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GeorgeMonbiot
@GeorgeMonbiot
, 3 tweets, 1 min read Read on Twitter
A number of complex explanations have been advanced by Bashar al-Assad’s tankies as to why I might oppose his chemical weapons attacks, barrel bombing, mass torture and murder of prisoners.
But the explanation is simple: I’m against killing and harming people. Whoever does it.
Assad's forces are responsible for 90% of the killings in the Syrian civil war. I also oppose the atrocities committed by his opponents. But he carries the biggest share of blame for mass death there.
Though I've repeatedly stated that I OPPOSE any foreign military intervention in Syria, including attacks by the US and its allies, my opposition to Assad's war is being cast as a desire for war. The warmongers are those who support him, by denying or excusing his atrocities
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More from @GeorgeMonbiot see all

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GeorgeMonbiot
@GeorgeMonbiot
While thousands have no home, others have been made so rich by the explosion of inequality that they can spend £162,000 on a sodding bag. theguardian.com/fashion/2019/j…
This is not an accidental outcome. It is the result of years of deliberate policy, enabling those with wealth to multiply it, through economic rent, at the expense of others.
Doubtless they'll never use it, but put it in a glass case, between the stuffed heads of rhinos, tigers and deceased butlers.
Read 3 tweets
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GeorgeMonbiot
@GeorgeMonbiot
The private tragedies of powerful people become the public tragedies of those they dominate. My column. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
If success within the system requires psychopathic traits, there is something wrong with the system.
We should decide what kind of people we would like to see representing us, then create a political system that would bring them to the fore.
I don’t want to live in a great country. National “greatness” tends to be pursued at other people’s expense.
I want to live in a good country. This means a country that protects and nurtures its own citizens without harming other people.
Read 3 tweets
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GeorgeMonbiot
@GeorgeMonbiot
They did it in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Now the US government wants to overthrow democracy in Britain.
Still waiting for a UK government spokesperson to express their outrage.
Hello???
medium.com/black-isle-jou…
Powerful people, in and out of Parliament, claim to be defending the UK's sovereignty by taking us out of Europe.
But when the US Secretary of State directly and openly threatens our sovereignty, they stay silent.
19 years ago, I argued that the real agenda of Eurosceptics was not to defend our sovereignty, but to remove us from the EU in order to align us more closely with the US. It’s beginning to look that way. monbiot.com/2000/09/07/vot…
Read 3 tweets

Related threads

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Charles Lister
@Charles_Lister
Here, a @UKLabour MP praises a notorious conspiracist who says meeting Bashar al-#Assad was her "proudest" moment.

She's justified incendiary weapons & barrel bombs on civilian targets; suggested 9/11 was a false flag; Zionists rule #France & the #CharlieHebdo attack was fake.
@UKLabour Extraordinary.

@UU_University invited notorious conspiracist Vanessa Beeley to lecture on “War Reporting.”

Her claims were so outlandish, the students walked out & boycotted the course, calling it “a propaganda camp.”

news.postimees.ee/4511277/top-un…

(PS - Look at the pictured slide)
@UKLabour @UU_University #pt: Among Beeley’s claims at @UU_University:

- @hrw is run by a secret “Jewish organization called the #Washington elite.”

- #Russia only promotes international peace

- #Syria’s opposition "tear pregnant women in half, betw'n cats”

- All media (e.g. @guardian) are govt tools
Read 4 tweets
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Charles Lister
@Charles_Lister
Fascinating & damning deep-dive into the mess that followed #Assad’s Sarin attack in E. #Ghouta in August '13.

@BarackObama’s “cold feet” & distance, #Putin’s political “games” & @Ed_Miliband being “actively unhelpful.”

= Delays guaranteed no action.

thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/s…
@BarackObama @Ed_Miliband #pt: Exasperated at how distant #Obama had seemed & how difficult it was to connect with him by phone, the UK’s PM #Cameron said:

- "The next time I ask to talk to the president about chemical weapons attacks, tell me to turn over on my sun lounger and go to sleep.” #Syria
@BarackObama @Ed_Miliband #pt: After briefly expressing support for UK military action in #Syria, @Ed_Miliband's turn to party politics to slow/prevent action left PM #Cameron’s office furious, to say the least:

- “No 10 & the Foreign Office think Ed Miliband is a f****** c*** & a copper-bottomed s***.”
Read 3 tweets
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Charles Lister
@Charles_Lister
Preparations appear to be underway for a pro-#Assad offensive on #Idlib.

12hrs of on/off air & artillery strikes vs. southeastern & western #Idlib & northern #Hama - see marks on map (original by @ETANA_Syria + my additions).

+ multiple large pro-regime convoys moving north.
@ETANA_Syria #pt: If/when any major military campaign gets underway, expect the #Assad regime (+ #Russia & #Iran-backed militias) to focus on these 2 fronts:

1) West #Idlib (Jisr al-Shughour)
2) N. #Hama/#SE #Idlib (Latamineh, Khan Sheikhoun, Kafrazita)

-> a gradual push ‘inland’ & north.
@ETANA_Syria Very good by @theIRC’s @DMiliband:

- The West must “re-assert” itself & protect civilians in NW #Syria & as a backstop, safe-routes should be opened for civilians to flee into #Turkey.

- UNSC must demand full access to S #Syria; for aid, monitoring etc.

washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-w…
Read 83 tweets
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U.S. Embassy Syria
@USEmbassySyria
.@StateDept: There is no doubt about #Assad regime's pattern of chemical weapons. Since 2014, the OPCW assigned responsibility to Assad for multiple sarin & chlorine attacks. We've noticed there’s an awful lot of Russian #Propaganda out there, so we thought we’d offer some facts:
FACT: The #Syrian regime used chemical weapons near #Douma on April 7, killed at least 45 people and sickening hundreds more. Our information is consistent and corroborated by multiple sources, from military intelligence to social media users, NGOs to international organizations.
FACT: The joint U.S.-UK-France strikes were a justified, legitimate and proportionate response to the #Syria government's continued use of chemical weapons on its own people.
Read 9 tweets
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Department of State
@StateDept
There is no doubt about #Assad regime's pattern of chemical weapons. Since 2014, the OPCW assigned responsibility to Assad for multiple sarin & chlorine attacks.

We've noticed there’s an awful lot of Russian #Propaganda out there, so we thought we’d offer some facts:
FACT: The #Syrian regime used chemical weapons near #Douma on April 7, killed at least 45 people and sickening hundreds more. Our information is consistent and corroborated by multiple sources, from military intelligence to social media users, NGOs to international organizations.
FACT: The joint U.S.-UK-France strikes were a justified, legitimate and proportionate response to the #Syria government's continued use of chemical weapons on its own people.
Read 9 tweets
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Senator Bob Casey
@SenBobCasey
While Bashar al-Assad must be held accountable for his unlawful use of chemical weapons against civilians, the strikes that are being carried out are being done without an authorization from Congress, which is unacceptable
In April of 2017, when the Trump Administration first carried out strikes against Syrian forces in response to the use of chemical weapons, I said that additional action required an authorization from Congress
Despite being in office for fifteen months, the Administration has not taken steps to outline a comprehensive strategy for Syria. Further, the Administration has failed to request an authorization from Congress for further military action against Assad’s regime.
Read 9 tweets

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