By Jan Oberg

Most of the Western mainstream press has decided – in conspicuous uniformity with the U.S. foreign policy establishment – that it was the government of Syria that was responsible for the chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun.

With no investigation undertaken, there is no empirical evidence.

Perhaps logically for Washington’s present group think which doesn’t seem to be disturbed by any particular sense of reality or self-awareness – let alone a strategy of anything – President Trump quickly made a U-turn and decided to attack Syria, a sovereign state member of the UN.

What we have a verdict of guilt and a punishment however without the slightest evidence.

Trump himself said he had been so moved by the photos from the scene.

Given his seeming lack of empathy with children elsewhere, including Yemen and Mosul, that particular love of Syrian children must be perceived as policy-driven, fake humanism.

Instead of truth and policy, we have lies and bombs unless Washington delivers the evidence that the Syrian government committed the crime.

Until that happens, the US operates on a perversely twisted logics:

There is a exceptionalist US truth that can be established through bombing: “Since we bomb we know what the truth is and why we are right!”

The US must discredit any future investigative report that might conclude that it was not a Syrian government crime. And it will, beyond any doubt, exert extreme pressure on any institution that would produce such a report.

Knowledgeable and experienced people – like Richard Falk in his analyses in TFF PressInfo # 413 below – who believe that international law should be respected – and that it is particularly important to smaller countries – are deeply concerned about the unfolding of this type of political conduct.

Due to Washington’s – increasing – arrogance, fake media reliance/production and lawlessness, there can only follow more warfare, human suffering and destruction.

These are extraordinarily dangerous times.

Trump ended his war speech with “God bless America and the entire world.”

But one must wonder whether Mr. Trump or the U.S. with such policies can even be imagined to have God on its side?

And frankly, Mr. Trump, we’re quite a few in the “entire world” who’d appreciate to not be included in that sort of invocation.