Author Topic: Syria crisis: Obama delay could 'embolden' Assad  (Read 827 times)

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Offline EC

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Syria crisis: Obama delay could 'embolden' Assad
« on: September 01, 2013, 12:05:24 pm »
Via the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23918157

Quote
US President Barack Obama's decision to delay possible military action in Syria while it is debated by Congress could "embolden" the forces of President Assad, an opposition group says.

Syrian National Coalition spokesman Louay Safi called the decision a "failure of leadership" by the US.

Government forces resumed shelling of opposition-held parts of Damascus as Mr Obama finished speaking on Saturday.

Syria denies US charges that its army used chemical weapons in August.

The US says 1,429 people were killed in chemical attacks by the Syrian army on 21 August.

The US president had said that such attacks would be a "red line", prompting US intervention in Syria.

On Saturday, Mr Obama said any action would be limited, ruling out a ground invasion, but he has sent the US Congress draft legislation seeking approval for the use of force as he "determines to be necessary and appropriate" to prevent the Syrian government from carrying out chemical weapons attacks.

Congress is due to reconvene on 9 September, meaning any military operation would not happen until then.

On Sunday, deputy Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told the BBC that Mr Obama's decision would not change anything for Syria and called it a play on words intended to buy time.

And the chairman of the Syrian parliament's national security committee Ibrahim Mahmoud told the BBC that "our allies have offered their full assistance but we need no one to fight our battles".

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