While Families Celebrated Father’s Day, The US Gov’t Just Committed an Act of War

The United State government has a habit of passing critical laws and making crucial foreign policy decisions when the American public is distracted, and Father’s Day 2017 was a perfect example, as the U.S. shot down a Syrian warplane on Sunday.

Operation Inherent Resolve, the US-led international coalition, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, in which it insisted that the warplane was only shot down because it was targeting the Syrian Democratic Forces near Raqqa.

“At 6:43pm, a Syrian regime SU-22 dropped bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqah and, in accordance with rules of engagement and collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces, was immediately shot down by a US F/A-18E Super Hornet.”

However, the Syrian military released a contrasting statement, claiming that its warplanes were targeting Islamic State militants in the countryside surrounding the group’s capital in the city of Raqqa.

“This attack comes at a time when the Syrian Arab army and its allies are advancing in the fight against ISIS terrorists who are being defeated in the Syrian desert in more ways than one.”

The statement also noted that the pilot of the plane is still missing. It went on to say that although the coalition acted out by shooting down their military’s warplane, the Syrian armed forces are still dedicated to defeating ISIS, and restoring the Syrian Arab Republic’s rule over Raqqa.

Al Masdar News reported that there were further clashes after members of the Syrian military “attempted to cross SDF front-lines in order to rescue their fallen pilot,” and were turned away by members of the U.S.-led coalition.

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The missing pilot has been identified as Ali Fahd, an officer in the Syrian Air Force. Majd Fahd, a Damascus correspondent for Al Masdar News, spoke out on Twitter and said Fahd is his cousin, as well as a father of three children.

Ali…Your kids are waiting for you.. Please come back safe and very soon. pic.twitter.com/A23Spu4Il3

— Majd Fahd 🇸🇾 (@Syria_Protector) June 18, 2017

The latest developments out of Raqqa serve as a sobering reminder that the United States is leading a coalition that appears to have no “red lines,” in its attempt to gain control of the region.

As The Free Thought Project has reported, Syrian officials have accused the U.S. of directly transporting at least 120 ISIS fighters out of Raqqa, days before the coalition began its siege on the city. There have also been multiple reports accusing the U.S. of using cluster bombs and white phosphorus in a barrage of airstrikes—both of which are illegal when used on residential areas.

While President Trump rages on Twitter about the accuracy of his approval rating, and the danger of “fake news,” the Trump administration has remained noticeably quiet on the reports coming out of Syria that paint the U.S. in a poor light. The mainstream’s media’s coverage has also been selective in nature, and while it may paint a simple picture of various factions that are all fighting for the elimination of ISIS, it is important to remember that not every side wants the same result.

The Syrian military wants ISIS out of Raqqa, so that the Syrian Arab Republic under President Bashar al-Assad can regain control of the region. But the U.S.-led coalition—which has blatantly pushed for the overthrow of Assad on numerous occasions—has yet to explicitly say that if the city is freed from ISIS control, the coalition will support the city’s return to the Syrian government.

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By shooting down a Syrian aircraft, the United States is committing an act of war against the Syrian government that creates even more uncertainty about the future of the region the two entities are fighting over, and the staggering death toll that continues to increase at an alarming rate.

It’s Not Terrorism When We Do It—Syrians Report US Use of Chemical Weapons on Town of 200K

The outrage and empathy on behalf of the civilians in Syria that was expressed by politicians and media personalities alike when they found an opportunity to blame a chemical attack on Assad’s government was a distant memory this week. Instead, reports that a US-backed coalition dropped a cluster of airstrikes containing illegal chemicals on a city housing 200,000 people was almost completely ignored by western media.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) broke into the Islamic State-held city of Raqqa for the first time on Tuesday. While popular outlets such as Reuters reported that “as artillery and coalition aircraft pounded targets in the city, SDF fighters moved in small groups into the district,” there were some key aspects they appeared to leave out.

International outlets and witnesses on Twitter noted that some of the airstrikes resembled cluster bombs or white phosphorus, both of which are internationally banned on residential areas.

45 civilians killed in #Raqqa #Syria due to #US-led coalition airstrikes that used White Phosphorus! #UNSC and MSM must be busy for that! pic.twitter.com/mEo0C9fZBM

— maytham (@maytham956) June 8, 2017

Xinhua News, China’s state press agency, reported that “Tens of civilians were killed on Thursday when the U.S.-led airstrikes targeted Syria’s northern city of Raqqa with white phosphorus,” citing a report from Syria’s Sham FM radio.

Russia’s Riafan.ru reported that “Coalition forces led by the United States of America shell Raqqa and suburbs of white phosphorus munitions,” citing reports on Twitter, which said the U.S.-backed coalition conducted 20 air raids.

Although the total number of civilian deaths has not been confirmed, early reports suggest that nearly 50 people were killed. The U.S. has yet to acknowledge whether white phosphorus was used during the raids.

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White phosphorus is described as an “incendiary and toxic chemical substance used as a filler in a number of different munitions that can be employed for a variety of military purposes.”

The chemical was banned internationally after the 1980 Protocol on Incendiary Weapons restricted the “use of incendiary weapons as a means or method of warfare during armed conflict.”

The use of chemical weapons is clearly prohibited in international armed conflicts. The International Committee of the Red Cross noted that “employing asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and all analogous liquids, materials or devices is listed in the Statute of the International Criminal Court as a war crime.”

If the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are successful in regaining control of Raqqa from ISIS, then the question remains of who will control the city moving forward. The SDF announced plans in April to run the city using a civilian council—with the help of more than 3,000 U.S. ground troops—which would further a divided Syria, and would keep the U.S. is at odds with Assad’s government.

The same president who claimed to be heartbroken over the “innocent babies” who were reportedly killed in April in a chemical attack that was immediately blamed on Assad’s government—despite evidence that suggested otherwise—has said nothing about the reports that suggest his country could be guilty of the same crime he condemned.

While it is not likely that the United States will fully address the reports, it should be noted that by remaining silent, the mainstream media is also reminding the public of its hypocritical nature.

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The same MSM that provides obsessive coverage of everything President Trump posts on Twitter, has seemingly ignored the flurry of Tweets from various users suggesting the use of chemical weapons by a U.S.-backed coalition.

HARROWING footage from #ISIS-held Raqqa. The US-led Coalition is using mass White Phosphorus bombing civilian populated neighborhoods #Syria pic.twitter.com/aUcfWLdRSL

— Rami (@RamiAILoIah) June 8, 2017