"Initial Western intelligence finds Syrian forces used chemical weapons"

Initial Western intelligence finds Syrian forces used chemical weapons

By Mark Hosenball and Matt Spetalnick at Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/24/us-syria-crisis-obama-idUSBRE97M0E420130824?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=992637

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(Reuters) - U.S. and allied intelligence agencies have made a preliminary assessment that chemical weapons were used by Syrian forces in an attack near Damascus this week, likely with high-level approval from the government of President Bashar al-Assad, according to American and European security sources.

The early intelligence finding could increase pressure for action by President Barack Obama, who made clear that he planned to tread cautiously even as his aides sought to narrow their differences in debate over possible military responses to the Syrian government.

The U.S. Navy will expand its presence in the Mediterranean to four destroyers from three, said a defense official, who stressed that the Navy had received no orders to prepare for military action.

Security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, cautioned that the assessment was preliminary and, at this stage, they were still seeking conclusive proof, which could take days, weeks or even longer to gather.


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