Foreign Interventionists and Mercenaries Should Consider themselves the object of Regime warnings

Syria threatens to use chemical weapons against possible attack
By Agence France-Presse – 23 July, 2012 – The RawStory

Syria admitted Monday it has chemical weapons and warned of using them if attacked, though not against its own civilians, as regime troops reclaimed most of Damascus after a week of heavy clashes.

Fighting was still raging in Syria’s second-biggest city of Aleppo, however, as rights activists reported violence across the country killed at least 52 people, including 24 civilians.

And President Vladimir Putin of Russia, the Syrian regime’s main international ally, warned of a protracted civil war should rebels be allowed to remove President Bashar al-Assad from power.

At a Damascus news conference, foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi warned Syria would use chemical weapons if attacked by outsiders, although he backtracked later to say that, if Damascus has them, they would be secured.

His remarks come amid growing international concern that Damascus is preparing to deploy its chemical arsenal in the repression of a 16-month uprising against the Assad regime.

“Syria will not use any chemical or other unconventional weapons against its civilians, and will only use them in case of external aggression,” Makdissi told reporters.

“Any stocks of chemical weapons that may exist, will never, ever be used against the Syrian people,” he said, adding that in the event of foreign attack, “the generals will be deciding when and how we use them.” …more