Moscow Warns West against 'Tragic Mistake' in Syria
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Military action against the Syrian regime would be a "tragic mistake", Russia said Sunday, warning the West not to preempt the results of a U.N. probe into alleged deadly chemical attacks.
Moscow warned there was a danger of history repeating itself a decade after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, which it opposed, and urged the United States to refrain from any reckless decision.
"We strongly urge those who, by attempting to impose their own results on the U.N. experts, are raising the possibility of a military operation in Syria to use their common sense and refrain from committing a tragic mistake," foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement.
"All this is reminiscent of events from a decade ago, when the United States bypassed the U.N. and used fallacious information on the presence in Iraq of weapons of mass destruction to launch an adventure, the consequences of which are known to all," he said.
The United States and Britain led the military invasion of Iraq that toppled long-time dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.
A U.N. mission had failed to find any of the weapons of mass destruction Saddam was suspected of possessing but the Iraqi strongman was known to have repeatedly used chemical weapons.
The United Nations said Sunday its inspectors in Syria could begin work as early as Monday, after Damascus agreed to the probe Sunday during a visit by top U.N. official Angela Kane.
Doctors Without Borders has said 355 people died last week of "neurotoxic" symptoms, after the opposition claimed regime forces unleashed chemicals east and southwest of Damascus last Wednesday causing more than 1,300 deaths.
The regime has denied the charges and in turn accused the rebels of using chemical arms.
Russia took credit for the deal allowing the U.N. inspectors to begin their work, saying it was the result of "relentless efforts" by Moscow with the Syrian regime.
"We are satisfied with the Syrian leadership's constructive approach towards ensuring an effective cooperation with the U.N. mission," the spokesman said.
Washington, which has said that evidence President Bashar Assad's regime used chemical weapons would cross a red line and warrant tougher action, said the Syrian offer was "too late to be credible."
Officials said U.S. President Barack Obama, who held crisis talks Saturday with top aides, would make an "informed decision" about how to respond to an "indiscriminate" chemical weapons attack.
One official told Agence France Presse that based on the reported number of victims and their symptoms, and U.S. and foreign intelligence, "there is very little doubt at this point that a chemical weapon was used by the Syrian regime against civilians in this incident."
Russia -- which together with Iran and China has supported Assad throughout the 29-month-old Syrian crisis -- urged the rebel camp to guarantee the safety of the U.N. team lead by professor Aake Sellstroem.
"It is important that the armed opposition controlling part of Eastern Ghouta ensure that the U.N. mission is able to operate safely and refrain from the kind of armed provocation witnessed against U.N. observers last summer," Lukashevich said.
Opposition leaders already said Friday that U.N. inspectors would have "unfettered" access to areas under rebel control such as Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus to investigate the use of chemical weapons.
25 August 2013, 17:56
52
The tragic mistake is to think the Syrians , but the iranians behind them who are pulling the threads, can keep fooling around, flaunting international law, dressing up facts the way they please, preventing any independant media or UN checks on facts, that would have help them come out clean from any accusation. This is what is called self-indictment. Period.
26 August 2013, 12:18
11
truth > the UN inspectors are on site now
also, i wonder who will ever be accountable for that
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=27904
26 August 2013, 12:25
11
truth > the UN inspectors are on site now
also, i wonder who will ever be accountable for that
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=27904
26 August 2013, 17:12
02
I am also very worried that the LAF is still using these devices when it has been proven beyond a doubt that they don't work.
25 August 2013, 17:57
1114
In other words stop your forceful rape upon sovereign nations as you have done in the past which has left permanent physical & psychological damages , this time we the Russians shall use appropriate equal if not more force upon any country that tries ! Enough of your BS !
Signed Wolf !
25 August 2013, 22:34
106
Begin by crush the caucasian people that are resisting russia for 200+ years.
Ivans are welcome, we've all seen how outdated russian army is during the georgian conflict...
As well, instead of losing russian money in syria, u should invest in hospital and child benefits. U should as well honour a little more ur misses if u dont want to disappear with chinese heriting Siberia...
25 August 2013, 18:08
28
Never mess with a country that has over 10,000 nuclear warheads.
It's a lose-lose situation.
I hope the USA heeds Russia's warning. Russia is more of a speak slowly but wield a big stick type of people.
26 August 2013, 01:51
14
Does anyone really think the US and Russia will go to war against each other over Syria??!! :/ the entire Cold War they avoided direct conflict, but over Syria they will risk total destruction of the world? Lol
26 August 2013, 08:30
11
Since you brought up the cold war, let's look at some facts.
When the Soviet Union decided to place nuclear missiles in Cuba, the USA's back yard, WW3 almost started.
The Syrian case is similar. The USA is planning on turning Russia's back yard under their sphere of influence.
Remember Georgia, again Russia's back yard, how Sakashvili got his ass handed to him on a silver plate and that paved way for the U.S. influence to die.
This time Russia is not playing around, and I sincerely hope we avoid a catastrophe.
25 August 2013, 20:25
108
southern shia, u don't know our bible.
Pontius Pilate, prefect of the Roman province of Judaeais known as the judge at the trial of Jesus and the man who authorized the crucifixion of Jesus. He served under Emperor Tiberius.
The soldier in the Roman legions who drove the Holy Lance into the side of Jesus Christ on Golgotha is Longinus.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Don't speak of other's religions u ignorant.
25 August 2013, 20:48
106
don't bother roar. i'm not interested in reading ur shia explanaciones. Jesus said hay que amar a su prójimo como a sí mismo. i don't know how 2 translate it but u need to love the stranger, this includes the jews. because u might not know or like it but jesus was and is King of the Jews.
25 August 2013, 21:04
116
You can tell the only losers blogging on a weekend are those tyrant-loving chumps. Go ahead and salivate over the death of innocent people. The West will crush evil forces that include the Russians who at the end of the day could care less about all of you and just there to protect it's pockets/investment. HA, Assad, Iran , Russia all have one thing in common....condition & control the mass...especially those we see here posting crap.
25 August 2013, 22:18
105
Napoleaounist at work, spreading fear as a mean to dominate. Sounds like nazi propaganda to me.
Anonymetexas, your invention of the term NapoleAoun is excellent.
25 August 2013, 22:20
114
Thumb up from me, although Tony I beleive poutine manages his internal policies very well. He's slowly cleaning his country from oligarchs who ripped off former soviets. Sure, there are unforgivable assassinations.... And his stance on Syria. But it will bite him in the back.
25 August 2013, 23:16
104
if he's aussie-lebanese then he's unwanted in his country.... no wonder he's so sour.... they hate him in australia and in lebanon. in lebanon because he's a traitor to christendom, he knows it....
26 August 2013, 05:29
11
TF, this is a hecatomb! 10 out of 13 want bashar and sewerboy eliminated soon.
26 August 2013, 00:31
23
No way man! It seems that M8 want to decapitate their terrorist leadership. It isn't an m8 Spring, nor a nettoyage de printemps.... It's like a fuel jettison!
Alleluia!
26 August 2013, 01:40
42
Game over. goodbye bashoura an nisso the rat. you can meet again in hell very soon.
26 August 2013, 01:54
14
Lol who cares. Leave ur religions out of this. The Jews have killed countless amounts over history.
26 August 2013, 04:07
22
The US used to suffer from Vietnam paralysis. The Russians loved it because it kept the American military in check for a generation.
Now they are trying "Iraq paralysis" and trying to reprieve the faux WMD. Won't work, Russia. This is no faux WMD, those are real dead kids in the video. Assad didn't threaten to use these weapons, he used them, then tried to cover it up for a week.
Ba'ath Iraq used them in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980's when it's survival was at stake, it is not beyond the pale that this Ba'ath Regime would do the same. Putin had best be careful or he will get tainted with what Assad may well have done. After the Snowden Affair, I doubt that Putin will find much Quarter in DC
26 August 2013, 04:37
22
Time to nuke Iran off the face of this earth and crush Assad- then the rest of the world can relax. As long as Iran is around we will have major issues..
26 August 2013, 05:28
21
do u think the world knows where Oregon is on the map? or even wat its capital is?
u r the fool who spoke 2 early again. use ur tiny brain before writing stuff u know nothing about.
26 August 2013, 09:31
11
He does have a point though, you are not entirely correct , the jews were the ones who pushed for his death. Romans just carried it out
