UK Nerve Gas Attack: Theresa May's March Madness

A Russian spy, turned by the Brits, jailed by the Russians, pardoned by the Russians and released in a spy swap, living in England, is subjected to an alleged nerve-gas attack, prompting UK Prime Minister Theresa May to declare Russia guilty of an attempt on the life of the said spy.

On what evidence?

Three things:

First, the victim was a Russian.

Second, the victim had been convicted of spying for the Brits (and subsequently pardoned by the Russian Government).

Third, the victim was poisoned with a nerve agent manufactured by the Soviet Union, so the Brits declare, of which the Russian government, in conformity with an international treaty, is supposed to have destroyed all remaining stocks under UN supervision.

Ha! Obviously the Russian security service committed the crime in the most incompetent way possible with all clues pointing to Moscow, with the aim of discrediting Putin.

LOL.

Which is to say, the British Government appears to lack even a scrap of evidence against the Russian state that would stand up in court.

Meantime, the Russians have claimed total innocence in the affair, and have expressed their indignation at the ridiculous unsubstantiated British allegation.

The Brits, in response, seem to have no follow up other than to smear the Russians as outlaws and crooks, as in radio and TV interviews given by former GCHQ boss and Robert Hannigan.

Craig Murray, a former UK ambassador, has written a characteristically intelligent analysis of the UK Government's seemingly ridiculous position:

The Novichok Story Is Indeed Another Iraqi WMD Scam

Followed up by the strangely titled (if you're unfamiliar with the insect life of Scotland) but extremely interesting post:

Bothered By Midgies:

CraigMurray.org.uk: In 13 years of running my blog I have never been exposed to such a tirade of abuse as I have for refusing to accept without evidence that Russia is the only possible culprit for the Salisbury attack. The abuse has mostly been on twitter, and much of the most venomous stuff has come from corporate and state media “journalists”. I suppose I am a standing rebuke to them for merely being stenographers to power and never doing any actual research, but that hardly explains the visceral levels of hatred exhibited.

Today they are all terrifically happy and sharing amongst themselves a lengthy twitter thread by a Blairite and chemist called Clyde Davis in which they all say I am “owned” and my article disproven. There are two remarkable things about this thread.

Read more

Update (March 16, 2018): Craig Murray: Of A Type Developed By Liars Russia Today: Putin ‘extremely concerned’ over UK’s ‘destructive, provocative’ stance in Skripal case – Kremlin Russia Today: US and UK Trying to 'Iraq' Russia - What's Really Happening (Russian TV News) The Saker: When Dealing with a Bear, Hubris Is Suicidal

OTHER VIEWS:

Brian Cloughly:
Poisoning the British Public

Finnian Cunningham:
Britain’s Poisoned Spy Case – Latest Episode in Western Anti-Russia Inquisition

Russian Spy Poison Attack: Is Nord Stream 2 the Bigger Target?

Moon of Alabama:
Are 'Novichok' Poisons Real? - May's Claims Fall Apart

And in the Media:

DM: Was Russian spy's daughter the REAL target of nerve agent attack? Yulia Skripal is in a relationship with son of a highly-ranked Russian security official

Express: Kremlin warns UK is walking a 'dangerous' and 'INSANE' path

Sputnik: Skripal Poisoning: 'UK Could End Up Looking Very Foolish' – Former Guernsey MP