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President Putin Ridicules Obama’s Chemical Attack Claims
1 September 2013
(LPAC)—Russian President Vladimir Putin is not impressed with the so-called "intelligence" released by the Obama Administration, yesterday, allegedly proving that the Assad regime in Syria "gassed" its own people in the eastern suburbs of Damascus on Dec. 21. In comments to reporters while on a visit to Vladivostock, Putin ridiculed the notion that the regime would launch a chemical attack against opposition forces when, in fact, the benefit would go to the opposition. "Common sense speaks for itself," he said. "Syrian government troops are on the offensive. In some regions they have encircled the rebels. Under these conditions, the idea of giving a trump card to those who are constantly calling for foreign military intervention is utter nonsense. It is not logical in the least; especially when it [the attack] coincides with the day UN inspectors arrived." "Therefore I am convinced that [the chemical attack] is nothing more than a provocation by those who want to drag other countries into the Syrian conflict, and who want the support of powerful members of the international community, especially the United States," Putin went on. "I have no doubt about this." As for the supposed evidence that the U.S. claims to have, Putin said, "let them present it to UN inspectors and the Security Council. Claims that proof exists, but that it is classified and cannot be shown to anyone are beneath criticism." If the U.S. doesn’t produce any evidence, then, he said, "there is none." The Foreign Ministry in Moscow followed up Putin’s comments with a statement for spokesman Alexander Lukashevich, stating that a military strike against Syria, without the approval of the UN Security Council would be "inadmissible" no matter how "limited" it might be. "Any unilateral sanction bypassing the UN Security Council, no matter how ’limited’ it is, will be a direct violation of the international, [it will] undermine the possibility to solve the conflict in Syria by political and diplomatic means, [and] bring about a new round of confrontation and casualties," Lukashevich said. Lukashevich noted that some US allies are suggesting that any decision on Syria should be postponed until after the U.N. investigation team has completed its work in the country. "Threats of striking Syria are being issued instead of implementing the decision at the G-8 summit in Lough Erne [and] subsequent agreements to provide the UN Security Council with a comprehensive evaluation by UN experts, who investigate the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria," he said. [cjo] |