U.S. Military and Intelligence Officials to Obama: “Assad NOT Responsible for Chemical Attack”

[malthaussen]

134. You forget the third leg of the triad: "Means."

The difficulty I have with accepting the elegant argument that the rebels did it themselves to provoke world opinion against Mr Assad, is with wondering where they would have gotten the ordnance in the first place. Okay, not really a big problem (for that matter, Israel could have given it to them and told them to have a party), but the government does bear greater suspicion simply due to access.

But the "motive" leg of the triangle bugs me, too. The government really had no need to escalate things at this time, and the "unhinged subordinate" scenario strikes me as relatively lame. If we want to evaluate things totally on motive, then IMO the rebels are the ones with the big, black target on their backs. And some of those fanatics will break as many eggs as necessary to complete their omelette.

In any event, as clear and cogent as this memo is, it cites not one fact. So it does not constitute evidence. As a cautionary voice, though, I find it compelling enough. My biggest and final question remains: why do we not want to let the UN try to sort this out?

-- Mal