Arms into Syria 1

On 28 October 2011 21:03, <*********> wrote:
>
>> Dear Mr Islam,
>>
>> Thank you for your note.  My reference to arms in Syria is based on a
>> number of sources, including claims by the Syrian government. These have
>> to be regarded with caution but the weight of evidence leaves  no doubt
>> in
>> my mind that very large quantities of arms as well as money are being
>> smuggled into Syria from Lebanon and Turkey.  Arms shipments have been
>> stopped at the border, according to mainstream media reports. The
>> International Crisis Group, which cannot be regarded as sympathetic to
>> the
>> Syrian government, accepts that arms are being smuggled into Syria.
>> There
>> is now a general acceptance that the Syrian government is coming under
>> sustained armed attack. The claim that these attacks are 'recent' cannot
>> be sustained against the evidence of armed attacks on soldiers and
>> civilians going back for months. The central question is the provenance
>> of
>> the weapons coming into Syria,  and that is something I do not know.
>> Neither does anyone else seem to know.  So far there is no 'smoking gun'
>> although, given that Syria has lived under siege for decades, I would be
>> very surprised if outside hands were not involved in this.  You could
>> read
>> the ICG's recent report on Syria for more. Alistair Crooke, of Conflicts
>> Forum, available on the web, has more to say about who is using them.
>>
>> With best wishes,
>>
>> Jeremy Salt
>>
>>
>>
>> >
>> > I am not sure if you know of an organisation called MediaLens.org
>> > They cited you with the following:
>> >
>> >> "Large shipments of weapons have been smuggled into Syria from
>> Lebanon
>> >> and
>> >> Turkey. They include pump action shotguns, machine guns,
>> Kalashnikovs,
>> >> RPG
>> >> launchers, Israeli-made hand grenades and numerous other explosives."
>> >>
>> > source :
>> >
>> http://www.medialens.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=648:targeting-syria-the-bad-news-for-the-guardian&catid=24:alerts-2011&Itemid=68
>> >
>> > Please can you tell me when, where and why you made this comment, if
>> in
>> > fact
>> > it is true that these words are yours?
>> >
>> > I want to know more about this and how I can find out for myself more
>> > information.
>> >
>> > I asked someone you may know of called Yahya Birt. He is a commentator
>> in
>> > The Guardian (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/yahyabirt) and he
>> has
>> > his own website which is http://www.yahyabirt.com/
>> >
>> > I asked Yahya Birt for his opinion on MediaLens Media Alert in which
>> they
>> > cited your comments about large shipments of arms going to Syria via
>> > Turkey
>> > and Lebanon. He responded:
>> >
>> >> "It's an interesting analysis, and is not beyond the bounds of
>> >> possibility.
>> >> *What would really be needed is more the kind of investigative
>> >> journalism
>> >> that would trace the provenance of arms being shipped into Syria;
>> that
>> >> would
>> >> provide the smoking gun.* At the moment all we have are the views of
>> >> experienced analysts reading the situation. "
>> >>
>> >
>> > So please dear Professor, may you shed some light on this please.
>> >
>> > Thank you very much dearly
>> >
>> > Warm regards with Peace
>> > Zubair Islam
>> > :o)