Why bombing Syria was illegal and illegitimate

Why bombing Syria was illegal and illegitimate

 

By Jan Oberg

– who on April 14, 2018, speaks with Russia Today and points out why this type of behaviour is totally unacceptable: It violates international law, undermines the UN and brings Syria, the region and the world further and further from peace.

The people behind it and their media and other supporters must be perceived as either conflict- and peace illiterate or advocates of criminal activity. Both of which are tragic and making already dark times darker. We must say stop and argue: Peace first – The Secure the peace.

In addition, contrary to the Western/NATO belief this is self-destructive and self-isolating. The international so-called community is, for the large majority, not behind this type of policy.

8 Responses to "Why bombing Syria was illegal and illegitimate"

  1. Jasper Cato   April 20, 2018 at 11:35 pm

    Great speech for peace Jan. You may like to sign up on the front page upper right corner to get alerts about new articles when posted. Or sign up for TFF PressInfos. Again, many thanks!

    Reply
    • JO   April 21, 2018 at 10:03 am

      Many thanks, Jasper.

      Reply
  2. kurt-willy kühl, M.A. (history of ideas, aarhus university), painting arts, dockworker at aarhusport   April 20, 2018 at 11:10 pm

    Ha ha.. it is positively `mad´! I had the pleasure, to experience Jan Øberg at E.N.D. convention, in Berlin, 1983… in a great atmosphere of coming peace. He was an exciting person then, and he still is better today! I hope I always will find time, to keep track on TFF !

    Reply
    • JO   April 21, 2018 at 10:08 am

      Thanks a lot dear Kurt-Willy, I’m touched by all you say here and in the other, longer comment. Amazingly, you remember the Berlin meeting 35 years ago! Well, I do too of course. And the situation today is, it seems to me, so much worse now. For absolutely no good reason.
      That said, the easiest way to keep up with TFF is that you sign up for alerts under Get the news on the upper right corner on the front pages of The Transnational. Once again, thank you so much and let us never give up the hope and the struggle for a better world. – Jan

      Reply
  3. kurt-willy kühl, M.A. (history of ideas, aarhus university), painting arts, dockworker at aarhusport   April 20, 2018 at 10:58 pm

    I am `new´ in this TFF forum ! And I think TFF looks very promising !
    I am of German origin. In the late 70s I turned conscientious objector to military service and turned active in the peace movement. I was often prejudiced as “friend of the USSR”. During the political confusions in BRD I decided to leave Germany and I settled in the UK until I was age 30 and freed from military service. In UK I developed a friendship with RUSSELL PEACE Foundation , “E.N.D”. Mr E.P. Thompson and theirs E.N.D. Appeal for a “Nuclear weapons free europe, from Poland to Portugal”.
    This appeal was excellent going beyond the western and eastern big political and militaristic blocs, promoting a very basic, metapolitical strategy of demilitarisations, solidarity and peace and hope.
    I acted as arts painter, to contribute to this E.N.D. campaign.
    Back in Germany did I in 1981 joined the GREEN party, who was the political carrier of the E.N.D. appeal in Germany. As I got involved with Danish “Nej til Atomvåben” which enjoyed big political back up by late Mr Anker Jørgensen (prime minister) and DK Social Democratic party.
    And I think that the E.N.D. appeal had big and positive impacts on unity in the EU as in the overcoming of the COLD WAR. This E.N.D. appeal was pure cosmopolitical, for peace, beyond the big political blocs.
    But now, 2018?
    The EU `seems´ political more and more to fail, to keep any cosmopolitical , META east/west bloc strategy for peace going. The western bloc is, by neoliberalisms and NATO, in its press and information ideology, stagnating in eenmity against Russia. And Russia, as representing the eastern bloc, survives in its selfprotections in “eurasian” dimensions. It is a very horrifiieng situation !
    In my view is it demanded, that inside the EU, with links to the world, any new cosmopolitical, META east/west blocs, disarmament and peace and hope devoted culture is to awaken!
    I think that TFF is far too much involved with direct injustices of WAR (see all this news on Syrian war..) which is exhausting ! In my view, Syria as an area of conflict, is only mirroring the big East/West bloc clash! Now?
    The Western bloc seems to loose its grip on Syria, the eastern blocs grip on Syria seems to prevaile. But? Real peace? Peace in Syria, stability against west/east bloc powers’ interests?
    That needs involvements of the United Nation! Hmm? The collapse of the good EU options after the end of the cold war, might be owned by ancient Western blocs `provincial religiosities´ and theirs esoterics of believes? Also in the cultural-religious historic mix in Syria: Mr Assad and Russian `humanism´ face an gigantic task!
    But it – yet, in my eyes- lacks in “meta bloc” concepts for peace!

    Reply
    • JO   April 21, 2018 at 10:20 am

      Dear Kurt-Willy. I share a lot of what you say here and its longterm perspective. I am sure you are right that the West and Russia are also fighting each other in Syria and that we need – desperately – a new conceptualization of peace that transcends (“meta”) the old Cold War type of thinking. The problem of course is that theWest/NATO countries simply don’t seem able to live without some more or less invented enemies – to justify it limitless armament, new weapons and attempts, by the US in particular, to have (maintain) full spectrum dominance over the larger part of the world. That was possible to a large extent decades ago – it won’t be in the future and the US Empire is on its way down. When it has fallen, the world – and the US itself – will be a much better place. My best – Jan

      Reply
  4. Gunnar WestbergGunnar Westberg   April 20, 2018 at 5:09 pm

    An excellent summary of the situation. Thank you, Jan!
    One detail could be clarified: The toxic gas in question, if any, was chlorine. Large amounts of Chlorine is available in any major city, for water treatment. Chlorine was of course not removed from Syria. Storing it is allowed. Using it against humans, soldiers or civilians, is prohibited under and regarded as chemical warfare.
    Gunnar Westberg

    Reply
  5. Elias   April 20, 2018 at 9:21 am

    keep the good work dear Jan!

    Reply

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