During the build-up towards the 2003 invasion of Iraq there was a sustained attempt by the pro-war advocates to influence the investigations of both Hans Blix's WMD inspectors and the El Baradei nuclear weapon inspectors. Both agencies were targeted by US and UK governments to undermine their independence.
It now appears that a very similar strategy was undertaken at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in its search for the truth about the 2018 use of chemical weapons at Douma in Syria, which the OPCW final report suggested was the result of a Syrian government attack.
Dissenting opinions at the OPCW have been in effect silenced and those officials criticised and discredited by the organisation itself.
It has resulted in a pushback by them when they became signatories of an open letter accusing the OPCW of being unduly swayed by outside political actors - the US, UK and France.
A “Statement of Concern” was signed by five former OPCW officials, as well as the first Director General of the OPCW, José Bustani, along with leading political commentators.
This blog has no way of knowing the real truth of the toxic gas attack at Douma but now from past experience has less confidence in the objectivity and neutrality of various international organisations.
For further background
5 former OPCW officials join prominent voices to call out Syria cover-up | The Grayzone
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