© Global ResearchJean-Marc Ayrault, French Minister of Foreign Affairs
[NOTE: This report is far from convincing. The logic is clearly circular. And it does not address the serious issues raised by MIT Professor T. Postol.]
Jean-Marc Ayrault, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, spoke following the restricted meeting of the Defense Council at the Elysée on April 26. He presented the national evaluation providing evidence of the use of sarin gas and the Syrian regime's responsibility in the chemical attack carried out in Khan Sheikhoun on April 4.
Chemical attack of 4 April 2017 (Khan Sheikhoun) — National Evaluation
This document is based on declassified intelligence from France's own sources.
On 4 April 2017, air strikes against civilians in the city of Khan Sheikhoun killed more than 80 people. According to our experts, the symptoms observed immediately afterwards (pupil contraction, suffocation, bluing of lips, white foam on faces, convulsions), the high number of deaths, and the fact that certain responders and medical staff suffered secondary contamination are consistent with the use of a highly lethal neurotoxic agent. This has now been confirmed scientifically.
These strikes come in the context of continuous use since 2013 of chemical weapons or chemical agents in Syria, particularly during air strikes, including after theSyrian regime committed to dismantling its chemical weapons arsenal on 25 October 2013. France has collected biomedical and environmental samples and munitions and pieces of munitions in Syria on several occasions, and has been able to confirm the use of chlorine and sarin several times. The attached table lists France's evaluations.
Comment: Detection of usage doesn't necessarily tell who used it.
Comment: There is nothing conclusive in the report above, including no equal investigation or analysis for "alternate" suspects. There is no mention or consideration of the fake videos and questionable still shots from the White Helmets supposedly touting proof of a sarin attack. There are unaddressed issues raised by MIT's Professor Postol, and the questions regarding the chemical Hexamine. Without doing due diligence on the use of chemical weapons by the rebel contingencies, or detailed analyses of the videos and substance samples provided, there can be no definitive culprit determined.
The fact that Syria has a stock of isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) should make everyone's fear factor go berserk. In addition, the French substance analysis is based on prior testings that were attributed to the Bashar regime, but equally possible they were never correctly attributed in the first place. Knowing he would be tagged with a chemical analysis, it would behoove Assad to slightly alter the formula. If to frame Assad, the same combo would be utilized and was.
Perhaps the question to ask is why France is producing an analysis to prove a preferred theory. The Trump trajectory, just prior to Khan Sheikhoun, was not to Israel's liking (Assad could stay). Both the CIA and the Mossad have the capability and resources to effect anonymous change and do it covertly - as in a false flag carried out in Khan Sheikhoun or the threat of another false flag in France. Is it leverage to return Trump to the former position of getting rid of Assad? Cui bono?
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