Obama plays down US intervening in Syria

Source: AP-Excite

By BRADLEY KLAPPER

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama on Friday played down the prospect of speedy U.S. intervention in Syria, stressing the difficulty of ordering military action against the Assad government without a strong international coalition and a legal mandate from the United Nations.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Obama has asked the Pentagon to provide military options in light of reports that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against civilians. While Hagel declined to discuss any specific force movements, U.S. defense officials said the Navy moved a fourth warship into the region. Each can launch ballistic missiles.

"The Defense Department has a responsibility to provide the president with options for contingencies, and that requires positioning our forces, positioning our assets, to be able to carry out different options - whatever options the president might choose," Hagel told reporters traveling with him to Asia.

U.S. Navy ships are capable of a variety of military action, including launching Tomahawk cruise missiles, as they did against Libya in 2011 as part of an international action that led to the overthrow of the Libyan government.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130824/DA8C0N5G0.html

---

In this Aug. 22, 2013 file photo, President Barack Obama speaks in Syracuse, N.Y. President Barack Obama says a possible chemical weapons attack in Syria this week is a "big event of grave concern" that has hastened the timeframe for determining a U.S. response. He said it is going to “require America’s attention.” While he appeared to signal some greater urgency in responding, his comments were largely in line with his previous statements throughout the two-year conflict.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)