Adonis Diaries

Posts Tagged ‘Ghouta



Instead, Western corporate media continues to shriek the war propaganda we already heard from eastern Aleppo in December 2016, from Madaya in 2016 and 2017, and elsewhere in Syria whenever the liberation of terrorist-held areas was underway.

I’ve been to liberated Homs, Aleppo, Madaya, al-Waer.

Syrian civilians spoke to me of their gratitude to their army for saving them. When the media cried that the areas had ‘fallen’ and blasted about Syrian-Army massacres, it was simply lying, and the areas returned to peace and stability.

MSM cites Jaysh Al-Islam supporters

As per their norm, corporate media’s reports on Eastern Ghouta rely on the usual suspect sources.

Reporting from Istanbul, The Guardian’s Kareem Shaheen, on March 16 – a day when over 13,000 civilians escaped terrorist rule in Ghouta – produced yet another article of inverted reality, shamelessly writing: “Residents in the enclave have said they want to be able to leave the besieged areas but with international guarantees that they will not be detained or otherwise punished by advancing regime troops.

Video evidence contradicts this claim.

Civilians complained that terrorists would not allow them to leave, that terrorists were preventing them from doing so by shooting at them and shelling humanitarian corridors.

This is a tactic that was seen in late 2016, when terrorists in eastern Aleppo did precisely the same thing, shelling humanitarian corridors (including one I stood on  in November 2016).

Shaheen would do well to leave Istanbul and report honestly from within Syria – and I don’t mean sneaking illegally in and embedding with Al-Qaeda.

The New York Times’ March 15 article described terrorists occupying Ghouta as a “rebel movement,” and cited sources tightly affiliated with these terrorists.

Lexicon is important. Corporate media’s “rebels” are Syrian civilians’ nightmares, terrorists. Yet, corporate media has consistently, and deliberately, chosen lexicon which whitewashes some of the most heinous terrorists of our day.

One of the NY Times’ sources, Mohammad Adel, wrote on Facebook that his superhero name would be Zahran Alloush. Recall that Alloush was the head of Jaysh Al-Islam, and the terrorist behind putting civilians (including women) in cages to use as human shields.


Quite a ‘hero’ to aspire to be. Quite an activist source to quote.

The authenticity of Amer Almohibany’s photos, used in the article, should be questioned, given that he is not a neutral Getty photographer.

Like Mohammad Adel, Almohibany praisesJaysh Al-Islam, indeed has spent time with them as they fire missiles towards Damascus, also eulogized Zahran Alloush (whose photo he took at close proximity), and incidentally enjoyed food that most Ghouta residents were deprived of by terrorists.

Firaz Abdullahcited in a different NY Times article as a “media activist,” also praised Alloush, calling him a “beautiful martyr.”

Another media source, Qusay Noor, extends his neutrality beyond solely supporting Jaysh Al-Islam but also terrorists of Faylaq Al-Rahman and Al-Qaeda.

Pulse media contributor, Idrees Ahmad, calls Noor “heroic.” Ahmad’s hero in July 2016 applauded Abu Muhammad Al-Julani, the “Emir” of Al-Qaeda in Syria. [Photos collated here]

The media frenzy has even rehashed the 2016 theme of Aleppo child Omran Daqneesh as the face of suffering in Syria, with war propagandist Assad Hannaa tweeting on March 9:

This is another Omran, history is repeating itself Omran of Ghouta. Omran was lucky to survive this brutal airstrike by the Assad regime but unfortunately his three-month-old sister Katr Al Nada did not.”

It is unlikely that Hannaa read my reply that Omran Daqneesh himself was not gravely injured, nor by an airstrike, as his father told me in June 2017. And it is despicable that Hannaa, surely knowingly, re-exploited Daqneesh.

Screenshot from 2018-03-22 13-26-57

The media knowingly lies

On March 12, Syria’s Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari, after refuting Nikki Haley’s latest chemical-weapons lies, quoted writer Najib Mahfouz, saying: “They are liars. And they know that they are liars. And they know that we know that they are liars. Even so, they keep lying, and very loudly so.

While Jaafari was referring to America’s lies and longtime war propaganda, this also clearly applies to corporate media.

In our March 11 interview, war correspondent Elijah Magnier highlighted corporate media’s role in prolonging the terrorists’ occupation of Ghouta:

The heads of the tribes in Ghouta are saying, ‘The only reason why these jihadists are holding on to Ghouta, not willing to leave, and keeping the civilians as a shield is because of the mainstream media. Because the mainstream media is supporting them, the international community is supporting them – they’re supporting the jihadists. Why they should leave?

Journalist Jeremy Salt, on March 15, wrote a scathing article addressing the media propaganda:

The sanctified logo of the New York Times, ‘All the news that’s fit to print,’ needs to be replaced with something more contemporary, more attuned to the fake ‘news’ cycle in which we are all trapped, perhaps ‘All the sh*t that’s fit to print.’”

The problem is not the media’s lack of capacity to get through to the truth but rather its disinterest in the truth, in favor of government policies based on lies and deception.

And in a recent interview, former British ambassador to Syria, Peter Ford said:

Western mainstream media have their narrative and they don’t want to see it disturbed. Any evidence that goes against their preferred narrative – namely that ‘Assad is a butcher, massacring his people’ – anything that disturbs that narrative is simply ignored or mocked.

But the truth is beginning to come out… All these crocodile tears being cried by the likes of Ambassador Nikki Haley in New York are disgraceful, trading on sentiment when behind it is just cynical great power maneuvering.”

Chemicals and lab in Eastern Ghouta

One of the accusations shrieked by Nikki Haley is that the Syrian government used chemical weapons. However, this accusation and the many prior, is fact-devoid rhetoric.

Yet, on March 12, Russia’s envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, named Al-Nusra as being behind the March 5 chlorine attacks in Eastern Ghouta. To those closely following events in Syria, this is far from the first time terrorists in Syria have used chemical weapons, then blamed it on the Syrian government.

On March 16, journalist Sharmine Narwani wrote of the “well-equipped chemical laboratory run by Saudi-backed Islamist terrorists,” which she had seen the day prior in Shifoniyeh, Eastern Ghouta.

Peppered with her photos of the equipment (including US-made equipment), Narwani’s article aptly argues that terrorists have both motive and capability to stage chemical attacks in Syria, and outlines previous instances in which they have.

In spite of this latest revelation, Haley and the UN itself will turn blind eyes to the terrorists’ possession of chemicals, and to their relentless attacks on Damascus, which have killed over 10,000 civilians.

The mortar and missile attacks on Damascus and elsewhere in Syria merit no outrage from the UN.

On March 5, an article citing Trappist Nuns in Syria read:


“The attacks on civilians in Damascus, began from the Ghouta area into the government-controlled part, and not vice versa… Why this blindness on the part of the West?

It is a painful rhetorical question that many of us have asked over the years, well-aware of the answer: because it doesn’t serve the regime-change agenda, one so diligently put forth by the corporate media.

As the war propaganda continues, I quote the nuns, who said: “Deliver us Lord from the war… and deliver us from bad journalism.




Terrorist capabilities laid bare in an Eastern Ghouta chemical lab (by Sharmine Narwani)

The ‘other’ Omran: Aleppo civilians expose MSM lies & child exploitation, (by Vanessa Beeley)

Meet Aylan & Omran: Child victims used for Syrian war propaganda

UN Feigns Outrage Over Ghouta While Terrorist Rockets Rain Down on Damascus

Absurdities of Syrian war propaganda

What Life Is Like Under ‘Moderate’ ‘Rebel’ Rule (Aleppo)


Order Returns To Western Cities, Civilians Recount Horrors Of ‘Rebel’ Rule (Madaya and al-Waer)


Tidbits and notes posted on FB and Twitter. Part 234














I am confused. What Trump and Macron (of France) are planning to ruin Syria

Apparently, Trump and Macron want to strike Syria very badly n account that chemical weapons were used in Al Ghouta. Russia vetoed the USA tailor-made alternative to investigate the accusation in Syria and the USA vetoed Russia alternative.

All parties on the field (Syrians and Russians) are saying “No chemical weapons were used”, even the Islamist factions didn’t mention such an event, though chemical weapons were discovered in their tunnels, dug by their prisoners in the last 4 years.

Syria invited the specialized UN organization on chemical weapons to come and investigate on the field and a team has already arrived.

Russia warned USA and France that its reaction will be prompt if the strike injure any Russian in Syria.

Trump cancelled his Latin America tour to personally control the situation of the strike.

The colonial powers have the habit of setting up all kinds of Red Lines when it suit them to other militarily “weaker nations”. Red Lines are Not meant to be applied to the colonial powers, ever. They do sometimes sign on treaties but refrain to ratify them, like the International penal court, or any of their citizens being prosecuted by other nations, especially in matter of crimes against humanity. Or eliminating weapons prohibited by the UN.

Chemical weapons were first used by the colonial powers starting in WWI by Germany. The USA used chemical weapons extensively on Korea and China in the 50’s, then Orange defoliating gases and napalm in Viet Nam… France supplied Saddam Hussein with chemical weapons and were heavily used during Iran/Iraq war that lasted 8 years  (1980-88).

I am confused. First question: Were chemical weapons been used in Al Ghouta? Yes or No? I was not in the battle field, and neither were you. How to you interpret whatever you got in information?  What are your rationals for lack of facts? What can we do with any secret intelligence pieces that we are denied knowledge?

I am confused. Second question: If chemical weapons were used, why it took place when the battle of Al Ghouta was over and all Islamic factions and their families relocated by buses to Edlib and Jarablos?

I am confused. Third question: The colonial powers repeatedly disseminated the plausibility of usage of chemical weapons in Al Ghouta before the re-conquest started. The battle finished and no news of usage of chemical weapons were announced until the last couple of days when the war was over.

I am confused. Fourth question: We all felt that the colonial powers expected the Islamic factions to use the chemical weapons they were supplied with, against either the Syrian army or the civilians inside Al Ghouta to provide excuses for the powers to intervene. Nothing happened. Had the colonial power failed to coordinate their strikes before the battle and now, as they are ready, they need to vent their frustrations from the failed 2013 threat?

I am confused. Fifth question: Why the White Helmets working with Islamic factions and trained to fabricate videos persist on taking video of children, and only children? If chemical weapons were used, the most probable injured parties should be the fighters huddled inside their tunnels in order to vent them out. Why No videos of these supposedly gassed terrorists were not taken for the common people to watch? Since 2013, many of these cruel videos were taken in Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq… and displayed as happening in Syria.

I am confused. Sixth question: Why USA and France persist on attacking and striking the Syrian people under any excuse? Is it because their plans failed and they need some kind of revenge? And this latest determination to strike, is it a tactics to let the totally unconvinced world community believe that chemical weapons were indeed used?

Note: My conjecture is that Trump and Macron are finally convinced that whatever plans they had in Syria has failed, and need a face-saving strike before they retire their military operations in this hellish Syria and focus on trade row with China and their multiple domestic problems

What the UN inspectors are doing in Syria? Time to recollected their mission in Iraq…What changed between 2003 and 2013?

Is it true that Russia has declared that it will not intervene against the Western preemptive strikes on Syria?

Many believe that the meeting in Jordan is to put the final touch on Geneva 2 conference to resolve politically the civil war in Syria, and to defuse any military strikes.

Like striking what targets? Not chemical depots as you might surmise.

The strikes will target communication facilities, power production and transmission facilities, headquarters of central commands, infrastructures for producing even shells and bullets…

The strikes are not interested in the weapon depots, just facilities for producing weapons…

The strikes are meant to disorganize and weaken a strong and unified Syrian army, determined to foil any partition of the Syrian nation.

The problem is not Bashar al Assad: That was a problem in 2011.

The problem is a unified and well trained army, ready to back any political independent decision to maintain Syria self sufficiency, a unified Syria…

Russia and the USA have agreed that the next Cold War partition for dominion in the Middle East should eliminate any strong armies, and reduce them for internal security missions…


Let us RECAPITULATE what was the main mission of the UN inspectors in Iraq before 2003:

February 2003: Colin Powell goes before the United Nations Security Council and scrolls through photos of trucks presented as prototypes of mobile laboratory of biological research, satellite photos for plants and chemical weapons bunkers in Iraq and has finally a vial of white powder: anthrax. (Colin Powell publicly regretted for lying, 3 years later after he resigned…)

March 2003: The United Nations Hans Blix Inspector indicates that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction. The US and British Tony Blair PM faked not to believe Blix…

March 2003: Invasion of Iraq by a loose coalition led by the United States and not satisfying any UN mandate...

September 2004: Iraq Survey Group charged by the U.S. Government to find these weapons declared that there were no more chemical weapons since 1991

January 2005: the Chief Inspector of the ISG mission, Charles Duelfer, claimed that “it cannot be ruled out that the ADM (chemical weapons) has been transferred to Syria.”.  He cited “a significant number of credible evidence”?

December 2008: Bush acknowledged to ABC News, that “the biggest regret of this Presidency will be the failure of credible intelligence on Iraq.” (Meaning not finding any nuclear facilities…)

March 2013: Attack with chemical weapons to Khan el Asal in Syria

May 2013: Carla Del Ponte reveals that the UN investigation commission has concrete and serious evidence that the rebels have used sarin gas.

August 19, 2013: UN experts arrive in Syria to investigate Khan al-Assal

August 21, 2013: with a developed sense of “timing”… New attack with nerve gas… in the suburbs of Damascus

August 22: The UN team dropped the investigation of Khan el Asal… and UN inspection team directed its attention to the Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus…

The United Nations asked for the Syria access to the site in the suburbs of Damascus

August 24: the system authorizes the United Nations to investigate.  Obama and Cameron agreed that Syria regime had probably carried out a chemical weapons attack and consider military options against Damascus.

August 24: The US administration says that it has no doubt about the responsibility of the regime.

August 25: Laurent Fabius (France foreign affairs minister and of Israel too)… considers that there is “no doubt” about the attack with chemical weapons near Damascus and put the entire “responsibility” on the Syrian regime

August 26/ today: beginning of the mission of experts from the United Nations. The mandate of the inspectors is to assess if there is a use of chemicals or weapons, but not to determine who is responsible. !!!!!!!!!!

The moral of this story? The wolf has no need for actual and objective proofs.

What changed between 2003 and 2013?

In 2003, the US conducted a preemptive war on Iraq in order to physically plan and control the routes of the Gas pipelines crossing Iraq and Syria. The mission failed and Russia, China, and Iran drew the routes for the gas pipelines.

In 2013, the US and Russia agreed on partitioning the Middle East

Note: This post was inspired by an article of Khalil Toubia recapitulating the timeline of the UN inspections in Iraq

Chemical attacks in Syria? Is it a matter of point of view or point of attack?

It seems that not many people are sure that hundreds in Syrians were target of chemical attacks.

Photos show the dead and injured, and videos are backing claims of mass murder events.

Is it a point of view or point of attack that are blurring the lines between reality and fiction?

I decided to posts two articles, representing the pro-Syrian government media and another voicing the opinion of the “insurgents”

Syria: Chemical Attack in Ghouta “an Accident Caused by Free Syrian Army”

  published this August 21, 2013:


Syrian opposition activists claim that rockets loaded with toxic agents were launched towards the suburbs of the Ghouta region at 3 am, killing more than 570 people, mostly women and children. Horrific footage of people being treated in makeshift hospitals and many children suffocating, having convulsions or laying immobile emerged on social media.

Gwyn Winfield, editorial director at CBRNe World, a magazine specializing in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive weapons, told IBTimes UK that it is difficult to identify an agent by the signs and symptoms alone.

“We can say there is some form of chemical used. But until we take blood samples, samples of the soil and the water in the area we can’t say that a chemical agent has been used,” he said.


Symptoms of those hit by the attack include nausea, hallucinations, suffocation, hard coughing, high blood pressure, seizures and a post-death gargle, according to Syrian blogger Enas, from Amman in Jordan.


Winfield said he finds it “suspicious” that in the week UN inspectors enter the country with the acquiescence of Assad, the Government welcomes them with a chemical weapons missile barrage.

“It is not impossible that some faction in the Free Syrian Army did it to get attention, or maybe it was an accident by an inexperienced operator who may have not realized what he was doing.”


He added that the idea that the FSA is single and unified is “a myth,” because “there are different factions and something like that could be a win/win for them: launch the attack and raise amount of profile of their cause by the UN.”

Winfield said that more than 570 victims, if confirmed, are a lot of people in a not densely populated area. “It means the attack targeted a large area and it is not an isolated incident. If there are 570 fatalities it would suggest that evidence of what it is will not be hard to find.”

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commanding officer at the UK’s Joint Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Regiment, told the BBC’s Today program that the footage was “horrific” and agreed that it would be “very difficult to stage-manage”.

The UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said he is “concerned” by reports of a chemical attack…

The Revolting Syrian posted:




A comprehensive list and description of the attacks by @RSyrianCivilWar here

Note 1: Many countries are producing modified tear gas agents, far more potent to disperse mass demonstrators and deadly in many cases.  The tear gas have killed many in Egypt, Turkey, Palestine and Tunisia, Pakistan, Thailand…

Note 2: In these bad times, it is highly plausible that dark forces have switched, tampered, or transposed canisters with lethal gases. And nobody is about to admit that he was fooled, had, or did the dirty operation…

Note 3: A plausible alternative was that the Syrian army bombed the town of Jerba and hit nerve gas reserves stored by the rebels in tunnels… Apparently, antidote nerve gas were discovered in the tunnels…


Particularly the Druze in the Houran and Golan Heights?


The other side of the coin enraged the people.

















Within 2 days, 15,000 people fled their hometown on foot.


Over 1,500 were killed and four folds that number were injured.






August 2021

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