Changes

In September 2013, Blumenthal reported for ''[[The Nation]]'' from the Zaatari refugee camp in [[Jordan]] on the conditions in which Syrian refugees were living.<ref>{{cite news|last=Blumenthal|first=Max|url=http://www.thenation.com/article/176158/we-just-wish-hit-put-end-massacres|title=We Just Wish for the Hit to Put an End to the Massacres|work=[[The Nation]]|date=September 13, 2013|access-date=}}</ref> He wrote of being "staunchly against US strikes, mainly because I believe they could exacerbate an already horrific situation without altering the political reality in any meaningful way". The refugees in Zaatari deserved to be heard and commented in the article: "there was not one person I spoke to in Zaatari who did not demand US military intervention at the earliest possible moment."

In September 2013, Blumenthal reported for ''[[The Nation]]'' from the Zaatari refugee camp in [[Jordan]] on the conditions in which Syrian refugees were living.<ref>{{cite news|last=Blumenthal|first=Max|url=http://www.thenation.com/article/176158/we-just-wish-hit-put-end-massacres|title=We Just Wish for the Hit to Put an End to the Massacres|work=[[The Nation]]|date=September 13, 2013|access-date=}}</ref> He wrote of being "staunchly against US strikes, mainly because I believe they could exacerbate an already horrific situation without altering the political reality in any meaningful way". The refugees in Zaatari deserved to be heard and commented in the article: "there was not one person I spoke to in Zaatari who did not demand US military intervention at the earliest possible moment."

Following a December 2015 trip, Blumenthal said the White Helmets in the [[Syrian War]] were connected to [[Al-Qaeda]] and anti-Assad Syrians were members of the group.<ref name="JDG2018" /> In his opinion, the group was "driven by a pro-interventionist agenda conceived by the Western governments and public relations groups that back them" and were being used as a Trojan horse, an excuse for the [[United States]] to propose having "70,000 American servicemen" invade Syria.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lucas|first=Scott|url=http://theconversation.com/who-are-syrias-white-helmets-and-why-are-they-so-controversial-66580|title=Who are Syria's White Helmets, and why are they so controversial?|work=The Conversation|date=October 7, 2016|access-date=}}</ref>

Following a December 2015 trip, Blumenthal said the White Helmets in the [[Syrian War]] were connected to [[Al-Qaeda]] and anti-Assad Syrians were members of the group. In his opinion, the group was "driven by a pro-interventionist agenda conceived by the Western governments and public relations groups that back them" and were being used as a Trojan horse, an excuse for the [[United States]] to propose having "70,000 American servicemen" invade Syria.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lucas|first=Scott|url=http://theconversation.com/who-are-syrias-white-helmets-and-why-are-they-so-controversial-66580|title=Who are Syria's White Helmets, and why are they so controversial?|work=The Conversation|date=October 7, 2016|access-date=}}</ref>

Blumenthal implied in an October 2016 article that the White Helmets were involved in a "[[false flag]] [[conspiracy]]" to claim a UN convoy to rebel-held [[Aleppo]] had been bombed by the Syrian and Russian military. Charles Davis in an article for ''New Politics'' magazine wrote: "In fact, a White Helmet{{'}}s member was among the first civilians to appear on camera at the scene of the attack, declaring in English that 'the regime helicopters targeted this place with four barrel [bombs]'." Blumenthal said the account provided by the White Helmets "remains unconfirmed by both the UN and SARC, and no evidence of barrel bombs has been produced". The UN later concluded their convoy had been hit by barrel bombs dropped by a Syrian regime helicopter.

Blumenthal implied in an October 2016 article that the White Helmets were involved in a "[[false flag]] [[conspiracy]]" to claim a UN convoy to rebel-held [[Aleppo]] had been bombed by the Syrian and Russian military. Charles Davis in an article for ''New Politics'' magazine wrote: "In fact, a White Helmet{{'}}s member was among the first civilians to appear on camera at the scene of the attack, declaring in English that 'the regime helicopters targeted this place with four barrel [bombs]'." Blumenthal said the account provided by the White Helmets "remains unconfirmed by both the UN and SARC, and no evidence of barrel bombs has been produced". The UN later concluded their convoy had been hit by barrel bombs dropped by a Syrian regime helicopter.