Hagel says evidence chemical weapons were used in Syria

FoxNews.com ^ | 4-25-2013 | FoxNews.com

[servo1969]

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday the U.S. intelligence community believes the Syrian regime used the chemical weapon sarin, a revelation that immediately raised the question of whether a "red line" had been crossed in the country's civil war.

Hagel confirmed the intelligence assessment, which was detailed in a letter to select members of Congress, while speaking to reporters on a visit to Abu Dhabi. The administration swiftly released those letters, which said U.S. intelligence determined with varying degrees of confidence that "the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria, specifically the chemical agent sarin."

The White House stressed that this was not enough to confirm how the nerve gas was released -- though acknowledged it is "very likely" to have originated with the regime of Bashar Assad -- and pressed the United Nations for a "comprehensive" investigation. The letter from the White House director of the Office of Legislative Affairs to leading members of the Senate Armed Services Committee said the assessment was based in part on "physiological samples."

Secretary of State John Kerry further confirmed that there were two documented instances of chemical weapons use.

The assessment is likely to prompt calls for more serious consideration of intervention. President Obama has said the use of chemical weapons would be a "game-changer" in the U.S. position on intervening in the two-year-old Syrian civil war. Obama said last August that "a red line for us" would be the movement or use of chemical weapons, adding "that would change my calculus."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., suggested Thursday the "red line" had been crossed. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., also said the assessment is "deeply troubling, and if correct, means, that President Obama's redline has certainly been crossed."

[madison10]

So President Bush was correct afterall? HAH!

[pgkdan]

So, is this the next crises we’ll be inundated with as we lurch from crises to crises? Are we due for 2 weeks of non stop Syria war talk while the next crises in the series is being manufactured? All while our ‘masters’ in DC continue to sell us out, shred the constitution and drive the country to ruin.

[haffast]

It's about gas alright. "Red Line" had already been crossed.

Obama thanks Qatar for security and trade ties (Israel, Palestine, Syria)
UPI ^ | Published: April 24, 2013 at 12:40 AM | UPI
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3012103/posts

Iran-Syria Gas Pipe to Run Through Iraq
By Chana Ya'ar - 2/20/2013, 3:00 PM

"Iraq has approved plans to run a natural gas pipeline through its territory from Iran to Syria."
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/165466#.UXlfiUp1pkg

Syria's energy: Mediterranean gas may be the prize
UPI ^ | April 24, 2013 at 11:04 AM | UPI
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3012058/posts

DUCK and COVER ASSAD!! INCOMING!!

[haffast]

Israel Shopping for Warships to Protect Gas Fields
First Publish: 4/4/2013, 12:02 PM
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/166766#.UXlj_0p1pkg

The Geopolitics of Israel’s Offshore Gas Reserves
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs ^ | 4-3-2013 | David Wurmser
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3005392/posts

[sheana]

I.
Don’t.
Care.

You are right, it covers it.

[haffast]

U.S. brushes off Iran-Iraq-Syria gas line
Nov. 20, 2012 at 7:26 AM

excerpted:

"The U.S. government said plans by Iran to build a natural gas pipeline through Iraq to Syria may run into problems with economic sanctions."

"Victoria Nuland, a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, brushed off the report, saying Washington has seen similar reports on the Iran-Iraq-Syria pipeline "six or seven or 10 or 15 times before, and it never seems to materialize."

"I would simply say that the construction of any kind of an Iranian-Syrian pipeline could potentially raise sanctions issues under U.S. law on either Iran or Syria, including for international entities who might decide to participate in it either by financing or by construction," she said.
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2012/11/20/US-brushes-off-Iran-Iraq-Syria-gas-line/UPI-36621353414380/#ixzz2RRMiBd8v

[thegrump]

The Arabs have been fighting with each other (and everyone else) since Biblical times. This will never change so choosing a side is choosing a lesser evil that once in power will be a primary evil (kind of like choosing Obama or maybe Obama for Pres.) I say let them fight and when they choose to fight us (they always do) we deal with it in a finality that is obvious to the world.

If we keep worrying about what other countries will think or do about we we think and do. If they say, you can’t do that or we will nuke you, we need to say bring it on because you will be gone no less than we. Enough is enough, we need to stand up to the damn world or the world is not worth continuing.

[Personal Responsibility]

Wasn’t there a theory that said Iraq’s chemical weapons were moved to Syria prior to US invasion? Is there any way we can find out the origin of the gas used like they can with nuclear material?

[Cheerio]

[Cyber Liberty]

[Strategerist]

Wasn’t there a theory that said Iraq’s chemical weapons were moved to Syria prior to US invasion? Is there any way we can find out the origin of the gas used like they can with nuclear material?

It's exceedingly unlikely one could do so, and it's overwhelmingly likely that any chemical weapons in Syria were produced in Syria in their own well-documented massive chemical weapons production facilities they've had since the 1970s.

[AppyPappy]

But it will still be hard to figure out who did it. Neither side is a pillar of virtue.
Glad I’m not making the decisions.

[molson209]

This is just a DISTRACTION ,pay no attention

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

That darn Saddam Hussein! When he sent these weapons over to Syria in 2002, he told Assad that the technology rendered their detection impossible.

[dforest]

Yeah, and Linda and McQueeg can’t wait to get to the microphones to involve us in another war we don’t care about. Muzzies are quite free to wipe each other out. Saves us future trouble.

[Truth29]

"But it will still be hard to figure out who did it. Neither side is a pillar of virtue."

And Obama is in there too, either as a third side or just an ally of the rebels. I wouldn't trust reports from any of them and Obama and his agents are just as likely to release false reports as the others. The possibility of false flag attacks is also high.

[The KG9 Kid]

Slap a helmet on and go get 'em Hagel.

Because no US troops better be getting involved in Syria.

[RC51]

Most intelligent comment so far.

Syria has become a proxy war between Saudi Arabia (FSA / Islamists / Muslim Brotherhood ) and Iran ( SSA / Hezbollah).

Russia has sided with Iran and is supplying Assad’s SSA vast amount of arms and equipment.

Saudi Arabia is supplying the FSA arms.

The USA is supplying the FSA monetarily:
(remember every dollar of food & medicine we give to the FSA is a dollar they can then spend on bullets and bombs)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10008468/US-committed-to-providing-non-lethal-aid-to-Syria-opposition.html

In the end we need Syria to turn into an Islamist Roach Motel. The best way for that to happen is for Assad to use chemical weapons on a large scale. The UN is toothless and will standby and do nothing. Obama would never be able to get troops on the ground fighting along side the snack-bars. At most the UN might implement an air campaign like what was done in Libya. However that will give Iran a chance to test all their anti-aircraft defense systems in this proxy war. Something we shouldn’t expose our Air Force to ... Yet.

[caww]

...”President Obama has said the use of chemical weapons would be a “game-changer” .... Obama said ... that “a red line for us” would be the movement or use of chemical weapons,.... adding “that would change my calculus.”

Change his calculas?.....Game changer?

This remains to be seen...likely will up the support for Alquida and the crew of terrorists he’s supporting to drive out Assad.

Unfortunately better they war with each other then our guys with boots on the ground...but the whole Syrian uprising is just another move by the Globalist to get all who resist the Global agenda out of the way.

Egypt, Libya, and now Syria and other ME nations leaders who who stand against this push will not continue....they need all the oil revenue cash to distribute in their world order plans...and NO dictators.

[csmusaret]

Why do we care? There are zero good guys in that fight.