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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| 'Red line' _ US says Syria used chemical weapons |
| 2013-04-25 |
| U.S. intelligence has concluded with "varying degrees of confidence," that the Syrian government has twice used chemical weapons in its fierce civil war, the White House and other top administration officials said Thursday. However, officials also said more definitive proof was needed and the U.S. was not ready to escalate its involvement in Syria beyond non-lethal aid, despite President Barack Obama's repeated public assertions that Syria's use of chemical weapons, or the transfer of its stockpiles to a terrorist group, would cross a "red line." The White House disclosed the new intelligence Thursday in letters to two senators, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, traveling in Abu Dhabi, also discussed it with reporters. The letters were sent in response to questions from members of Congress who are eager for the administration to arm the rebels or get involved militarily. The Syrian civil war has dragged on for more than two years, with an estimated 70,000 dead. In addition to members of Congress, Leon Panetta and Hillary Rodham Clinton, as secretaries of defense and state, have urged Obama to increase U.S. involvement. "Our intelligence community does assess, with varying degrees of confidence, that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria, specifically, the chemical agent sarin," the White House said in its letters, which were signed by Obama's legislative director, Miguel Rodriguez. Shortly after the letters were made public, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Capitol Hill that there were two instances of chemical weapons use. It was not immediately clear what quantity of weapons might have been used, or when or what casualties might have resulted. Hagel said many of those details were classified. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #6 Bull. This is a report of a report of a guy with an overactive tear duct. No one cares about BZ, CS, or DM. And no one really cares about one guy whacked with GB, VX, polonium, or sarin. If it is going to be a thing, then a bunch of people need to have a bad day. Which hasn't happened. |
| Posted by: rammer 2013-04-25 23:57 |
| #5 The US' "Red Line" warranting US intervention has seemingly been crossed not once but twice, ergo the Bammer is going to do whut now, exactly??? E.G. DAILY TIMES.PK > CROSSING OBAMA'S "RED LINE" IN SYRIA WILL REQUIRE CONCRETE PROOF. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2013-04-25 22:28 |
| #4 Smells like setup. I have heard rebel terrorist freedom fighters have their own supples. Tide has turned for Assad. Figures some dirty tricks would be employed now. Pull USA in deeper. Help EU out and Obama can look like World figure Nobel peace keeper. Lots of money to be made here and political deals. The Turks will do very well. This is good business for them. Their economy stinks otherwise. |
| Posted by: Dale 2013-04-25 19:17 |
| #3 Tear gas? Some of these lefties would claim this despite Bummer sending tons of that to Egypt. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2013-04-25 18:32 |
| #2 Must be that made in Iraq stuff that was transported over there in '03. |
| Posted by: Mugsy Glink 2013-04-25 17:55 |
| #1 Chlorine don't count, gotta be the bad shit. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2013-04-25 17:28 |