why can't they send a sample to a lab?

They can find trace chemicals in blood tests on humans, race horses, animals and measure trace on foods, water. Have results in a day. Where are the test reports!

The UN is asking for access to site. That would give you the soil samples.

That is all I can do.

I know that once you treat it goes away. It is truly an antidote

The samples from dead people would be the best.

there goes their access and credibility.

It may seem simple to have a sample sent out and tested. However, in that extremely volatile situation, even that act could be seen as provocative. They operate in dire circumstances and this is performing on a high wire while everything is flying around them.

My thoughts are with them and all the innocents.

And a lot of them (particularly the V series) started as pesticides.

Syria is supposed to have a large stockpile of sarin, so that's likely what it is. Who used it though...

It seems unlikely. No, they wouldn't have 'results in a day'. It would take them longer than that just to get them through the Syrian bureaucracy and to a country where they can get tests done - if they can get them out at all. This is a country where the movements of journalists and any foreigners is highly controlled. You can't just stick an address label on a sample and expect it to get to another country in a few hours.

The only question is who is using the Chemical weapons. We don't know.

We should stay away from involvement in Syria.

The Genocide Conventions say - the members of the UN must act. I fear we won't though . . .

Are we interested in complying with the law? Find the guilty and prosecute them for war crimes?

Oh wait, never mind.

die to achieve justice a few times before its our turn again.

That's fair, no?

Why should anyone except for the individual war criminals themselves be made to suffer?

If we are going to make killing legal during a war, then let's at least enforce those simple laws that make it legal.

I don't understand why this concept is so difficult. It's super-simple and easy if you're a rational person.

Are you part of the "torture makes us safer" crowd? That would explain a lot.

I'm arguing against that. I dont think the US should intervene. Are you trying to argue for war here?

A for-profit business. And I also do not believe "we" don't know who are the war criminals in this conflict.

The official US policy is to protect war criminals. Unless more money can be made by fighting them.

period.

In order for that to ever happen, we have to make it a lot less profitable.