War in Syria

Military Attack Would Worsen Syria Situation: UN Official (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/09/322997/military-attack-worsens-...

"I can't see a military intervention working,' said Carla Del Ponte, who is a leading UN investigator, on Monday, stressing that 'a political solution is the only possible solution.'

She stated that instead of preparing for military strikes, the international community should enable a proper probe of the August 21 chemical attack on a Damascus suburb.

FSA Calls for Foreign Military Intervention in Syria (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/09/322984/fsa-urges-foreign-milita...

"We call for strikes...' said Selim Idriss in a Monday interview with Al Jazeera, adding that the Damascus government 'tells lies' about accepting a Russian proposal to hand over its chemical weapons..."

US Has to Attack Syria Now Before UN Evidence Revealed: E Michael Jones of Culture Wars Magazine (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/09/322959/syria-war-window-closing...

"The people here don't want an attack. The response of the American people to their legislators is running 300: 1 against an attack. Even our local legislator here who just spent three weeks in Israel is against the attack. So nobody wants it and that's why they're trying to force it as quickly as possible.

'The Israel lobby wants a war, they don't want a negotiated settlement."

Assad Tells PBS' Charlie Rose Syria Prepared to Retaliate if Hit (and vid)

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/09/assad-tells-pbs-charlie-rose...

"Syrian President Bashar al Assad told Charlie Rose on Sunday that he is preparing for a US strike, and that Syria and some of their allies would retaliate if one occurs.

Assad denies he had anything to do with the alleged chemical attack on Aug 21...Assad also said that he finds chemical weapons abhorrent and equates them to nuclear arms as weapons of mass destruction."

Full Rose-Assad interview

President Bashar Assad's government on Tuesday accepted a Russian plan to turn over its chemical weapons stockpile as momentum mounted for a proposal that could avert American strikes against the regime. The U.S. and France turned to the United Nations for a resolution to ensure Damascus complies. With domestic support for a strike uncertain in the United States and little international appetite to join forces against Assad, the developments had the potential to blunt a thorny diplomatic problem and allow the Obama administration to back away from military action.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/Syria-says-it-accepts-Russian-w...

The (Farcical) Emperor is Naked  -  by Pepe Escobar

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36177.htm

"Once again, helpless Barack is just a paperboy The plutocrats in charge are getting extremely nervous. The system is melting - and they have to act fast.

They need a Syria as docile as the Arab petro-monarchies. They want to hit Russia bad - and then discuss missile defence and Russian influence in Eastern Europe from a position of force. They want to hit Iran bad - and then continue to issue ultimatums from a position of force.

They want to facilitate another Israeli attempt to capture South Lebanon (It's the water stupid). They want a monster gas pipeline from Qatar for European customers bypassing Iran adn Syria as well as Gazprom.

Most of all this is about control of natural resources and channels of distribution.

It's as if Dick Cheney had never left the building. Barack as Dick Cheney with a 'human face'.."

George Monbiot: Obama's Rogue State Tramples Over Every Law It Demands Others Uphold

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/09/obama-rogue-state-t...

"...In 1997 the US agreed to decomission the 31,000 tonnes of Sarin, VX, Mustard gas and other weapons it possessed within 10 years. In 2007 it requested the maximum extension of the deadline permitted by the Chemical Weapons Convention - five years.

Again it failed to keep its promise and in 2012 it claimed they would be gone by 2021.

Russia yesterday (Monday) urged Syria to place its chemical weapons under international control. Perhaps it should press the US [and Israel] to do the same..."

US Military Intervention Against Syria Considered 'War Crime' (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/11/323223/us-attack-on-syria-consi...

"A political commentator says that any potential military intervention by the US against Syria would be a 'war crime', Press TV reports."

Russia Gives UNSC Proof of Chemical Weapon use by Militants (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/11/323284/russia-passes-chemical-p...

"Russia has passed proof of the use of chemical weapons by the militants inside Syria to the United Nations Security Council. 'We are suspicious that the militants have used these [chemical] weapons repeatedly,' said the Head of the Duma international affairs committee Alexei Pushikov on Wednesday, adding 'Russia has just passed existing proof to the UN Security Council."

Breaking: Syria Cleans Ma'loula of Militants

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/11/323303/syria-clears-maloula-of-...

"The Syrian army has taken almost full control of the Christian town of Mal'loula..."

The Problem with the Anti-War Movement & “Hands Off Syria”

The Myth of “Non-Intervention”

On one hand, as someone who opposes military strikes on Syria, it is heartening to see the American public strongly adopt this position.

There is considerable reason to believe that military strikes will only exacerbate the bloodshed in the country. It is clear those pondering strikes do so with an eye toward their own geopolitical interests and not the well-being of ordinary Syrians.

It is also encouraging to see Americans come out in such force against the prospect of another war, something which it appears even Barack Obama was unable to account for.

However, there is a problem with this nascent anti-war movement.

By falsely conflating “war” with “intervention” in Syria and mobilizing fiercely in opposition to the former, these new anti-hawks are dooming innocent Syrians to a humanitarian nightmare by helping to maintain the popular illusion of American non-involvement in the conflict.

The simple fact is that America is hugely involved in the Syrian civil war as a proxy combatant, since the conflict’s very outset. In the United States’ ongoing regional conflict with Iran and Hezbollah, Syria has become a key battleground. It is often said that the goal of U.S. policy should be to turn Syria into ‘Iran’s Vietnam’, and in many ways this goal is today being accomplished –though with little regard for the tragic consequences to ordinary Syrians.

Add to this the craven role played by U.S. allies, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and its clear that the ‘Hands Off’ policy demanded by the American people is far from a reality today. Hijacking the Syrian people’s democratic aspirations and using it as a tool to strike a blow against political adversaries in Iran and Russia does not meet any definition of ‘non-intervention.’ It seems those singularly focused on opposing a military strike largely miss these realities.

another thoughtful article by this author. To end:

Conclusion: Contrasting Anti-War and Pro-Peace

Instead of merely focusing on slogans such as “Hands-Off Syria,” a movement that is against war must grapple with the fact that a conflict is going in Syria whether U.S. forces are actively engaged or not.

The American government is deeply involved as a proxy combatant in this conflict; it is disingenuous to pretend that this will change even if it does not conduct overt military strikes.

Syrians, many of whom still look to the United States as a beacon of moral leadership, are understandably aggrieved at anti-war progressives who seem to have only woken to their plight over the past few weeks. The reality is that since it began two years ago the Syrian revolution has been horrifically repressed by the Assad regime, while also manipulated by foreign actors, including the United States and its regional allies.

Being ‘anti-war’ does not mean simply ignoring this state of affairs as long as military troops are not involved; and it certainly does not mean rushing to aid Assad as some members of the fringe left have ignominiously chosen to do.

Instead, anti-war activists should abandon shallow, emotional sloganeering and propose legitimate policy alternatives to end this humanitarian crisis, while still eschewing military force. Demanding a goal as narrow as the non-intervention of the U.S. military may be a position which is nominally ‘anti-war’, but it is not necessarily ‘pro-peace’ – especially not from the perspective of the long-suffering people of Syria.

While stopping another American military intervention in the Middle East is a commendable and worthwhile goal, when confronted with grievous tragedies such as the Syrian civil war it is important to avoid creating a simple binary between ‘going to war’ and ‘doing nothing’.

The American government has the ability to diplomatically resolve this terrible conflict, and an anti-war movement that is also pro-peace should recognize the power it has to compel such an outcome.

I'm a little confused by the writer's last paragraph(in Jan's post on the previous page). Why does she think that the US is uniquely qualified to "diplomatically resolve" the crisis in Syria?

If, as she argues, "US hands are all over the conflict", via proxy armies and whatnot, isn't the solution to have the US just stop supporting those armies(and whatever else they're doing)? It's not clear to me why she thinks US diplomats need to stick around to help negotiate an end to the crisis. Even assuming, for the sake of argument, that the crisis requires outside mediation, why does it have to be the US doing that?

My guess is the writer has some desired outcome that she's not quite letting on, but which goes somewhat beyond simply bringing peace to the Syrian people, and that she's hoping for Uncle Sam to throw his weight behind whatever side she's backing.  

Oopa! I was gonna double check that, but thought going back to the link would mess up the screen somehow. Thanks for the heads-up.

US Military Knew Syria Militants Had Sarin Gas: Document

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/12/323492/us-military-syria-milita...

"A newly leaked classified document has revealed the US military knew that foreign-backed militants fighting against the Syrian government had Sarin gas..."

US Starts Delivering Weapons to Syrian Rebels

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/09/11/us_starts_delivering_weapon...

"Flow of material in the last two weeks marks a major escalation of the US role in Syria's civil war.  The CIA shipments are to flow through a network of clandestine bases in Turkey and Jordan. The CIA declined to comment.."

Assad: Syria Ceding Chemical Weapons Due to Russia Plan, Not US Threats

http://rt.com/news/assad-syria-russia-proposal-773/

"Syria's decision to place its chemical weapons arsenal under international control was the result of Russia's proposal rather than the threat of a US military strike, President Bashar Assad told a Russian TV channel..."

So far we've got the Laurel & Hardy Presidency 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323595004579069291111631648.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

Quote:

After writing in the London Telegraph that Monday was "the worst day for U.S. and wider Western diplomacy since records began," former British ambassador Charles Crawford asked simply: "How has this happened?"

On the answer, opinions might differ. Or maybe not. A consensus assessment of the past week's events could easily form around Oliver Hardy's famous lament to the compulsive bumbler Stan Laurel: "Here's another nice mess you've gotten us into!"

In the interplay between Barack Obama and John Kerry, it's not obvious which one is Laurel and which one is Hardy. But diplomatic slapstick is not funny. No one wants to live in a Laurel and Hardy presidency. In a Laurel and Hardy presidency, red lines vanish, shots across the bow are word balloons, and a display of U.S. power with the whole world watching is going to be "unbelievably small."

The past week was a perfect storm of American malfunction. Colliding at the center of a serious foreign-policy crisis was Barack Obama's manifest skills deficit, conservative animosity toward Mr. Obama, Republican distrust of his leadership, and the reflexive opportunism of politicians from Washington to Moscow.

Enlarge Image

Getty Images

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy reporting for duty.

It is Barack Obama's impulse to make himself and whatever is in his head the center of attention. By now, we are used to it. But this week he turned himself, the presidency and the United States into a spectacle. We were alternately shocked and agog at these events. Now the sobering-up has to begin.

The world has effectively lost its nominal leader, the U.S. president.

[i]etc ...[/i]

But we have this

Quote:

Naive about the levers of power: Where to start? Obama reversed course on congressional authorization at the last minute, after a private chat with his chief of staff, and to the surprise of his national security team--all in violation of presidential best practices. He then left the country on a quixotic trip to Russia, allowing misgivings to grow in Congress and the public before he could build a case for striking Syria. Boxed in, Obama seized upon a Russian proposal to put Syria's weapons in the hands of the international community. It's an impractical solution, a fig leaf. Either Obama trusts Russian President Vladimir Putin (a mistake) or he is a partner in deceit (an outrage). A Democratic strategist who works closely with the White House, and who requested anonymity to avoid political retribution, told me, "This has been one of the most humiliating episodes in presidential history." ... As he faced an international and constitutional crisis, Obama and his team were in a familiar state: isolated, insular, and alone.

Assad: Syria To Hand Over Chemical Arms in 1 Month, Only if US Drops Strike Plans

http://rt.com/news/assad-syria-russia-proposal-773/

"Syria will start handing over information on its chemical weapons to international groups a month after it signs the Chemical Weapons Convention, President Bashar Assad has told a Russian TV channel.

'I believe the agreement will come into force a month after the signing and Syria will start submitting data on its chemical weapons storckpile to international organizations. These are standard procedures and we are going to stick to them,' he said.

'If we want stability in the Middle East, all the countries in the region should stick to [international] agreements,' Assad said. 'And Israel is the first state that should do so, since Israel possesses nuclear, chemical, biological and all other kinds of weapons of mass destruction.'

'Syria is makng efforts so that our country and other states in the region will not be involved in a new crazy war that some proponents of the war in the US are trying to unleash in the Middle East,' he said."

Syria 'Chemical Weapons' Crisis: LIVE UPDATES

http://rt.com/news/syria-crisis-live-updates-047/

"1750 GMT: The US says there is no change in its position that Bashar al Assad absolutely must not be part of Syria's political future, despite Washington's willingness to work with Assad on chemical weapons removal..."

A Day of US 'Credibility'  -  by William Boardman

http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/09/a-day-of-u-s-credibility-at-work/#more...

"What would it look like if a government really knew what it was doing? We offer here a fragmentary highlight reel of one day in the life of an American government spinning in all directions toward no known goal in Syria..."

CrossTalk - Syria: Putin's Pitch (and vid)

http://rt.com/shows/crosstalk/syria-putin-obama-us-807/

"Is Obama serious about a diplomatic solution for Syria?"

A Plea For Caution From Russia  -  by Vladimir V Putin

http://readersupportednews.org/off-site-opinion-section/152-152/19368-fo...

"Recent events surrounding Syria have prompted me to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders. It is important to do so at a time of insufficient communication between our societies..."

Noam Chomsky: Russian Plan Godsend For Obama (and vid)

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/266-32/19367-noam-chomsky-russia...

"So what he [ Obama] said is I'm going to lie like a trooper about history; I'm going to suppress the US role; the actual US role, for the last seven decades; I'm going to maintain the threat of force, which is of course illegal, and I'm going to ensure that the chemical weapons convention is not imposed on the region, because our ally, Israel, would be subjected to it.  And I think those are some of the main points of his address.

The idea that the US has introduced and imposed principles of international law, that's hardly even a joke.

It's kind of astonishing. I mean by now it's hard to be astonished, but it should be astonishing that a president of the United States, who is furthermore a constitutional lawyer and a graduate of Harvard Law School, can say things like this, in the full knowledge that the facts are exactly the opposite, radically the opposite..."

President al-Assad's Speech to Rossiya 24 TV Channel

http://www.intifada-palestine.com/2013/09/bashar-al-assad-exclusive-inte...

Damascus (SANA) September 13, 2013 - President Bashar al Assad gave a speech to Rossiya 24 TV Channel. Following is the full text..."

Roitov: Kerry Mumbles, Netanyahu is Mute

http://www.roitov.com/articles/russiausa.htm

"...Uncle Sam lost the battle, the war and the Western Barbarossa Operation known as Arab Spring."

Chris Hedges on Obama's Intent with Syria (and vid)

http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/chris_hedges_on_americas_intent_wit...

"...but I think there is a deep current of cynicism at work here, in which outside forces, led by Israel and probably Saudi Arabia, and probably the United States as well, would like to keep this conflict going as long as possible to essentially  destroy both factions within the war and render Syria a ruin.

Much of Syria of course has already become a ruin. But I think that's clearly the Israeli policy, and I think that that's probably at the deepest level, something that's been embraced by the US as well."

Most Americans in Favor of Putin's Initiative: James Petras (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/14/323944/americans-in-favor-of-pu...

"Press TV has conducted and interview with Middle East expert James Petras about Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's warnings against Takfiri and militant groups in Syria with chemical weapons..."

Preempting The Next Round of Lies Against Syria

https://landdestroyer.blogspot.ca/2013/09/preempting-next-round-of-lies-...

"What the UN report on Syria will say and what the liars in the West will claim it says..."

Syria Crisis: Baird Calls Assd's Timeline for Handing Over Weapons 'Ridiculous' (and vid)

http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/syria-crisis-baird-calls-assad-s-timeline-fo...

"Canada's foreign minister John Baird is calling Syria's offer to begin providing information on its chemical arsenal 30 days after it signs an international convention banning such weapons 'ridiculous and absurd.'

Turkish FM Condemns Murder Tactics Used in Syria (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/15/324023/turkish-foreign-minister...

"Turkish FM Ahmad Davoudoglu has met with his Canadian counterpart John Baird. During a press conference he claimed he and his Canadian counterpart shared the same viewpoints on the Syrian crisis."

A Right to Chemical Weapons? (and vid)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOsWmZnD5Kw

BTS's Abby Martin speaks to Mimi al Laham 'Syria Girl Partisan' about Obama's recent speech on Syria and the dangers of arming rebels linked to A/Q..."

Libyan FM Admits Troops and Arms to Syria a Source of Pride

http://nsnbc.me/2013/09/15/libya-remains-hub-weapons-syria/

"Libya's Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdul Aziz admitted that a lot of Libyans are fighting within the ranks of the armed terrorist groups in Syria and that Libya remains a hub for weapons shipments to the insurgents. The post-coup Libyan Foreign Minister states, that 'helping our brothers in Syria' is a source of pride'..."

As it is with Canada and Mr Baird, who played such a significant R2P part in bombing Libya into what it is now..

Hey Bec,

Janes is of course an excellent source and concurs with others in this.  (and they told me it was all about bringing democracy and freedom from an evil dictator...'Arab Spring!')

Looks like we've been played. Again. Good to see Americans respond so strongly to moves for a new Syrian war for pipelines and Israel. But this is only a temporary setback for the war-party.

Sure hope more people get it soon.

Mercenaries and monsters.

Ours and theirs...

Extremists in Syria Admit Killing 30 Alawites (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/15/324182/extremists-in-syria-targ...

"On Sunday, terrorist group Al-Nusra Front claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attacks in which at least 30 Alawites, including seven women, children and elderly men, were shot dead.

Al Nusra said in an internet statement that its militants entered the villages of Massudiyeh, Maksar al Hissan and Jab al Jerah in Homs province and carried out the massacre.

The group said one of its jurists asked them to slay Alawites whom he called 'enemies of god'...

Israel Agenda Fell Flat in Middle East After US-Russia Deal: Ex CIA Analyst (and vid)

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/09/16/324214/us-russia-syria-chemical...

"Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern says a US-Russian agreement on Syria, dealt a 'major blow' to Israel which was 'the only one to profit from continued turmoil in Syria and the introduction of US military involvement."

Disarming Syria Brings Isrel's Suspected WMD Arsenals Into Focus

http://rt.com/op-edge/israel-syria-chemical-weapons-disarmament-866/

"One way to reduce the tensions surrounding the Syrian crisis would be for Israel to also give up its alleged stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons. Both Russia and the US are likely to ask Israel to dismantle its stocks.."

Harper and Baird Showed Skill in Complex Syria Crisis

http://o.canada.com/2013/09/15/0916-col-dentandt/

"...This was not Harper and Baird's first rodeo and it showed. Their rhetoric was as bellicose as Kerry's at times even more so..."

No wonder Canucklheads are such know-nothings with such a media...

CBC's little helpers.

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/08/31/canada-sent-millions-to-syrian-rebels

Canada has given $5.3-million to the Syrian opposition to support the rebels in anti-government propaganda since April 2012, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAIT).

Canadian funding has helped Syrian rebels establish a pirate radio network and training for journalists and bloggers "in an effort to rapidly increase international credibility of the Syrian opposition and visibility of humanitarian news reporting from Syria," the government says.

Canada contributed $650,000 toward helping the Syrian Justice and Accountability Centre establish a secure database as part of a program to help support "research and collect evidence of human rights violations for use in future Syria-led transitional justice processes."

With Jessica Hume piece, linked below.  Shoots gas missiles?

Free Syrian Army fighters drive a military tank that belonged to forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad after they seized it, in Aleppo's town of Khanasir August 29, 2013. REUTERS/Molhem Barakat

UN Report Regarding Chemical Attack at Ghouta

http://www.scribd.com/doc/168606795/U-N-Report-on-Chemical-Attack-in-Syria

Russia: UN Chemical Attack Report Doesn't Show Whodunit

http://rt.com/news/churkin-un-chemical-report-938/

"Russia's UN representative says the newly unveiled report on the chemical attack of August 21 in Syria offers 'no bulletproof data or conclusions' on who ordered it.  The US and UK say the study confirms the regime was behind the attacks..."

Released Italian Journalist Recounts Crimes of US-Backed Syrian Opposition  -  by Alex Lantier

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/09/17/quir-s17.html

"Above all, Quirico paints a devastating portrait of the criminal activities of the different Islamist militias in whose custody he and Piccinin were kept. He writes,

'The West trusts them, but I learned to my cost that we are talking about a new and disturbing phenomenon in the revolt: The emergence of a group of Somali-style bandits who use an Islamist veneer and the context of the revolution to control pieces of territory, extort money from the population, kidnap people, and generally fill their boots.'

UNSC Resolution on Syria Won't Be Under Chapter 7

http://rt.com/news/syria-un-resolution-lavrov-968/

"The Russian and French ministers said they agreed that the goal of the international community now is to gather an international conference in Geneva, which would find a political solution of the crisis and establish a transitional government in Syria.

Lavrov said Moscow is prepared to set a date for such a conference anytime, because the Assad government had agreed to it and presented its delegation. It is the opposition which is dragging its feet and refuses to participate, he stressed.

He asked the Western backers of the Syria opposition [like 'Friends of Syria' - Canada] who have leverage on them, to use it and force those forces to participate in the peace conference..."

Russia's Initiative Hindered Western War Machine Plans Against Syria: Chandan (and vid)

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/09/17/324413/russia-sabotage-wests-war...

"Press TV has talked with Sukant Chandan, a political analyst from London to discuss Rusia's plan regarding the chemical weapons in Syria.

'I think that we have to understand that in the great scheme of things, the 'West', i.e. the new colonial imperialist powers, are on the precipice of falling off the pages of history altogether. They are in a deep crisis economically, culturally and morally they are, basically bankrupt - and so, really, they have about 10 to 20 years which is the remaining time that they maintain their military monopoly and terror across the world...'

Sleeping with the enemy:

http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/14157/sleeping-with-the-enemy_the-g...

Death under torture in Syria: the horrors ignored by pacifists:

http://therepublicgs.net/2013/09/15/death-under-torture-in-syria-the-hor...

Many who regarded Khaled Bakrawi as a hero following his injury by the Israeli occupation uttered not one word of condolence after his death under torture in the regime’s dungeons. Neither the Palestinian Liberation Organisation nor any other Palestinian political faction has condemned the killing of one of Yarmouk’s most prominent, likeable, and hard-working activists. Neither have they protested the killing of three other Palestinian prisoners under torture within five days. It seems that for them, a Palestinian is only worthy of the title «martyr» if s/he is killed by the Zionist occupation. Having the misfortune of being slain by the «anti-imperialist and «pro-resistance» Assad regime renders the killing acceptable, and the killed undeserving of sympathy.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, as well, failed to issue any tribute to martyred Palestinian refugee Anas Amara, a 23-year-old law student, Yarmouk resident, and PFLP activist since the age of nine. Anas, a revolutionary communist who distanced himself from the reformist bourgeois left and participated in the Syrian revolution from its very inception, was killed in a regime ambush near the besieged Yarmouk camp in April this year. He was killed, we can put it, by the «wrong bullet,» for his killing warranted no outrage from those who claim to champion the Palestinian cause.

Russia Demands 'Immediate Return' of UN Inspectors to Syria

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/09/18/324643/russia-wants-un-inspector...

"Russia's permanent UN representative has called for the 'immediate return' of the world body's inspectors to Syria to conduct additional investigations into last month's use of chemical weapons in the country."

Russia To Provide UNSC with the Data on Chemical Weapons' Use by Syrian Rebels

http://rt.com/news/russia-syria-evidence-chemical-023/

"Russia will provide the UN Security Council with data proving that the chemical weapons near Damascus were used by the opposition, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said..."

George Galloway vs Neville Jones

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36255.htm

"George Galloway and Conservative peer Barones Neville Jones debated the role of the Russians, and claims about who used chemical weapons in Syria."

Ramsey Clark & Cynthia McKenney Lead IAC Anti-War Delegation to Syria (podcast)

http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=a8010181fb&id=975bd0a6e3&e=38ddee65d3

"The antiwar movement is in a race with the Pentagon to stop the US from its goal - pushed back momentarily - of-going to war with Syria. 'People in Syria know they face what happened in Iraq, in Afghanistan and in Libya..."