Re: Choice
Anytime I read the word "lazy" used in criticism of journalism, I laugh. A deep, bitter and hugely mirthless laugh, because I've actually worked in the media, and know what a slave mine it is, with a three rule business model - suck 'em in, chew 'em up, spit 'em out.
Usually such criticism involves some jumped up academic proclaiming expertise of some sort, without bothering to even research their own media criticism.
So, sigh, below are some news stories on Sarin production related to the Syria attack, which took about five seconds to find. Are they definitive? Of course not, and never will be until refusing comment, lying and secrecy laws are punishable by death.
Until then, even a well resourced investigative unit can take years of digging to uncover the truth, whatever that may be. This is different from the world that Yanks are raised in, when yowling cop shows proclaim we won't get fooled again - and still solve cases within half an hour.
Back in the real world , "lazy" might better describe claims from someone using evidence they probably scraped from Wikipedia about a 22 year old attack and faking relevance to today.
Meantime, here's some headlines:
Assad Personally Oversaw the Development of Nerve Gas for Use on His Own People
http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/syria/.premium-1.793269
Money stolen by Russian mob linked to man sanctioned for supporting Syria's chemical weapons program
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/16/politics/russian-mob-syria-chemical-weapons/index.html
Could Britain have sold sarin chemicals to Assad's regime?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/08/could-britain-have-sold-sarin-chemicals-assad-syria
Assad linked to chemical attacks in Syria
http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/assad-linked-to-chemical-attacks-in-syria-7401003