NP - The NATION (magazine), SYRIA, AND THE TRUTH ABOUT CHEMICAL WEAPONS

[Jochen Stremmel]

You're nobody's monkey if you answer these questions.

I'm sure here are some who want to know why you don't stop to bring that
matter up. Quoting your Secretary of Defense (!) (that title alone, think
1984 or – well, don't think it), of all people. Imagine, our favorite
author would read those posts on a list with his name.

2018-04-27 20:12 GMT+02:00 David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>:

> I'm not his monkey.  If he wants to ignore the substance of my post, and
> then ramble on, I can point that out w/o addressing his ramble.
>
> David Morris
>
> On Fri, Apr 27, 2018 at 12:57 PM Jochen Stremmel <jstremmel at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> He asked some serious questions that you ignored.
>>
>> 2018-04-27 19:45 GMT+02:00 David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>:
>>
>> > As usual, you have ignored the supject of the article I posted (The
>> Nation
>> > magazine lied to cast doubt on Assad's chew attack), and then just
>> > ramble-rant on about whatever you feel like.  You don't know how to
>> > converse.
>> >
>> > David Morris
>> >
>> > On Fri, Apr 27, 2018 at 11:07 AM Joseph Tracy <brook7 at sover.net> wrote:
>> >
>> > > Virtually every branch of federal power is now headed by people whose
>> > > primary qualification is kissing the ass of a man who lies daily. The
>> US
>> > > government and press have a history of lies and misinformation
>> > particularly
>> > > to justify military actions. What I see are many assurances from big
>> > shots
>> > > and all the evidence coming from White Helmet types who are part of
>> > > opposition to Assad. I have seen no substantive evidence, and you do
>> not
>> > > list any, but what major difference does it make? The US wars to
>> topple
>> > > regimes have done far more evil than good and have not brought
>> stability
>> > or
>> > > just government. The US has committed many war crimes itself, the wars
>> > only
>> > > serve to bankrupt our own democracy and give ever more power to the
>> > weapons
>> > > industry and military.  Why are you promoting this agenda?  Why not
>> > choose
>> > > the arrests and killings in Egypt, Gaza, Burma, Turkey, Honduras etc.
>> > Why
>> > > so obsessed with this neocon agenda?
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > > On Apr 26, 2018, at 4:34 PM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > > On April 11th 2017, the US National Security Council released a
>> 4-page
>> > > > reportwhich stated, “The United States is confident that the Syrian
>> > > regime
>> > > > conducted a chemical weapons attack, using the nerve agent sarin,
>> > against
>> > > > its own people in the town of Khan Shaykhun in southern Idlib
>> Proince
>> > on
>> > > > April 4, 2017.”  The same day, Secretary of Defense James Mattis
>> > > declared,
>> > > > “Last Tuesday on the 4th of April, the Syrian regime attacked its
>> own
>> > > > people using chemical weapons. I have personally reviewed the
>> > > intelligence,
>> > > > and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the
>> decision
>> > > to
>> > > > attack and for the attack itself.”
>> > > >
>> > > > Imagine if, after all that, Secretary Mattis stated that “we do not
>> > have
>> > > > evidence” that the Assad regime was responsible for the Khan
>> Shaykhun
>> > > > attack.  It would be a shocking admission, staggering in its
>> > > implications.
>> > > > But Mattis never made such an admission.
>> > > >
>> > > > Nevertheless, *The Nation* published an article on April 16th 2018
>> > > claiming
>> > > > that he did.  Its claim is indisputably false.  [...]   *The
>> Nation* is
>> > > > deceiving the public on a matter of the utmost gravity.
>> > > >
>> > > > The transcript of the February press conference is available for
>> all to
>> > > > read.
>> > > >
>> > > > It matters what happened in Khan Shaykhun.  We have abundant
>> evidence,
>> > > > certified by the UN, that the Assad regime launched a gas attack
>> > causing
>> > > > dozens of men, women, and children to suffer agonizing deaths. The
>> > > Nation’s
>> > > > claim encourages readers to think otherwise, but the claim is a
>> > > > fabrication.  Stephen Shalom (the author of a superb Jacobin
>> article on
>> > > the
>> > > > Khan Shaykhun attack) has made the following observation about those
>> > who
>> > > > propagate the James Mattis "no evidence" assertion: “Sometimes, a
>> claim
>> > > is
>> > > > so clearly without merit, so obviously ludicrous, that those who
>> > promote
>> > > it
>> > > > mark themselves, at best, as individuals wholly uninterested in
>> > examining
>> > > > evidence when a dubious claim conforms to their preconceived
>> notions,
>> > or,
>> > > > at worst, as scoundrels.”  The journalistic malpractice of The
>> Nation
>> > > > insults victims and harms the truth.
>> > > > --
>> > > > Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>> > >
>> > > --
>> > > Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>> > >
>> > --
>> > Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>> >
>> --
>> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>>
>