Depending on who you talk to, the story regarding who carried out the chemical weapons attacks in Syria will vary. Some–particularly US government leaders–have stated that the Syrian army/Assad regime carried out the attacks. However, UN, Russian, and other various sources have come out to state that at least on one occasion, the Syrian rebels carried out chemical weapon attacks.
UN reports from the first significant Sarin gas attack in March repeatedly stressed that the Syrian rebels were likely behind the attack. Most recently, the event being debated has been the August 22 chemical weapon attack which killed more than 1,000 people.
Russia has repeatedly blamed the rebels for staging chemical attacks in order to get the US involved in the country, and evidence has mounted to support that claim, including a video showing a rebel fighter talking about the use of chemical weapons (see below.)
The rebel leader, Nadeem Baloosh quotes Bin Laden and talks about his rebel group’s use of chemical weapons against women, children, and of course, the Assad regime.
Last week, rebels in the Damascus area also took responsibility for the chemical weapon attacks of August 22.
Remember, these rebel groups are the same ones that have been supported by the US and have been supplied weapons as well. Although there are relatively strict gun laws in the US, the Syrian rebels have been able to receive automatic weapons and rocket launchers free of charge from the US government.
A Russian report which came out earlier today also detailed their information which backs up the idea that Syrian rebels were behind the chemical weapons attack in March. There is little reason, based on the evidence that has been compiled, to suggest that the rebels were not behind this most recent attack as well.
Without a doubt, Assad is a murderer and should be treated as such, but it does not appear as though he ordered the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
What do you think? Are the Syrian rebels behind the chemical weapons attack or did Assad order it?