Ban Ki-Moon: Political Solution Only Solution in Syria

Local Editor

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned that any "punitive" action taken against Syria for an unproven chemical weapons attack could unleash more turmoil and bloodshed.

Ban cautioned nations such as the United States and France that may be considering such strikes that they are legal only in self-defense under the UN charter or if approved by the UN Security Council.

A number of Western countries, including the US, France, and the UK, were quick to adopt the rhetoric of war against Syria despite the fact that Damascus categorically rejected having had any role in the chemical attack.

The Syrian government announced later that the chemical attack had actually been carried out by the militants themselves as a false flag operation.
On August 29, the British parliament voted against participation by Britain, the United States' closest ally, in any potential military intervention in Syria. While the British government had primarily sought a second vote in the parliament as well, it ruled out any such vote on September 2, saying that the parliament "has spoken," and that the government "has absolutely no plans to go back to parliament."

Syrian armed groups in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta admitted to Associated Press correspondent Dale Gavlak that they were responsible for last week's chemical weapons incident which western powers have blamed on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

In a report published on Friday, the armed groups revealed that the casualties were the result of an accident caused by militants mishandling chemical weapons provided to them by Saudi Arabia.

"From numerous interviews with doctors, Ghouta residents, rebel fighters and their families....many believe that certain rebels received chemical weapons via the Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, and were responsible for carrying out the deadly gas attack," wrote Gavlak.

Despite warnings from the UN, as well as Iran, Russia, and China against war, Washington has remained defiant, saying that it is willing to go ahead with its plans for a strike on Syria without the approval of the United Nations or even the support of its allies. However, US President Barack Obama said on Saturday, August 31 that his administration will first seek authorization from the Congress.