In an attempt to once again target Iran internationally, the Trump Administration is planning to issue a complaint against Iran to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), accusing them of having the capacity to violate the chemical weapons ban.
This is in keeping with the administration’s interest to keep Iran a topic of discussion, but will be tough to pull off, since Iran neither has chemical weapons, nor is even accused of attempting to produce them.
Rather, the US is going to be accusing Iran of having facilities and equipment that might conceivably be used to produce chemical weapons, if Iran wanted to. That’s not a violation that anyone, even the US, is likely to sanction Iran over, meaning the allegation is largely just for the sake of making Iran a big deal to the OPCW.
As a victim of chemical weapons attacks during the Iran-Iraq War, Iran is an outspoken opponent of chemical weapons use. This makes the use of chemical weapons allegations, particularly such flimsy ones, an unusual tactic.
So what, as Mr Marshall has pointed out there are hundreds of countries which have this capacity. One thing to remember is that during the attack from Irak chemical weapons were used against it, and despite that Iran did not produce any to retaliate, so why does anyone believe that they would start now?
Soon our satellited will spot movable chemical laboratories.
I got busted for having the capacity to grow pot. I have a back yard.
The chemical agents that Iraq used on Iran, with devastating effect, came from the USA so these charges from the source of attacks that killed and crippled many people are really stupid.
wiki
Capacity to violate?????????This is getting even more ridiculous. If everyone were to be punished for his or her capacity , regardless of the need, the desire, the likelihood to act, there would be bedlam.
Anyone who can produce even basic medicines or pesticides can conceivably make chemical weapons; it’s not exactly some arcane alchemy. Hell, I was a Chem/Bio NCO in the Army- I can make some pretty nasty stuff just from what’s in the kitchen cabinet and some REALLY nasty stuff with a quick trip to Wal-Mart. If ‘capacity’ is the measure of guilt, I think Bolton and Co. should have their penises amputated because they have the ‘capacity’ to commit rape.
The original article muddies the waters quite a bit:
“the administration plans to announce next week that Iran is not
complying with the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, which outlaws the
production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons.”
This from an official who wouldn’t take responsibility for being the source of the story. Anyone reading that article who considers the Trump admin to have any credibility will assume that Iran is doing something nefarious with WMD. The cloud of innuendo continues, making it clear that the US is desperately searching for excuses to attack Iran.
All the usual suspects (NY Times, WaPo, Guardian, BBC) will be peddling this garbage, so many will believe.
I would love to see Russia fly a dozen or so mobile nuke launchers with Russian crews, into Iran aboard its big military transport planes. (They could even be dummies, but I’d prefer the real thing.)
Wouldn’t that make for some fun in the Jewish state?
Perhaps followed by a suggestion directed to those more liberal Israelis to consider the wisdom of perhaps returning to Russia/US from whence they came. The end game for Israel is fast approaching, but the precise form it will take remains a mystery.
“[Here comes my whiny melty snowflake pretense of being some kind of victim]”
Fixed, no charge.
Now that I know you’re not gonna delete it, I fixed it myself.
And by the way, asshole, never in my entire life have I considered myself a victim.
Well, of COURSE you don’t consider yourself a victim. You just try to fool OTHER people into thinking you’re a victim.
Pretty good con if you can get away with it. But you can’t get away with it here.