Syrian chemical weapons: truth and fiction

The last argument against the invasion of Syria by foreign troops

by Ioncube Khanz

(Readers are encouraged to add/edit/replace any references, opinions can be given via comments)

The situation in Syria continues to be extremely challenging, fighting between government troops and the rebels did not subside. It's time once again to recall the statement of the representative of the Syrian Foreign Ministry Jihad Maqdisi, "No chemical or non-conventional weapons would not be used against our citizens. These weapons will be used only in the event of external aggression." He also said that all the warehouses of chemical weapons in the country are under the control of government forces. In fact, Damascus officially acknowledged a means of mass destruction, because previously there were only suspicions.

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The fall of the Assad's regime only a matter of time

Marwan Muasher 

Interviewed by Natalia Bubnov

The situation in Syria and around is rapidly intensifying. Events there are the topic of conversation with Marwan Muasher, vice-president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in charge of the study of the Middle East at the Washington headquarters of the Foundation and the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. He also was the first ambassador of his country to Israel, the head of the Ministry of Information, the spokesperson of the Government of Jordan, the director of Jordan Information Bureau in Washington.

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Prospects for situation in Syria and around

The destruction of the Syrian air defense on June 22 by Turkish "Phantom" in the area of ​​Latakia exacerbated an already very tense relations between Syria and Turkey, but contrary to the predictions of some experts who reject the probability of any large-scale armed confrontation I say why not?

Reference are put in a hast. Readers sorry from my side!

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A World Without Islam

What if Islam had never existed? To some, it's a comforting thought: No clash of civilizations, no holy wars, no terrorists. Would Christianity have taken over the world? Would the Middle East be a peaceful beacon of democracy? Would 9/11 have happened? In fact, remove Islam from the path of history, and the world ends up exactly where it is today.

BY GRAHAM E. FULLER

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Syria, Russia & the China: A Game of Oil & Ammo

Syria marked the first anniversary of its uprising -- and almost immediate crackdown -- last week. As the army expands its use of tanks and artillery against towns loyal to the rebellion, as many as 8,000 have been killed, and nearly a quarter-million have fled their homes. The United Nations remains incapable of agreeing to place water-tight sanctions on the country, however, thanks to opposition from Russia (still supplying arms to the regime) and China (still taking its oil).

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Year 2011: Crises, Revolutions, Threats, Leaders and Outsiders

What are the events that occurred in the past year? Will those crucially affect the situation on the planet?

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Islamic or Secular Armed Forces

Recently, the world's leading media has expressed serious concern at the increasingly growing flow of migrants from Muslim countries to the Western states, primarily European. And believers in Islam (Muslims), stand apart from the local non-Muslim population.

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Algeria Alarmed at Israeli Systems in its Sukhoi Su-30MKAs

Algeria is demanding an explanation from Russia for the high-level of Israeli avionics in its 1st aircraft, delivered in 2007. The AAF is alarmed that the main mission computer, the nerve centre of the Su-30MKA has been heavily influenced by Israeli technologies & interfaces into an Israel aerospace industries Elta EL/M-8222 EW system & Elbit Systems SU967 HUD.

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From the Atlantic to Afghanistan - pending and future wars

Speculating on the outcome of the past and prospects for the coming year in the Middle East, 'Arab spring' can be taken as the triumph of democracy, which, according to most Western experts, should lead the region in a state close to the European standards. Judgments of this kind are not based on an objective assessment of the situation, but rather on faith and like any faith this doesn't need any proof.

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Muslim Identity Crisis & Jihad Industry

Last week’s witchhunt in a Karachi park, that led to the sacking of a TV anchor, depicts our crisis of identity more aptly than any other incident in the recent past. In a way, it is linked to other events as well — suicide-bombings, attacks on religious minorities and even the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on New York’s twin towers.

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A Military Strike on Iran is Inevitable

Recently Iranian President had made a bitter statement regarding West sanctions:

“They say all options are on the table. Let your options stay on the table until they and you rot together,” he said.

The following analysts will give their independent insights on what is happening in Iran in relation to West…

 Vladimir Dvorkin , Dmitry Ryurikov , Peter Stegny ,Andrew Cherkasenko

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Israel-Iran War Scenario & Possibilities

Any Israeli attempt to destroy Iran's nuclear programme poses huge technical challenges for Israeli military planners. BBC Defence Correspondent Jonathan Marcus looks at some of the options open to Israel and asks whether it has the capacity to carry out such a mission.

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Ukraine’s Unknown Missile Adventures

The mystery of the missing nuclear warheads from Ukraine still has not been disclosed, but the fact of loss is recognized

Everyone knows that in 90 years, Ukraine has voluntarily given up all nuclear weapons and strategic missiles and strategic weapons of military aircraft. Kiev widely advertised these steps as the proof of the commitment of the young state of peace and disarmament. Less well known is that this failure was not entirely voluntary, and there was a fairly strong pressure of both the West and Russia. And it is very little known, about the nuclear arsenal Ukraine inherited from USSR.

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Iran: Evil Intent or Bravely Defiant?

BY CAROLINE JAINE

Today, I look at people’s perceptions of Iran. In recent days Iran has escalated tensions with the US – after capturing a dreaded drone, it is now demanding an end to spy-planes. Iran was never tackled in the same way as Iraq was, but with a 17-year long US trade embargo on Iran and no real diplomatic relations for 30 years – the two countries are clearly not friends. Earlier this year, US Secretary of State Clinton labeled Iran as “awful” in a speech about internet freedoms. My own country, Great Britain, has broken diplomat relations with Iran in recent weeks and speculation is flying wildly about an exchange between Iran and Israel. But do we think Iran is “Evil”?

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Reya El-Salahi: Mixed Up in the Middle East

Growing up between the UK and the Middle East, I thought nothing strange of celebrating Christmas, Eid and Hanukkah. It wasn't until I started school that I realised not everyone comes from a family like mine.

My British-Jewish mother met my Afro-Arab Muslim father at university in 1970s London. I am the product of this unconventional relationship.

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The Afghanistan-Pakistan War at the End of 2011

Strategic Failure? Talk Without Hope? Tactical Success? Spend Not Build (And Then Stop Spending)?

The US faces hard decisions in the Afghanistan/Pakistan War that are growing steadily harder as the time before transition runs out, the US faces growing budget pressures, and the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan becomes more unstable. The Burke Chair has prepared a report that assesses the chances for strategic success based on new US government, UN, and NGO reporting.

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Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 2003-2010

This report is prepared annually to provide Congress with official, unclassified, quantitative data on conventional arms transfers to developing nations by the United States and foreign countries for the preceding eight calendar years for use in its policy oversight functions.

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The Fast And Furious Plot To Occupy Iran

Washington is looking to increase sanctions on Iran as a result of the plot to kill a Saudi Ambassador  [EPA]

No one ever lost money betting on the dull predictability of the US government. Just as Occupy Wall Street is firing imaginations all across the spectrum - piercing the noxious revolving door between government and casino capitalism - Washington brought us all down to earth, sensationally advertising an Iranian cum Mexican cartel terror plot straight out of The Fast and the Furious movie franchise. The potential victim: Adel al-Jubeir, the ambassador in the US of that lovely counter-revolutionary Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

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US-Pakistan: Reloaded

by Peter Topychkanov

First of all we can receive different signals from the United States and from Pakistan about their relations; we could hear that the United States is ready to stop financial assistance to Pakistan, first of all to military agencies of Pakistan, but at the same time the United States is not ready to stop deep cooperation with Pakistan on security issues.

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Cold War 2000: Saudi Counter-Revolution

Late at night on Sunday, August 7, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia delivered an unusual televised rebuke to Syria’s Bashar al-Asad calling on him to “stop the killing machine” and immediately begin reforms.  The Saudi move against Damascus was only the latest twist in Riyadh’s newly energetic foreign policy. Since March, Saudi Arabia has been in the forefront of a regional counter-offensive designed to blunt the momentum of the Arab uprisings and shape the new regional order to its liking. After a decade of a regional order defined by an alliance of “moderate” autocracies aligned with the United States and Israel against a “Resistance” axis, the Saudis have responded to an age of revolution by leading what many now call a regional counter-revolution. This has placed them at odds with the Obama administration in key theaters, disrupted long-standing alliances, and brought Riyadh to the forefront of regional diplomacy.

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