This is really starting to stink to high Heaven! Now, Team Trump is now claiming that it has declassified information proving that Assad and Russia conspired to conduct the chemical weapons attack. In fact, it appears to be that the new official narrative is aimed at taking attention away from the fact that there is no proof of either Assad or Russia conducting such an attack.

The new narrative seems to be, “Russia is lying. They knew that Assad was going to attack his own people with chemical weapons.” This seems to be an apparent attempt to make Assad’s guilt a given, making the new question, “What about those nasty Russians? They conspired and it is obvious because we have proof that they are lying.”

So, the narrative goes from “Assad killed his own people in a chemical attack” to “Russia is lying about their part in Assad’s chemical attack,” attempting to make Assad killing his own people a given.

I expect next the admin will claim, “OK, we investigated and Russia is not culpable. Nothing more to see here, folks. Move along. Or, they could drag out the unprovable conspiracy until it is simply forgotten about.

The following is what the White House is claiming to be “PROOF.”

  1. “Russian forces were found to be working with Syrian regime military at the Shayrat airfield in the days and hours before the chemical weapons strike.” And? Russian forces were working with Syrian regime military every day. How does this prove Assad killed his own people?
  2. “The U.S. officials questioned how it is possible that Moscow could not have been aware of the chemical weapons preparation in advance, but did not offer any conclusive information directly tying Russia to the strike.” How about because there was no chemical weapons preparation in advance?
  3. “I think it’s clear the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there,” said one senior White House official, who described an active ‘cover-up’ by Russia meant to obfuscate ‘Syrian regime culpability’ in the attack.” Really? Telling the truth is now a cover up? Assad and Russia have a perfectly plausible explanation. The White House, on the other hand, has nothing. “We know the Syrians and Russians did it because we have the flight plan” is simply not enough. In fact, it is not anything. 
  4. “Russian and Syrian forces have been closely working together at the regime-controlled Shayrat airbase for more than two years now. The U.S. intelligence community had determined that Syrian operatives had been using the base as a site to prepare chemical weapons prior to the attack, which is said to have injured hundreds, including children.” “The US intelligence community had determined that Syrian operatives had been using the base as a site to prepare chemical weapons prior to the attack?” So, where is this evidence, or do you need a little time to manufacture it?
  5. “The U.S. officials questioned how it is possible that Moscow could not have been aware of the chemical weapons preparation in advance, but did not offer any conclusive information directly tying Russia to the strike.” Again, shifting the narrative to, “The Russians were involved. Syria’s guilt is a given.”
  6. “We do think it is a question worth asking the Russians: How is it possible their forces were collocated with the Syrian forces that planned and carried out a chemical weapons attack at the same installation and did not have foreknowledge,” said one of the senior White House officials who brief reporters.” See the narrative shifting here?
  7. “Russia has claimed that Syrian forces bombed a munitions depot belonging to anti-Assad terrorist forces. That strike, they claim, hit a chemical weapons storage facility belonging to these terrorists.”

    “U.S. officials disclosed that intelligence confirms this narrative is false and improbable. Terrorist forces in that region to not possess chemical weapons like sarin gas, which was used in the most recent attack.” Oh, yes they do…. According to the United Nations 2013 mission led by Carla del Ponte:

    “evidence from casualties and medical staff indicated that rebel forces in the civil war had used the deadly nerve agent sarin.

  8. “The U.S intelligence community also has no indication that ISIS or other terrorist forces in Syria are in possession of sarin chemicals. However, the Syrian regime has used this weapon in the past.” What!? In 8., above,  “U.S. officials disclosed that intelligence confirms this narrative is false and improbable. Terrorist forces in that region to not possess chemical weapons like sarin gas.” Make up your mind, maybe? And please, by all means, provide your proof, not evidence, proof that the Syrian regime has used sarin in the past. If you are referring to 2013, that was debunked long ago. 
  9. “We do not asses (Freudian?) and have not assessed that any terrorists or ISIS in the area have sarin,” said one of the senior U.S. officials. ‘It is quite clear to us this is not a terrorist holding of sarin or use of sarin. But we do know the Syrian regime has sarin and used it in the 2013 attack.’ And you know this how? Proof, please.
  10. “The Syrian regime ‘has not fully come clean’ about the locations, facilities, agents, and personnel sponsoring the chemical weapons program.” Has it ever occurred to you people that maybe it is because they don’t exist?
  11. “U.S. intelligence officials have confirmed that the chemical attack was carried out by ‘regime controlled’ aircraft, which spent about 20 minutes dropping the chemical weapons. You have no proof that the weapons Assad dropped were chemical bombs or you would have provided it already. And prove that Assad’s explanation is false.
  12.  “We have information that suggests that [Syrian] personnel historically associated with the chemical weapons program” were at Shayrat airbase in late March and again present at that airfield during attack.” “Information that suggests.” Sounds like proof to me! And what “chemical weapons program?” The US destroyed the stockpile and the program ended a few years ago.
  13. “The United States also has obtained physical samples from victims that are ‘consistent with nerve agent and sarin exposure,’ according to the official.” This is a given. The world KNOWS there was a chemical present “consistent with nerve agent and sarin exposure.” The question is where did it come from? The White House has provided ZERO evidence that it came from Assad’s planes. ZERO!
  14. “The United States is still investigating whether Russia had prior knowledge of the attack or participated in any manner.” Reinforcing the shifting narrative.

I have been giving President Trump the benefit of the doubt on this. Now I have to wonder if he hasn’t become a swamp creature himself. Dear God, I hope not. I’m still with you, Mr. President. Just get out from under this steaming pile and go back to work.

From The Washington Free Beacon

Russia is playing a major and active role in covering up a serious chemical weapons strike in Syria that was planned by the regime of embattled President Bashar al-Assad, according to senior White House officials, who declassified a wide-range of intelligence on Tuesday that shows Moscow is waging an information campaign meant to undermine allegations Assad orchestrated the chemical weapons attack.

Russian forces were found to be working with Syrian regime military at the Shayrat airfield in the days and hours before the chemical weapons strike, according to the officials who spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon only on background.

The U.S. officials questioned how it is possible that Moscow could not have been aware of the chemical weapons preparation in advance, but did not offer any conclusive information directly tying Russia to the strike.

Accusations by the United States that Russia is attempting to cover up the use of chemical weapons by Assad’s regime are likely to ratchet up tensions in the war torn country and further divide Washington and Moscow.

“I think it’s clear the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there,” said one senior White House official, who described an active “cover-up” by Russia meant to obfuscate “Syrian regime culpability” in the attack.

“The cover up is the disinformation since the day of the attack,” the official said, declining to comment further on whether Russia had direct knowledge of the attack before it took place.

Russian and Syrian forces have been closely working together at the regime-controlled Shayrat airbase for more than two years now. The U.S. intelligence community had determined that Syrian operatives had been using the base as a site to prepare chemical weapons prior to the attack, which is said to have injured hundreds, including children.

“We do think it is a question worth asking the Russians: How is it possible their forces were collocated with the Syrian forces that planned and carried out a chemical weapons attack at the same installation and did not have foreknowledge,” said one of the senior White House officials who brief reporters.

Russia has claimed that Syrian forces bombed a munitions depot belonging to anti-Assad terrorist forces. That strike, they claim, hit a chemical weapons storage facility belonging to these terrorists.

U.S. officials disclosed that intelligence confirms this narrative is false and improbable. Terrorist forces in that region to not possess chemical weapons like sarin gas, which was used in the most recent attack.

The U.S intelligence community also has no indication that ISIS or other terrorist forces in Syria are in possession of sarin chemicals. However, the Syrian regime has used this weapon in the past.

“We do not asses and have not assessed that any terrorists or ISIS in the area have sarin,” said one of the senior U.S. officials. “It is quite clear to us this is not a terrorist holding of sarin or use of sarin. But we do know the Syrian regime has sarin and used it in the 2013 attack.”

The Syrian regime “has not fully come clean” about the locations, facilities, agents, and personnel sponsoring the chemical weapons program.

“It’s a clear pattern of deflecting blame,” the official said, referring to Russia’s efforts to defend Assad and push a false narrative about the attack.

U.S. intelligence officials have confirmed that the chemical attack was carried out by “regime controlled” aircraft, which spent about 20 minutes dropping the chemical weapons.

“We have information that suggests that [Syrian] personnel historically associated with the chemical weapons program” were at Shayrat airbase in late March and again present at that airfield during attack.

The United States also has obtained physical samples from victims that are “consistent with nerve agent and sarin exposure,” according to the official.

The United States is still investigating whether Russia had prior knowledge of the attack or participated in any manner. It is also investigating allegations that Assad is covering up separate chemical weapons sites inside Syria.