Topic: Sarin

UN Ambassador Nikki Haley claims the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons at least 50 times, with some estimates reaching 200. The hosts express skepticism over these numbers, questioning why previous attacks were not reported with the same intensity or met with military force. They suggest the data is being "cherry-picked" to justify current interventions.

A UN report on the chemical weapons attack in Idlib, Syria, was conducted without investigators visiting the site, relying instead on samples from the White Helmets. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert maintains there is "no debate" that the Assad regime was responsible, despite Russian objections to the investigation's methodology.

In the final portion of the NBC interview, Putin denied that Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons, calling the incident a "provocation" orchestrated to frame the Syrian regime. He warned that the U.S. has a history of using terrorists for short-term political interests, citing the creation of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, which eventually led to the 9/11 attacks. Putin urged for a joint effort against real threats rather than "tag of war" speculation.

A conflict has emerged between the Wall Street Journal and former Obama administration officials regarding Syria's chemical weapons stockpile. Columnist Bret Stephens argues that the Obama administration knew Assad was cheating on the 2013 agreement while publicly claiming 100% of the weapons were removed. Former National Security Advisor Susan Rice and DNI Jim Clapper are cited as having maintained the "illusion" of a defanged Assad.

Sean Spicer sparked international backlash by claiming that Adolf Hitler "didn't even sink to using chemical weapons" in the same way as Bashar al-Assad. Spicer later attempted to clarify his remarks by distinguishing between the use of sarin gas in towns and the "Holocaust centers," a term he used instead of concentration camps. The hosts suggest the comparison was a scripted attempt to frame Assad as worse than Hitler that backfired significantly.

The effectiveness of the U.S. missile strike on a Syrian airbase is questioned following reports that runways remained operational within 24 hours. Rex Tillerson claimed runways were not targeted due to their thickness, yet skeptics point to the lack of high-quality "smart bomb" footage compared to previous conflicts. Observations of the White Helmets at the scene without protective gear lead to further questions regarding the alleged sarin gas attack.

Representative Thomas Massie expressed skepticism on CNN regarding the narrative that Bashar al-Assad ordered a chemical attack. Massie argued that such an attack would not serve Assad's interests and suggested the gas might have been released from a bombed ammo dump. The interview was abruptly ended after Massie questioned the certainty of the intelligence provided by human rights observers.

The hosts examine the reported chemical weapons attack in Syria and President Trump's subsequent press conference in the Rose Garden. They discuss the historical context of President Obama's "red line" and express skepticism regarding the legitimacy of the current reports. The segment highlights Trump's shift in responsibility and his use of the phrase "many, many lines" to describe the atrocity.

Seymour Hersh alleges that the 2013 chemical weapons attacks in Syria were a false flag operation intended to draw the United States into the conflict. Hersh points to Turkish intelligence and President Erdogan as the primary actors behind the provocation, claiming the sarin gas used was not from the Assad regime's stockpiles. He argues that the casualty numbers were extrapolated and fabricated for propaganda purposes.

Reports surface regarding the "Ottoman Hearth," a pro-Erdogan militia in Turkey accused of harassing political opponents and journalists. A Turkish MP is under investigation for treason after claiming ISIS produced sarin gas using chemicals transported through Turkey. The hosts discuss Erdogan's efforts to restore Ottoman-style power and his relationship with Fethullah Gulen.

French authorities express concern over potential chemical attacks, leading hospitals near Versailles to stock military-grade atropine as a nerve gas antidote. The report references the 2013 sarin gas attack in Damascus, which the State Department attributed to the Assad regime. The hosts dispute the official narrative of the 2013 attack, citing academic investigations that suggested rebel involvement.

Journalist Seymour Hersh appeared on "Democracy Now" to discuss evidence that the chemical weapons attacks in Syria may have involved homemade rockets rather than Syrian army munitions. He suggests that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan may have been involved in a scheme to provoke a U.S. military response against the Assad regime.

President Obama addressed the UN regarding the Syrian civil war, asserting that Bashar al-Assad lost legitimacy after allegedly gassing children. The hosts question the empirical evidence in the UN report, noting that testing for sarin was conducted on survivors rather than victims. The discussion highlights the geopolitical tension between the U.S., Russia, and Iran over the Syrian leadership.

The discussion moves to Syria and the UN report on chemical weapons. State Department spokesperson Marie Harf is criticized for her lack of knowledge regarding biological weapons. The hosts examine the timing of the UN report, suggesting it is being used to complicate or assist negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Adam Curry analyzes the UN report on the Ghouta chemical attack, noting that samples were only taken from 20 survivors and none from the 1,500 reported deceased. He questions why soil samples and clothing from the victims were not more thoroughly tested, given that sarin gas remnants can persist for long periods. He labels the report fundamentally flawed.

Senator Dianne Feinstein's announcement that the CIA prepared a DVD of chemical weapon victims for Congress is met with heavy skepticism. The hosts question the authenticity of the videos, noting the absence of women among the victims and scientific inconsistencies regarding sarin gas behavior. They characterize the distribution of these videos to the media as an illegal psychological operation on the American public.

The hosts discuss the potential for staged footage in the Syrian conflict, suggesting that victims could be paid actors or killed by other means to simulate a chemical attack. They question the moral logic of U.S. policy, asking why the administration prioritizes Syria over recent mass killings in Egypt. The segment argues that "peppering Damascus with cruise missiles" is an ineffective way to demonstrate humanitarian concern.

Intelligence from the southern Turkish border suggests that U.S. advisors and service members expect imminent bombing in Syria. Reports indicate that Syria's chemical stockpiles are too vast for the U.S. Army to guard effectively. Additionally, German intelligence reportedly intercepted Syrian officials discussing the chemical attack after it occurred, though no "smoking gun" exists.

John Kerry claims that U.S. inaction in Syria would serve as a "permission slip" for Iran to pursue its own weapons programs. He cites social media images and maps of rocket trajectories as "concrete" evidence of the Assad regime's culpability in chemical attacks. The hosts mock Kerry's delivery and his reliance on "the social media" as a primary intelligence source.

Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, states that there is "no military solution" to the Syrian crisis despite the "cynical use" of chemical weapons. He urges the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities under international law. The hosts interpret his comments through the lens of European energy dependence on Russia.