Are the United States and other countries on the verge of taking some kind of action against Syria in light of news reports, photos and heartbreaking videos of a chemical attack on its citizens by the government? It sounds like they’re getting closer to it given new reports — including a senior administration official now saying it’s all but certain the Assad regime was behind the attack:
The White House says there is “very little doubt” that the Assad regime is responsible for the alleged chemical attack in Syria that is said to have taken place earlier this week.
“Based on the reported number of victims, reported symptoms of those who were killed or injured, witness accounts, and other facts,” a senior administration official tells ABC News, “There is very little doubt at this point that a chemical weapon was used by the Syrian regime against civilians in this incident. We are continuing to assess the facts so the President can make an informed decision about how to respond to this indiscriminate use of chemical weapons.”
White House officials also point out the attack was on rebel-held territory and apparently done using rockets that the rebels do not possess.
The White House is now carefully considering its options, or “dithering,” depending on your political perspective. But Syria is clearly on the front burner:
The president has ordered his national security team to draw up possible strike options on Syria, but there is a divide in the White House on how forcefully to respond, although another official told ABC News if there is a strike, it must be “timely” — done soon enough to prevent another chemical attack.
However, the White House does not want to act alone. U.S. officials are back channeling through the United Nations to see if Russia could be convinced to agree to a resolution.
If there is no UN authorization, the United States would lead any possible strike, but, a senior official told ABC News “we do not want to do anything on our own.” U.S. allies must commit both “resources” and “political will” the official said.
Meanwhile, Iran is warning the United States: hands off Syria…
Iran has warned the United States it will face ‘severe consequences’ if it crosses the ‘red line’ on Syria.
The threat came after Barack Obama pledged a ‘serious response’ if Bashar Assad regime is proved to have used chemical weapons.
Deputy chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces Massoud Jazayeri said: ‘America knows the limitation of the red line of the Syrian front and any crossing of Syria’s red line will have severe consequences for the White House.’President Obama has been holding talks with David Cameron over the growing crisis in Syria.
The Prime Minister and the U.S. President discussed the conflict by telephone last night and have ordered officials to examine ‘all options’
The talks came amid claims from aid organisations that more than 350 people – many of them children – died due to the effects of neurotoxins this week.
A Downing Street spokesman said the leaders spoke for around half an hour.
‘They are both gravely concerned by the attack that took place in Damascus on Wednesday and the increasing signs that this was a significant chemical weapons attack carried out by the Syrian regime against its own people,’ he said.
‘The UN Security Council has called for immediate access for UN investigators on the ground in Damascus. The fact that President Assad has failed to co-operate with the UN suggests that the regime has something to hide.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has warned of a “hasty” intervention:
KEVIN Rudd has warned against hasty military intervention in Syria, as the United States and Britain weigh a response to growing evidence the regime carried out a chemical attack against civilians.
The Prime Minister, who was last night briefed on reports of an alleged attack near Damascus last week, called for a “calm and measured” international response to the alleged killing of more than 300 people.
….He backed British and French assessments that “everything points” to banned chemical weapons being used by the Syrian government.
But he said Syria must allow United Nations weapons inspectors access to the site of the alleged attack, images of which he said were “horrendous beyond description”.
“It’s critical we get the facts absolutely right first,” Mr Rudd told ABC television.
“I think we’re all very reminiscent of when the previous government went to conflict in Iraq based on something that was entirely incorrect.”
Mr Rudd said the Howard government’s decision to join the US-led 2003 invasion of Iraq was “based on frankly a lie” that the country’s dictator, Saddam Hussein, had weapons of mass destruction.
Australia will use its presidency of the UN Security Council, which it will assume next week, to urge the Assad government to allow weapons inspectors access to the site where the attack is alleged to have occurred.
“The burden of proof lies with the Syrian regime,” Mr Rudd said.
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Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.