Chemical weapons UN weapons inspectors to leave Syria a day early
Source: Guardian
Ban Ki-moon has said the UN weapons inspectors investigating last week's suspected chemical weapons attack will leave Syria on Saturday, one day ahead of schedule.
The announcement deepened anticipation over imminent air strikes. Under an agreement with the Syrian government, the UN team had until the end of Sunday to complete their investigation.
If they leave a day early, they will not be able to carry out the three other site inspections from earlier suspected chemical attacks they had initially intended to complete.
The move is reminiscent of similar hasty departures of UN weapons inspectors from Iraq over a decade ago, after receiving a tip-off from western intelligence agencies that US air strikes against Saddam Hussein's regime were imminent.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/29/un-inspectors-leave-syria-early
Little Star
(17,055 posts)Nihil
(13,508 posts)Autumn
(44,748 posts)It's a shame that they have to leave their work undone and questions unanswered.
David__77
(23,214 posts)Like Khan al Assal, the then-government held town in which there was supposedly a chemical attack. It is west of Aleppo. Why the fuck are they leaving?
Autumn
(44,748 posts)It's all outrageous.
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)1513: Iain Watson Political correspondent, BBC News
reports: "Whitehall sources say weapons inspectors could report to the security council on Saturday - a recall of Parliament over the weekend hasn't been ruled out."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23877247
Javaman
(62,439 posts)progressoid
(49,825 posts)Catherina
(35,568 posts)Three sites where gas was freshly used, and by all suspicions, by the rebels. So those 3 won't be inspected, and our media won't even mention them except vaguely in passing and the UN's earlier inspection that concluded it was the rebels using gas is being ignored.
Way to beat the drums of war and manufacture consent.
The West is determined to pursue its 15 year plan to rearrange the Middle East and it won't be inconvenienced with pesky facts.
Disgusted. Again.
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)David__77
(23,214 posts)Why the caps?
daleo
(21,317 posts)This way, the case for war remains simple and probably wrong.
Supersedeas
(20,630 posts)Mnemosyne
(21,363 posts)Ash_F
(5,861 posts)Sounds like USGov gave them an ultimatum.
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)CAIRO With the eyes of the international community fixed on their work, U.N. chemical weapons investigators carried out their third inspection Thursday in a probe of an alleged chemical weapons attack last week. It came as the U.N. chief urged world powers to hold off on possible military action against Syria until the team finishes its work.
The weapons inspectors have now made three visits to rebel-held suburbs of the capital this week - with a convoy of white U.N. vehicles travelling to the suburbs of Douma and Zamalka on Thursday. The visit follows initial inspections to Zamalka and Mleiha Wednesday, and one to Madhamiya on Monday.
Witnesses told Arab satellite channels that the inspectors took blood and tissue samples from survivors of alleged chemical weapons attacks last week. An opposition activist told Arabiya TV that most of the bodies from those attacks were buried immediately afterwards, due to the lack of a refrigerated morgue.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told journalists in Vienna that the inspectors would leave Syria by Saturday. He said that the team will give him a report at the end of their two-week mission, originally scheduled to investigate previous alleged chemical attacks near Aleppo last March.
The Syrian government kept the U.N. inspectors waiting in Cyprus for days, while it argued over details of their mission, including which sites they could visit. Evidence in chemical weapons attacks deteriorates within hours, making it difficult to assess what took place.
David__77
(23,214 posts)Not Khan al Assal, for instance. They themselves said that they would visit there too. Perhaps they will go back soon, hopefully.