‘IDF intercepted Syrian regime chatter on chemical attack’

Times of Israel ^ | By Adiv Sterman August 26, 2013, 6:05 pm

[Perdogg]

An IDF intelligence unit listened in on senior Syrian officials discussing a chemical attack that allegedly took place on the outskirts of Damascus and left hundreds of Syrian civilians dead last Wednesday, a major German publication reported.

[BenLurkin]

The nerve gas shells were fired from a military base in a mountain range to the west of Damascus, the Channel 2 report said.

I was wondering how it was delivered.

[fso301]

Has anyone seen any images, or video of victims taken in context of where they allegedly fell?

[Perdogg]

Self-propelled Artillery. The 4th Armoured is an elite division.

[BenLurkin]

Let me guess — Soviet style equipment and doctrine?

[dinoparty]

Time to stop the silliness on FR about this being the work of the rebels. I am no big supporter of the rebels but the Assad regime did this.

[VerySadAmerican]

Syrian officials were discussing a chemical attack. So were Wolf Blitzer and Hannity and obama and .......Lots of people have been discussing a chemical attack. That doesn’t mean they were the ones that did it.

[dinoparty]

So now an Israeli news source is writing esoterically and thereby intentionally misleading readers? Why would they do that, exactly?

[The Toll]

So?

Every country in the world has the God given right to use any weapon they can obtain to destroy Al-Queda.

[Pollster1]

Time to stop the silliness on FR about this being the work of the rebels. I am no big supporter of the rebels but the Assad regime did this.

I don't think we know that - not in either direction. The rebels could have launched from near the base. The Syrian government could have ordered the launch from their base. Or a Syrian rebel remaining as an agent in place may have coordinated a launch without authorization from a Syrian base, possibly while those executing his orders believed the launch was authorized. Unless we have clear communications intercepts, which to my knowledge have not been released, we cannot know the truth. All I know is that all sides - the Assad government, the rebels, and the liar in our White House - are untrustworthy.

[VerySadAmerican]

I didn’t say that. What I meant is the first sentence says syrian officials were discussing the chemical attack. It didn’t say they did it. If it was KNOWN that WE did it Syrian officials would still be discussing it.

[LachlanMinnesota]

I remember the Bush administration quoting intelligence sources from other countries, too, under the theory that if they are also saying it, it must be true.

Some things, they never change. Now, we are to believe that this is true because more than one ally in the argument has said similar things, quoting yet other allies (Israel).

I’m sorry, none of this is proof of anything. It is restated rumor and innuendo.

If it is so clearly done and done by Assad, why can we not see the proof for ourselves?

This is nothing but a pretext to drag us into war and to get us to support people we have no business supporting.

The burden of proof for Obama, as for Bush, was on the administration to justify their claims with evidence.

Then, the question is, “So what if Chemicals were used? What makes it necessary for us to intervene when chemicals are used?”

Why is that a given?

[Hardraade]

Both parties could have done this.

There have been large stockpiles of nerve gas in Syria for many years, and the world knows about them mainly because Jonathan Pollard blew the whistle. Add the arsenals from Saddam, but the worst of the Saddam stockpiles wasn’t chemicals, it was bio.

As of now, some of the stockpiles are assuredly in AQ/MB hands.

[dinoparty]

I know that is what you said. But the reporter would need to be incredibly dense to not realize that this would be taken as an implication that the government guys were responsible for the attack.

[Mike Darancette]

The German report, which cited an ex-Mossad official who insisted on remaining anonymous, said the intercepted conversation proved that Bashar Assad’s regime was responsible for the use of nonconventional weapons.

Ummmm, OK.

[Bobalu]

Israel keeps track of radio traffic in Syria from their Mount Hermon listening post. We do the same from space with the large NRO satellites.

Syrian officials certainly know these facts. So why would they have radio conversations about a chem attack while knowing the conversation will be picked up? Are they really that stupid....

[Mike Darancette]

“So what if Chemicals were used? What makes it necessary for us to intervene when chemicals are used?”

Can't leave Obama red faced over his "red line" campaign statement.

[citizen]

...the reporter would have to be incredibly dense...

Or have one of several possible agendas. Just saying...

[UCANSEE2]

So why would they have radio conversations about a chem attack while knowing the conversation will be picked up?

What I think would be more important than the idea they were talking about chem attacks (which have been an issue for at least a year), would be 'what did they say'.

You will never be allowed to hear it, because it would make a farce of the whole claim that the 'regime' did it.

Besides, my sources tell me that the chem weapons were set off in underground tunnels that passed under various housing areas, so that the rebels could make sure they got a bunch of dead citizens to use as props.

[LachlanMinnesota]

Israel learns of the conversations.

Israel leaks it to a German publication?

Just because our intelligence agencies leak like sieves doesn’t mean the Israelis does as well. And disclosing it to a German publication?

I call complete and total Bravo Sierra.

It is way too convenient to try to create the story to justify military intervention.

We are going to war without our consent, and without a purpose to advance the interests of the United States, and to the great detriment of all who are the pawns in this game.