6 embarrassing links between Syria’s President Assad and Britain

Pride's Purge

(not satire – it’s the surreal world of international diplomacy)

With war looming, probably best to bury these links between the UK and Syria – wouldn’t want them embarrassing anyone important, would we?

1) Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

Several high-ranking Syrian military officers were trained at top-notch Ministry of Defence training colleges like Sandhurst and other MoD training colleges.

In defence of its decision to train officers from dictatorships such as Syria and other countries known to have abused human rights, the Ministry of Defence said (with apparently not even a trace of irony): “Providing training to the same high standards used by UK armed forces helps to save lives and raise awareness of human rights.

Given how things have turned out, the MoD will be a bit embarrassed about that I would imagine.

2) Asma Al Assad

President Assad’s beautiful clothes-horse wife Asma is…

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Cyclosporiasis outbreak up to 610 cases | Vaccine News Daily

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting 610 cases of Cyclospora infection as of Friday in an outbreak spreading through 22 states, the CDC said on Monday.

The CDC said ill individuals range in age from younger than one year to 92 years of age with a median age of 51 years old. Of the 581 ill individuals for whom information is available, 43 of them were hospitalized for their infections. There are no reported deaths from the outbreak.

via Cyclosporiasis outbreak up to 610 cases | Vaccine News Daily.

Syrian Crisis: Stories (Not) Learned from Iraq

Egyptian Streets

By Mohamed Khairat, Founder, EgyptianStreets.com

On the 19th of March 2003, four bombs accompanied by dozens of missiles were dropped onto Iraq, officially commencing an invasion that would leave at least 110,600 Iraqi men, women and children dead due to violence that continued to rock the country since 2003.

The point of the invasion was to achieve regime change. Since coming to office in 1979, Saddam Hussein was often found responsible for the deaths of at least 250,000 Iraqis and fore widespread violations of human rights.

Yet, foreign military intervention in Iraq was not given the green light because of Saddam Hussein’s involvement in the Al-Anfal campaign (also known as the Kurdish genocide) that lasted for three years, destroying thousands of villages and killing tens of thousands.  The world did not advocate for regime change for the deluded leader who had commissioned the publication of the Qur’an to be…

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Syrian Crisis: Stories Not Learned from Iraq | Egyptian Streets شوارع مصر

Today, in 2013, the international community is no different. More than 100,000 Syrians have been killed in violence that has rocked the country ever since protests erupted aimed at overthrowing Bashar Al-Assad.The USA’s Secretary of State John Kerry stated “Let me be clear. The indiscriminate slaughter of civilians, the killing of women and children and innocent bystanders by chemical weapons is a moral obscenity.”100,000 Syrians had been killed, before John Kerry decided to watch “videos on social media” of the atrocities that occurred after an alleged sarin gas attack on Ghouta earlier this week. Chemical weapons attract the attention of the USA, the UK, Turkey and others; but indiscriminately shooting or blowing up 100,000 Syrians does not warrant the same condemnations or the same threats of intervention.Complicating matters, reports have indicated that both the rebels and the Assad regime have used chemical weapons, showing that Syria is more complex than the white-and-black approach certain countries are taking.In the coming days or weeks, it is likely that bombs will be dropped on Damascus aimed at stopping the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime. It is also likely that the reasons for finally intervening in Syria will be scrutinized and written in history as another failure of the international community to act.

via Syrian Crisis: Stories Not Learned from Iraq | Egyptian Streets شوارع مصر.

Egyptian Tomb Bat found to be a perfect match for MERS viral origin | Vaccine News Daily

A study recently found the Egyptian Tomb Bat to be a 100 percent genetic link to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, but research continues to find an alleged intermediary animal that transmitted the disease to humans.

via Egyptian Tomb Bat found to be a perfect match for MERS viral origin | Vaccine News Daily.

Electronic Village: 544 Taser-Related Deaths in the United States Since 2001

Today we added 76-year old Zheng Diao (St. Louis Park, MN) as the 191st taser-related death in America since 2009. [NOTE: the full list is shown below].   Mr. Diao is the 2nd nursing home senior citizen electrocuted to death by the police with taser guns over the past few weeks.

According to Amnesty International, between 2001 and 2008, 351 people in the United States died after being shocked by police Tasers. Our blog has documented another 193 taser-related deaths in the United States in 2009-2013. That means there have been 544 documented taser-related deaths in America.

via Electronic Village: 544 Taser-Related Deaths in the United States Since 2001.

Assad is not to blame for Syria chemical attacks, says Kurdish party leader | News | World | Mail & Guardian

Who knows who is telling truth? How about some facts from UN Inspectors – oops! Deja vu 2003 and 2013!

The head of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) says he doubts the Syrian president would resort to using such weapons when he felt he had the upper hand in the country’s civil war.

He suggests that Wednesday’s attack, which the opposition says was carried out by government forces and killed hundreds of people, was aimed at framing Assad and provoking an international reaction. Assad has denied his forces used chemical weapons.

“The regime in Syria … has chemical weapons, but they wouldn’t use them around Damascus, 5km from the [UN] committee which is investigating chemical weapons. Of course they are not so stupid as to do so,” said Muslim.

UN experts were already in Syria at the time of the incident to investigate three previous alleged chemical attacks that took place months ago.

via Assad is not to blame for Syria chemical attacks, says Kurdish party leader | News | World | Mail & Guardian.

Chemical weapons, explained | Sci-Tech | DW.DE | 26.08.2013

As reported in German publication – no irony here…

Chemical weapons come in gas or liquid form. They are produced with the express purpose of injuring or killing people. Syria is supposed to have access to several types of these weapons of mass destruction.

Sarin

German chemists including Gerhard Schrader first concocted sarin in 1938. It was originally supposed to be employed as a pesticide, to kill harmful insects. Today, sarin is considered the most treacherous of nerve poisons. Chemically similar in structure to the other nerve agents tabun and VX, sarin in its liquid form is colorless and odorless, which due to its high volatility can easily become a gas. It’s also highly fleeting, as it quickly degrades into harmless compounds.

Even tiny amounts of sarin can be deadly – a gas mask and whole-body suit can provide protection to humans, for about half an hour, as the gas is also absorbed through the eyes and skin. It causes nerve impulses to continually be transmitted, which results in nasal discharge, tears to flow from the eyes, muscle cramps and eventually death by suffocation.

Tabun

Schrader also discovered the nerve agent tabun, in 1936. During World War II, bombs were filled with the chemical weapon – though they were never deployed. In its liquid form, tabun smells somewhat fruity, like bitter almonds. The gas is absorbed through contact with the skin and by inhaling. Its effects and symptoms are similar to that of sarin.

VX

Like sarin, VX was originally developed as a pesticide. But the British chemists who discovered it quickly realized that it was far too dangerous for agricultural use. This deadliness, however, assured its future as a chemical weapon.

VX has a similar toxic effect to sarin and tabun, while being far more stable and many times more poisonous. Due to its stability, VX sticks to the skin, clothing and other objects for a far longer period of time, and also has a longer shelf-life. VX has a somewhat oily consistency.

Mustard gas

Experiments had been conducted with mustard gas before World War I, when it was first used in battle. German chemists Wilhelm Lommel and Wilhelm Steinkopin had suggested its use as a weapon in 1916. Unlike other substances used as a chemical weapon, mustard gas is not officially classified as a weapon of mass destruction.

Mustard gas penetrates clothing to become absorbed by the skin, with effects first showing about 24 hours after contact. Mustard gas causes skin redness and blisters, and the skin eventually peels off from its victims. Inhaling the vapors of the poisonous gas can also be deadly, as it destroys lung tissue.

via Syria’s chemical weapons, explained | Sci-Tech | DW.DE | 26.08.2013.

Breeding Health: Scientists Deploy Iron-Rich Pearl Millet Against Malnutrition | International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Good on them for non-GMO approach!

Iron-rich pearl millet is being conventionally bred by ICRISAT as part of the HarvestPlus program, which seeks to develop and disseminate staple food crops rich in micronutrients to improve nutrition and public health.

via Breeding Health: Scientists Deploy Iron-Rich Pearl Millet Against Malnutrition | International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

Tokyo ‘would be key player’ in any Asian conflict | South China Morning Post

Hard to say if I can take much more of this war mongering without getting sick and… but not worth the spew. Maybe it’s a strange alignment of stars that’s making all these guys argue for war, when what is needed is work, better healthcare and food!

“The crisis that Japan faces now may lead to situations in which the country may have to be involved as a main player,” Onodera told a symposium in the capital.

“Japan [now] needs to have a good defence to protect the country, which can mean equipment, new aircraft, defence systems or cyber protection.”

Onodera said Tokyo needed to be wary of the mainland’s expansion in the South and East China Sea.

via Tokyo ‘would be key player’ in any Asian conflict | South China Morning Post.

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