US intelligence has obtained blood and urine samples from chemical attack victims

[F-22Raptor]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. now has blood and urine samples from last Saturday's deadly attack in Syria that have tested positive for chemical weapons, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence.

The samples suggested the presence of both chlorine gas and an unnamed nerve agent, two officials said. Typically, such samples are obtained through hospitals and collected by U.S. or foreign intelligence assets on the ground. The officials said they were "confident" in the intelligence, though not 100 percent sure.

The Assad regime is known to have stocks of the nerve agent sarin, and has previously used a mixture of chlorine and sarin in attacks, say U.S. officials.

Officials also said that the U.S. has compiled intelligence from the U.S. and other countries, including images, that indicate the Syrian government was behind the weekend attack.

Activists and aid groups say that dozens died in Saturday's airborne assault on Douma, the last rebel stronghold in eastern Ghouta, which has been subjected to intensive bombing by Syria's Russian-backed Assad regime.


Russia and Syria have denied any involvement in the alleged chemical attack.

U.S. officials say the Assad regime has conducted multiple chlorine attacks on rebels during the past six months.

In April 2017, President Donald Trump ordered a missile strike on a Syrian airfield after victims of an Assad regime attack on civilians in Khan Sheikhoun tested positive for sarin. U.S. officials said the government used a mixture of chlorine and sarin to kill dozens of civilians.

The assessment about the nature of this April's chemical attack and its likely origin with the Assad regime will be presented to the president, said an official familiar with the intelligence. The president is weighing options for retaliation.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/mideast/u-s-has-blood-samples-show-nerve-agent-syria-gas-n865431

 

[Mitro]

Joker trump

 

[ptldM3]

But we were also told about WMD, babies being thrown out of incubators, Yogoslavian war crimes, and Russian aggression against Georgia in 2008 when Georgia attacked Russian piece keepers.

Let’s assume the pathological liars actually told the truth for once. The area is largely controlled by jabhat-Al Nusra (Al-Quida). It’s nice to known that the US supports terrorist groups and has contacts with them but at this point they don’t even care, they just lie that they are oppossition, but so was ISIS.

 

[LeGenD]

But we were also told about WMD, babies being thrown out of incubators, Yogoslavian war crimes, and Russian aggression against Georgia in 2008 when Georgia attacked Russian piece keepers.

Let’s assume the pathological liars actually told the truth for once. The area is largely controlled by jabhat-Al Nusra (Al-Quida). It’s nice to known that the US supports terrorist groups and has contacts with them but at this point they don’t even care, they just lie that they are oppossition, but so was ISIS.

Right:

"143,194 people in total, including 105,857 civilians as well as 13,793 militants and 23,544 members of their families have left eastern Ghouta during humanitarian pauses," Sergey Rudskoy, Deputy Chief of Russian General Staff, said at a news briefing on Friday.

https://www.rt.com/news/422835-ghouta-evacuation-rebels-civilians/

Guess the affiliation of those rebels.

Similar story in Douma.

Opposition negotiators reached a final deal with the Russian military to allow rebel fighters to leave the besieged Syrian city of Douma under an arrangement that brings the Russian military police into the city, local negotiators said on Sunday.

They said the deal would allow those fighters from Jaish al Islam who do not want to leave to make peace with the Syrian authorities without being pursued by the security forces. The deal also includes a six-month reprieve for those wanted for military conscription, negotiators told Reuters.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...a-to-evacuate-douma-negotiators-idUSKBN1HF0TJ

Not difficult to expose lies and propaganda of Russians either. I am sure that many more gems can be dug out.

Your country did jack against ISIS in Syria; US-led forces pounded it to insignificance in the region (i.e. Operation Inherent Resolve); ISIS stronghold Raqqa fell in 2017.

Russians are in Syria to enable a murderous dictator to restore his power across the country.

Objectively speaking;

US - Russia - Iran - Israel = partners in war crimes and hypocrisy

 

[ptldM3]

Right:

"143,194 people in total, including 105,857 civilians as well as 13,793 militants and 23,544 members of their families have left eastern Ghouta during humanitarian pauses," Sergey Rudskoy, Deputy Chief of Russian General Staff, said at a news briefing on Friday.

https://www.rt.com/news/422835-ghouta-evacuation-rebels-civilians/

Guess the affiliation of those rebels.

Similar story in Douma.

Opposition negotiators reached a final deal with the Russian military to allow rebel fighters to leave the besieged Syrian city of Douma under an arrangement that brings the Russian military police into the city, local negotiators said on Sunday.

They said the deal would allow those fighters from Jaish al Islam who do not want to leave to make peace with the Syrian authorities without being pursued by the security forces. The deal also includes a six-month reprieve for those wanted for military conscription, negotiators told Reuters.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...a-to-evacuate-douma-negotiators-idUSKBN1HF0TJ

Not difficult to expose lies and propaganda of Russians either. I am sure that many more gems can be dug out.

Your country did jack against ISIS in Syria; US-led forces pounded it to insignificance in the region (i.e. Operation Inherent Resolve); ISIS stronghold Raqqa fell in 2017.

Russians are in Syria to enable a murderous dictator to restore his power across the country.

Objectively speaking;

US - Russia - Iran - Israel = partners in war crimes and hypocrisy

Russia doesn’t hid the fact that it has reached deals with Nusra to surrender, the difference is that Russia pounds them and eventually the terrorists give up, lay down their weapons and leave, where as other countries supplies Nusra and gives medical aid to fighters.


As for your comment about Russia not fighting ISIS. It only shows how ignorant you are. If you recall it was Russian soldiers that fought and died in Palmyra (twice), Irak, Deir-Ez Zoir, ect. They fought in Allepo city and and Allepo country side were most fighters were ISIS, Al-Quida or affiliated with Al-Quida. Allepo is like 20x larger then Raqqa.

All you have to do is look at a map of ISIS territory from several years ago to know to see how stupid you sound. ISIS lost 95% of its territory west of Euphrates to government forces with Russian help.

The major of territory ISIS has lost has been to government forces. The government has taken much larger swaths of territory from ISIS then the kurds.

Black: ISIS
Red: Government with Russian help

Before:

After:

The US and Kurds are nowhere to be seen.




Yes Russia does nothing, I guess Russia just photoshopped its forces in ISIS strongholds and lies.

Before:

After:

If other countries including the Turks, Arabs and Americans stayed out of Syria and not enabled terrorists then we wouldn’t have this mess.

 

[Jaanbaz]

History repeat itself. I know Russia isn't exactly angel but come on American intelligence basically known for spreading false information.

Modern day pirates and thieves...

 

[Cthulhu]

What a reliable source, US intelligence, The biggest terrorist organization in the world.

 

[LeGenD]

Russia doesn’t hid the fact that it has reached deals with Nusra (Al-Quida) the difference is that Russia pounds them and eventually the terrorists give up, lay down their weapons and leave, where as other countries supplies Nusra and gives medical aid to fighters.

FYI: http://time.com/4739488/isis-iraq-syria-tunisia-saudi-arabia-russia/

As for your comment about Russia not fighting ISIS. It only shows how ignorant you are. If you recall it was Russian soldiers that fought and died in Palmyra (twice), Irak, Deir-Ez Zoir, ect. They fought in Allepo city and and Allepo country side were most fighters were ISIS, Al-Quida or affiliated with Al-Quida. Allepo is like 20x larger then Raqqa.

All you have to do is look at a map of ISIS territory from several years ago to know to see how stupid you sound. ISIS lost 95% of its territory west of Euphrates to government forces with Russian help.

The major of territory ISIS has lost has been to government forces. The government has taken much larger swaths of territory from ISIS then the kurds.

Black: ISIS
Red: Government with Russian help

Before:

View attachment 466072


After:

View attachment 466073

The US and Kurds are nowhere to be seen.




Yes Russia does nothing, I guess Russia just photoshopped its forces in ISIS strongholds and lies.

Before:

View attachment 466075


After:

View attachment 466074


If other countries including the Turks, Arabs and Americans stayed out of Syria and not enabled terrorists then we wouldn’t have this mess.

I am fully aware of contribution of other countries in the war-effort against ISIS (credit where due) but US was well-positioned to counter ISIS across Syria and Iraq (i.e. Operation Inherent Resolve).

Those advances do not convey the whole picture; USAF has struck and softened ISIS-based elements throughout Syria and Iraq since 2014. However, Syria represents a complicated theater of operations where advances of regional players on the ground fluctuate and/or shift from time-to-time.

You can observe latest developments in here: https://syriancivilwarmap.com/

- Yellow segment represent regions under control of American allies on the ground.
- Black segment represent regions under control of ISIS on the ground.
- Blue segment represent regions under control of Turkish armed forces and its allies on the ground.

Major details here: https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2017/04/map-isil-syria-iraq-170413092750456.html

For comparison, this was the situation on the ground in 2014:

However, Russian intervention in Syria is on controversial grounds:

In September 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed to indicate a willingness to join the fight against ISIS. Speaking before the U.N. General Assembly, Putin called for a “genuinely broad international coalition,” saying it was an “enormous mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian government and its armed forces who are valiantly fighting terrorism face to face.”

Just days later, Russian aircraft carried out their first strikes in Syria, targeting mostly Syrian rebels, not ISIS. Since Russia’s entry into the Syrian conflict, it has been a staunch supporter of Assad, providing air power to the Syrian army and Shia militias fighting against Syrian rebels. Putin, analysts say, has taken the same view as Assad in looking at all Syrian opposition groups as “terrorists.” Russia’s intervention has prolonged the conflict, shoring up Assad and delaying the defeat of ISIS.

“So far, based on what I’ve seen of targeting by Russia, Iran and the Assad regime they’ve really focused on rebel territories,” says Randa Slim, a director at the Middle East Institute. “They’re dropping more bombs on hospitals and schools in my opinion than on ISIS holdouts.” An assessment by Airwars, a non-profit project tracking international airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, said between 1,700 and 2,300 civilians were killed by Russian strikes between September and January.

In late March, Russia backed Assad’s forces in retaking the city of Palmyra from ISIS, a rare instance of both governments taking on the terrorist group. A deal worked out between the U.S. and Russia was supposed to lead to military cooperation and intelligence sharing in the fight against both ISIS and Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, but the deal fell apart within days of being implemented in September — along with a ceasefire.

The ensuing bombardment of Aleppo by Syrian and Russian forces led the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Samantha Power, to say on Sept. 25, “What Russia is sponsoring and doing is not counter-terrorism, it is barbarism.”

Source: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/whos-who-in-the-fight-against-isis/

----

IMO, Russia should pressure Bashar al-Assad to step down and pave way for governmental reforms in which Syrian rebels have a legitimate representation. This is the only way forward.

 

[ptldM3]

FYI: http://time.com/4739488/isis-iraq-syria-tunisia-saudi-arabia-russia/

http://time.com/4739488/isis-iraq-syria-tunisia-saudi-arabia-russia/



Notice that 99% of what you post is copy and paste. You can’t form a coherent or logical argument. ISIS fighters come from around the world including Russia’s Caucasus region. The difference is that Russia arrests suspected militants and often demolishes their homes where as in places like Europe they get ‘help’ and housing.

I am fully aware of contribution of other countries in the war-effort against ISIS (credit where due) but US was well-positioned to counter ISIS across Syria and Iraq (i.e. Operation Inherent Resolve).

Those advances do not convey the whole picture; USAF has struck and softened ISIS-based elements throughout Syria and Iraq since 2014. However, Syria represents a complicated theater of operations where advances of regional players on the ground fluctuate and/or shift from time-to-time.

You can observe latest developments in here: https://syriancivilwarmap.com/

- Yellow segment represent regions under control of American allies on the ground.
- Black segment represent regions under control of ISIS on the ground.
- Blue segment represent regions under control of Turkish armed forces and its allies on the ground.

Major details here: https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2017/04/map-isil-syria-iraq-170413092750456.html

For comparison, this was the situation on the ground in 2014:

However, Russian intervention in Syria is on controversial grounds:

In September 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed to indicate a willingness to join the fight against ISIS. Speaking before the U.N. General Assembly, Putin called for a “genuinely broad international coalition,” saying it was an “enormous mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian government and its armed forces who are valiantly fighting terrorism face to face.”

Just days later, Russian aircraft carried out their first strikes in Syria, targeting mostly Syrian rebels, not ISIS. Since Russia’s entry into the Syrian conflict, it has been a staunch supporter of Assad, providing air power to the Syrian army and Shia militias fighting against Syrian rebels. Putin, analysts say, has taken the same view as Assad in looking at all Syrian opposition groups as “terrorists.” Russia’s intervention has prolonged the conflict, shoring up Assad and delaying the defeat of ISIS.

“So far, based on what I’ve seen of targeting by Russia, Iran and the Assad regime they’ve really focused on rebel territories,” says Randa Slim, a director at the Middle East Institute. “They’re dropping more bombs on hospitals and schools in my opinion than on ISIS holdouts.” An assessment by Airwars, a non-profit project tracking international airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, said between 1,700 and 2,300 civilians were killed by Russian strikes between September and January.

In late March, Russia backed Assad’s forces in retaking the city of Palmyra from ISIS, a rare instance of both governments taking on the terrorist group. A deal worked out between the U.S. and Russia was supposed to lead to military cooperation and intelligence sharing in the fight against both ISIS and Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, but the deal fell apart within days of being implemented in September — along with a ceasefire.

The ensuing bombardment of Aleppo by Syrian and Russian forces led the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Samantha Power, to say on Sept. 25, “What Russia is sponsoring and doing is not counter-terrorism, it is barbarism.”

Source: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/whos-who-in-the-fight-against-isis/

----

IMO, Russia should pressure Bashar al-Assad to step down and pave way for governmental reforms in which Syrian rebels have a legitimate representation. This is the only way forward.

ISIS was growing for years as the US was ’fighting’ ISIS. Your argument that the US was weakening ISIS can be flipped the other way too. ISIS sent large reinforcements from Iraq to Syria to battle government and Russian forces in Palmyra and Deir-Ez Zoir. Russia sent equipment and shared intelligence with Iraq as well. Russia also to some extent helped the Kurds since Russian forces were stationed in norther Syria in Kurdish heled territory. Russia also fought with Al-Quida affiliates such as Nusra as well as many other terrorist groups, freeing up Syrian soldiers to fight ISIS.

Most of ISIS territory in Syria has been taken by Russian and Syrian forces and not the Kurds as you claimed. If Russia never entered the war ISIS would still control large parts of Syria so yes Russia contributed largely to the defeat of ISIS.

 

[raptor22]

Right:

"143,194 people in total, including 105,857 civilians as well as 13,793 militants and 23,544 members of their families have left eastern Ghouta during humanitarian pauses," Sergey Rudskoy, Deputy Chief of Russian General Staff, said at a news briefing on Friday.

https://www.rt.com/news/422835-ghouta-evacuation-rebels-civilians/

Guess the affiliation of those rebels.

Similar story in Douma.

Opposition negotiators reached a final deal with the Russian military to allow rebel fighters to leave the besieged Syrian city of Douma under an arrangement that brings the Russian military police into the city, local negotiators said on Sunday.

They said the deal would allow those fighters from Jaish al Islam who do not want to leave to make peace with the Syrian authorities without being pursued by the security forces. The deal also includes a six-month reprieve for those wanted for military conscription, negotiators told Reuters.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...a-to-evacuate-douma-negotiators-idUSKBN1HF0TJ

Not difficult to expose lies and propaganda of Russians either. I am sure that many more gems can be dug out.

Your country did jack against ISIS in Syria; US-led forces pounded it to insignificance in the region (i.e. Operation Inherent Resolve); ISIS stronghold Raqqa fell in 2017.

Russians are in Syria to enable a murderous dictator to restore his power across the country.

Objectively speaking;

US - Russia - Iran - Israel = partners in war crimes and hypocrisy

Back in 2012 DIA report clearly indicated:

1. The Salafists, MBM (Muslim brotherhood movement) and ALQ were the major forces driving insurgency in Syria.
2. The west, (Persian) gulf countries and Turkey support the opposition.
3. ALQ supported the Syrian opposition from the beginning both ideologically and through the media.
4. Possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared Salafist principality”, the Pentagon report goes on, “this is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want, in order to isolate the Syrian regime, which is considered the strategic depth of the Shia expansion (Iraq and Iran)
5. This create the ideal atmosphere for AQI to return to its old pocket in Mosul and Ramadi. (Occupied later on in presence of American troops)
6. ISI also could declare an Islamic state through its union with other terrorists organization.
​

General Dempsey on ISIS Threat - September 16, 2014​

​

​

https://twitter.com/x/status/900731359769001984

US, Israel ‘masterminding’ weapons supplies to ‘terrorists’ in Syria

​

An investigative reporter who claimed to have discovered a covert scheme “masterminded” by the US, Israel, Saudi Arabia and UAE to supply weapons to Daesh and Al-Qaeda terrorist groups under the watch of the CIA and NATO, has been sacked by her employers for what she describes as “telling the truth about weapons supplies to terrorists”.

Bulgarian journalist Dilyana Gaytandzhiev claims she was dismissed after being interrogated by security forces following her report that “at least 350 diplomatic …flights transported weapons for war conflicts across the world over the last three years”. Her bombshell report in July for the Trud newspaper alleged that “the state aircraft of Azerbaijan carried on board tens of tonnes of heavy weapons and ammunition headed to terrorists under the cover of diplomatic flights”.
​

So they knew the threat, they knew who they were arming and they continued it and after 2 years when isis had already became a tumor they came in as a hero and save all of us.

isis was 67 kms away from Baghdad and 2 kms from Arbil and these guys didn't do anything ..
Iran entered plan A failed , Plan B enter to take part in destroying sth that they were involved in creating it (in Jehadi universities and invasion of Iraq and Mujaheddn in Afghanistan) and pushing Iran to corner.

You say Iran is blamed for supporting Assad .. well:
Didn't I provide you with the fact that back in 2012 were seeking a democratic approach which could have ended in removing Assad?
Didn't I provide you with the fact that even right now we are seeking a democratic approach which could eventually end in removing Assad again?

 

[LeGenD]

Notice that 99% of what you post is copy and paste. You can’t form a coherent or logical argument. ISIS fighters come from around the world including Russia’s Caucasus region. The difference is that Russia arrests suspected militants and often demolishes their homes where as in places like Europe they get ‘help’ and housing.

I don't feel the need to post an argument at every turn when sources can do the talking on my behalf.

No 'state' supported ISIS in the manner you presume. ISIS is/was a multi-national organization, and was able to lure a large number of individuals from Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey and Jordan to its cause. ISIS was also able to sustain its operations on its own in large part: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/12/how-isis-runs-its-economy/

ISIS was growing for years as the US was ’fighting’ ISIS.

Because new recruits continued to pour in....

US had to revisit its strategy for combating ISIS in 2015 and decided to prepare/mobilize/employ different factions against it in order to consolidate any gains. The tide began to shift in 2016:

And noteworthy breakthroughs occurred in 2017 with ISIS strongholds Raqqa and Mosul respectively.

Most of ISIS territory in Syria has been taken by Russian and Syrian forces and not the Kurds as you claimed. If Russia never entered the war ISIS would still control large parts of Syria so yes Russia contributed largely to the defeat of ISIS.

Because US had allowed them to.

 

[ptldM3]

Because US had allowed them to.

But just the other day you said “Russia didn’t do jack” against ISIS. Now you’re tap dancing to a completely different tune. So which is it? Russia didn’t do anything against ISIS or the US “allowed” Russia to capture thousands of KMs from ISIS?


Actually the US did everything in their power to prevent Russia and Syria from gaining territory from ISIS. Did you forget the times US forces “mistakenly” bombed Syrian possitions even after Russia explicitly told the US they were bombing Syrian possitions through a real time communications channel. Conveniently ISIS overran those Syrian possitions and the US didn’t touch ISIS.


As for Syrian advances against ISIS, once Syrian forces broke through terrorist defences around the Allepo province the Syrian military started to advance towards to Euphrates river and eventually they moved south across the Euphrates, once that happened the Kurds started a mad dash towards the East bank of the Euphrates to prevent government forces from crossing. Government forces crossed and the Kurds cut them off, later on when Syrian forces tried to bomb ISIS possitions across the river the US bombed them.

You literally know nothing about the situation in Syria. Literally you are clueless and making up wild claims that contradict each other.