altitude of 12 kilometers and cruise missiles; self-propelled medium range anti-air Buk-M2 missiles (NATO codenamed SA-11). They are capable of downing aircraft flying at an altitude of 14 kilometers and Mach 32 speed; and shore-based Bastion anti-ship missiles which can reach vessels sailing 300 kilometers out to sea.
Russia is, in a word, supplying Bashar Assad, his regime and his army, with the very weapons they may need for warding off Western and Arab air efforts to impose a no-fly zone over Syria, while at the same time enabling him to repel seaborne assaults by his foes from the Mediterranean.
Since Syrian units have not been trained in the use of these advanced weapons, they are mostly likely coming with Russian technical teams to operate them - although they would be presented as “instructors.”
The Russians are not trying to conceal their military intervention in Syria in support of the Assad regime.
Friday, June 16, Anatoly P. Isaykin, director of Rosoboronexport (the Russian state arms export authority) said quite openly: I would like to say these mechanisms are really good means of defense, a reliable defense against attacks from air or sea. This is not a threat, but whoever is planning an attack should think about this.” The next day, Saturday, a source in the Russian General Staff told the Itar-Tass government news agency, “Several warships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, including large landing ships with marines aboard, are fully prepared to take to the sea in case it is necessary to protect the Russian logistics base in Tartus, Syria, since it is a zone of the Fleet’s responsibility.”
debkafile’s sources in Washington, Moscow and the Persian Gulf expect the Russian and US presidents to get together in the course of the G20 summit for a meeting that will determine whether or not the US and its European and Arab allies go forward with their planned military intervention in Syria.
Agreement between the two presidents on their Syria and Iran policies could arrest this plan, whereas their failure to agree would quicken its pace.

Monday, 11 June 2012

SYRIAN CONFLICT:




RESULT OF BEING LEFT OUT OF THE LIBYAN EQUATION?

The USA and its allies clearly underestimated RUSSIA'S and CHINESE persistent pro SYRIAN stance from the beginning of the instigated SYRIAN conflict and thus thought the LIBYAN matrix could be applied for SYRIA. What the USA missed in the equation was that CHINA and RUSSIA never forgave the USA, FRANCE, BRITAIN and the GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL STATES for denying them a share of the post GADDAFI LIBYAN natural resources cake. 

CHINA and RUSSIA invested heavily in LIBYAN oil infrastructure and its economy during Gaddafi’s reign, in order to obtain a share of the oil bonanza, only to realize that the USA, FRANCE and BRITAIN had no intention of sharing prosperous oil revenues after the regime change in LIBYA. Learning from mistakes, this time around CHINA and RUSSIA are making sure the LIBYAN scenario is not repeated in SYRIA and keep vetoing any UN Security Council resolution on Syria. 

USEFUL EXCUSE FOR FOREIGN INTERVENTION: SYRIA’S BIO – CHEMICAL WEAPONS ARSENAL?

Even the threat by the USA to circumvent the UN Security Council some way or the other, in order to intervene in SYRIA is not such an easy undertaking and mostly sable-rattling, for it could easily trigger a full out confrontation with RUSSIA and CHINA, the later of the two already weary of Washington’s geostrategic ASIA advance. In view of these developments it becomes understandable that US proxies are beefing up their efforts and “PSY – OPS” tactics to opinionate the public and politicians in order to create excuses as well as justifications for a foreign intervention in SYRIA.

TACTICIANS TOOLS 

Thus the SYRIAN Bio- Chemical warfare card comes in handy. The fact that SYRIA possesses a large amount of Bio- Chemical weapons is nothing new. What has changed however is that the existence of these weapons have until now never been mentioned by the media nor used as a propaganda tool. The same applies for Al Qaida presence in SYRIA. The minute the SYRIAN conflict started it was clear that fundamentalist Islamic groups would infiltrate and intervene. But because of the veto on foreign interventions by CHINA and RUSSIA, the USA and its allies now, more than a year into the conflict, beef up their serious concern over Al Qaida infiltration in SYRIA and the possibility of Bio Chemical weapons falling into the hands of Islamic terrorist groups.
For more info see:

In view of these facts one either has to assume the foreign entities who instigated the SYRIAN conflict are fully aware of the consequences and consider the infiltration of Al Qaida and other Fundamental Islamic terror groups as well as possible deployment of Bio – Chemical warfare in the conflict a calculated risk in order to achieve their objective, or these entities are indeed naive enough as well as ignorant to think that a regime change in SYRIA will bring prosperity, democracy peace and harmony in the region.

Continue reading posting below: SYRIA’S BIO – CHEMICAL WARFARE THREAT? LEGITIMATE, OR A WELCOME EXCUSE FOR US INTERVENTION?

SYRIA


SYRIA’S BIO – CHEMICAL WARFARE THREAT? LEGITIMATE, OR A WELCOME EXCUSE FOR US INTERVENTION? 

GEOPOLITICAL ANALYSIS AND MONITORING numerous times claimed that SYRIA’S Bio – Chemical warfare arsenal bears a real threat to both, the WEST and the internal struggle.
GEOPOLITICAL ANALYSIS AND MONITORING wrote in March 2012 already two articles. For further details see:

If indeed the entire SYRIAN conflict was instigated by foreign entities, as it seems increasingly likely, one has to seriously question these countries on their geo - strategic and geopolitical analytical abilities as well as inefficient intelligence gathering capabilities, otherwise they would have known the outcome of the current conflict in SYRIA. On the other hand, DEBKAfiles article shown below, on Chemical warfare can also be viewed as a propaganda tool to justify foreign intervention in the conflict. 

 
CHEMICAL WARFARE FEARED RAISING ITS HEAD IN THE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR
Via DEBKAfile
 
Tehran pumped out a report Early Sunday June 10 accusing SYRIAN rebels of arming themselves with chemical weapons originating in LIBYA and acquiring training in their use from an unknown source in their use. The report sent shudders of alarm through WESTERN capitals and ISRAEL and fears that Tehran and Damascus were preparing the ground for the Assad regime to resort to chemical warfare to finally crush its foes.

TALKING OPENLY ABOUT BIO – CHEMICAL WARFARE

IRAN claimed, “Any report released on the SYRIAN Army’s alleged use of the chemical weapons is meant to pave the ground for the terrorists to use these weapons against the people and accuse the SYRIAN army and government of that crime.”
Three days earlier, on June 7, SYRIAN rebel sources charged that the SYRIAN air force planes had dropped poisonous substances over Deraa, Hama and Idlib which knocked people unconscious. This later proved unfounded.
Western military sources watching SYRIA’S flashpoint areas warn that the fact that both sides of the conflict are now talking openly about chemical warfare attests to their seriously getting ready for this deadly escalation - and the ultimate game-changer. If they indeed go through with it, say sources Washington, EUROPEAN capitals, Riyadh and Jerusalem, US President Barack Obama cannot possibly stick to his refusal to take military steps in SYRIA and will have to step in with limited force to stop the escalating horror.
In that case, the US would almost certainly be joined by SAUDI ARABIA, QATAR and possibly other Arab nations.

COMMENT BY GEOPOLITICAL ANALYSIS AND MONITORING: Are those alleged Bio – Chemical threats “leaked” to the media the base for justifying the launch of a military intervention in Syria by US, SAUDI ARABIAN and QATAR coalition forces? A goal the three of them have pursued since they allegedly instigated the turmoil in SYRIA in the first place? 

Official spokesmen in the West, Moscow and the UN are still warning that SYRIA is on the verge of civil war, refusing to admit that a sectarian war which they failed to avert is already fully fledged – certainly between Sunni Muslims and Assad’s Allawite minority.

COMMENT BY GEOPOLITICAL ANALYSIS AND MONITORING: This is not a conflict between SUNNI and ALLAWITES but SUNNI versus SHIITES.

CLASH OF FAITHS

The Christians are also involved because some members of that community occupy high-ranking positions in the military command. Defense minister Dawoud Rajiha, who manages government action against the revolt, is a Christian.
The conflict is no longer clear-cut between the SYRIAN army and the various armed rebel groups. The al Houla massacre in the last week of May was a tragic turning-point:  Armed groups of Alawites and Sunnis living in the same neighborhoods are now turning on each other. Their battles go largely unreported. One of the most disastrous episodes of this kind erupted last week between Sunni and Alawite neighbors in Latakia. Many parts of southern, eastern and northern SYRIA had consequently spiraled out of control of military and security forces. WESTERN and ISRAELI military sources report that regional commanders and the general staff in Damascus have lost track of the violence plaguing those regions and more massacres on the scale of al-Houla and Al Qubeir are feared.
The rebel SYRIAN National Council’s choice of a KURDISH exile Abdel Basset Sayda Saturday as its new head is a bad omen: More than a step toward resolving the differences among the various factions and unifying ranks, the appointment brings the KURDISH community, one-fifth of the SYRIAN population, squarely into the revolt. SYRIAN KURDS have stayed out of it until now.

COMMENT BY GEOPOLITICAL ANALYSIS AND MONITORING: If indeed the KURDS are now also involved, it will be interesting to see how TURKEY will react to the new situation. TURKEY so far has been playing a double edged sword policy regarding SYRIA and showcased serious concerns on SYRIA’S KURDISH stance.

A major concern for Jerusalem was sparked by recent comments in IRANIAN Revolutionary Guards publications. Friday and Saturday, the official IRGC mouthpiece Mashregh quoted a warning by Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazaeri that in the event of any WESTERN or ARAB force interfering in SYRIA, Assad’s allies in the resistance “would ensure that aggressors do not survive the conflict. The Zionist regime and the interests of the enemies of SYRIA are all within range of resistance fire.”
Saturday night, RUSSIAN Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov underlined Moscow’s hard line on SYRIA: “Moscow would support the departure of President Bashar al-Assad, but only if SYRIANS agreed to it,” he stressed. He ruled out outside force and sanctions against the regime and proposed another international conference.

Moscow has now ranged itself solidly behind Assad and the pyramid that keeps him in power – family, Alawites and the top military echelon. Even if the ruler was himself ousted in a coup by his own army, the general who seized power could count on RUSSIAN backing.
SYRIA endured another day of slaughter Saturday with the numbers of dead in double digits and the Red Cross warning that more than a million Syrians are in dire need of aid. The SYRIAN tragedy is more intractable than ever.