Vital, Now

Peter Hitchens writes:

One day the letters OPCW could be as well-known as the initials WMD. And for similar reasons. 

Everyone now knows there were no Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, and the war we fought there was a disastrous crime. But lots of people were fooled.

In the modern world the only way to get a democracy into a war is to deceive kind, gentle people into thinking they are acting against an outrage. 

Sometimes these outrages are faked. Now it may be happening again. 

 In a strange, toadstool-shaped building in The Hague, a huge row is raging which could one day decide whether the world goes to war or stays at peace. 

The building is the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). 

The row, as far as we can find out through rival leaks, is between some technical experts who doubt that Syria’s tyrant, Bashar Assad, in fact used poison gas in April 2018, and others who believe that he did use such gas at that time. 

The OPCW’s political chiefs seem to want very badly to believe that he did. This would suit several of the governments that pay for its existence. 

The OPCW is under constant political pressure. Most famously, the current US National Security Adviser, John Bolton, is accused of having openly demanded the resignation of the OPCW’s former chief Jose Bustani in 2002 because they disagreed about Iraq. 

Mr Bustani declined to go quietly. According to the New Yorker magazine, Mr Bolton – then an Under-Secretary of State – told the Brazilian diplomat: ‘We know you have two sons in New York. We know your daughter is in London. We know where your wife is.’ 

Mr Bolton denies this, but Mr Bustani stands by it; an internet search will reveal more details of the alleged event. 

Soon afterwards American pressure forced Mr Bustani out anyway.  Now, as I wrote here almost a month ago, the OPCW is in turmoil again. 

A leaked document shows at least one of its expert employees had grave doubts about Assad’s responsibility for the alleged gas attack in Douma in 2018 (I believe there are other dissidents who dare not speak out publicly yet).

It casts doubt on the legality of a joint US, British and French missile attack on Syria – supposedly in retaliation for this gas attack.

Western newspapers and broadcasters, apart from The Mail on Sunday and The Independent [and the Morning Star], have only just begun to cover this. 

The French news agency AFP finally noticed it on Thursday.

The BBC, to its lasting shame, has yet to touch it, even though the OPCW’s chief, Fernando Arias, confirmed it on a public stage to the BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner on June 6, in Bratislava of all places.

It is all very well being wise after the event over WMD. This time, could we try to be wise before the event? 

Public scrutiny of what is happening at the OPCW is vital, now.

Another hung Parliament is coming, and we need our people to hold the balance of power in it. 

A new party will be registered before House of Commons rises for the summer recess, even if I have to pay for it myself, ongoing lawfare or no ongoing lawfare. 

And I will stand for Parliament here at North West Durham even if I can raise only the deposit, which I could do by going pretty overdrawn, although that was not how I was brought up.

I would still prefer to raise the £10,000 necessary to mount a serious campaign, but I am no longer making my candidacy conditional on having done so.

In any event, please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.