america may still go to the un over syria as obama launches new bid to win support for air strikes _...

7/27/2019 America May Still Go to the UN Over Syria as Obama Launches New Bid to Win Support for Air Strikes _ Mail Online

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/america-may-still-go-to-the-un-over-syria-as-obama-launches-new-bid-to-win 1/8

show ad

America may still go to the UN over Syria asObama launches new bid to win support for air

strikes

US Secretary of State said 'no decision has been made'

Comments come as President Obama prepares to show politicians disturbing

footage to muster suppor t for air strike

Reports suggest House of Representatives and Senate are 'deeply divided' over

issue

By Tamara Cohen, Political Correspondent

PUBLISHED: 00:19 GMT, 9 September 2013 | UPDATED: 01:30 GMT, 9 September 2013

5 shares

0

Viewcomments

America last night refused to rule out seeking a United Nations resolution for action in Syria, potentiallydelaying any air strikes even further.

Despite tough talk from the White House about the pressing need to prevent further atrocities, USSecretary of State John Kerry suggested the UN route was still open and ‘no decision has been made’.

His comments came as Barack Obama prepared to show politicians harrowing footage of the effects of achemical attack in Syria.

Warning: graphic content



US Secretary of State John Kerry (right) said last night no decision had been made withregard to America launching an air strike on Syria

The move is a last-ditch attempt to shore up support ahead of a Congress vote on limited military actionthis week.

The 13 videos, which politicians will watch today, show civilians including young children convulsing andfrothing at the mouth, apparently from the effects of nerve gas, then left lying dead or dying, in the

Damascus suburb of Ghouta last month.

Syria's President Assad's has denied having anything to do with the attack but admitted



he felt partly responsible for the incident which claimed more than 1,400 lives

The footage, which was broadcast on national television in the US yesterday, has been verified by theintelligence community.

President Obama promised to put the plan to congressmen following David Cameron’s defeat in the Houseof Commons.

But his victory in the Senate or the Republican-controlled House of Representatives is by no means

assured.

Reports suggest both are deeply divided, and many fear their constituents have little appetite for another military entanglement in the Middle East.

A defiant President Bashar al-Assad yesterday gave an interview to the US network CBS News, in whichhe denied using chemical weapons against his own people, and warned of retaliatory strikes by his allies.

Mr Kerry signalled a possible return to the UN as he spoke in Paris yesterday, following meetings withFrench president Francois Hollande.

Mr Hollande backed intervention but is under increasing pressure at home and from other Europeancountries to take the United Nations route.

The French president has promised to examine the report f rom the UN weapons inspectors before actingand suggested he, too, might seek a resolution from the Security Council.

The US Secretary of State, who will hold talks with Foreign Secretary William Hague in London today, said:‘On President Hollande’s comments with respect to the UN, the president [Barack Obama], and all of us,are listening carefully to all of our friends.

‘No decision has been made by the president.’

Any attempt to get such a resolution would almost certainly be vetoed by Russia and China, and would atthe very least delay any missile strikes on President Assad’s regime by weeks.

President Obama said in St Petersburg last week that there was ‘paralysis’ within the Security Council.

President Obama is preparing to show US politicians disturbing footage of the aftermathof the attack



The harr owing video shows vict ims suffering convulsions and foaming of t he mouth after

nerve gas was rained upon Damascus and its surrounding areas on August 21

The disturbing video has been considered a last ditch attempt of President Obama to stir

up support for military intervention in Syria

The US administration has made it clear they are in no doubt the Assad regime carried out a chemicalattack on August 21, killing 1,429 people including more than 400 children.

US lawmakers will consider a resolution authorising the ‘limited and specified use’ of US armed forcesagainst Syria for no more than 90 days and specifically barring American ground troops from combat.

As the administration prepared for days of lobbying in favour of action, Mr Kerry said: ‘The vast majority of members of Congress are undecided. And that’s why the videos are being shown and the briefings aretaking place.’

One of the videos shows a room full of children in brightly coloured shirts, lying pale and lifeless on theground.

In another, a man uses a resuscitation machine on a motionless toddler. Mr Kerry said: ‘Those videosmake it clear to people that these are real human beings, real children, parents being affected in ways thatare unacceptable to anybody, anywhere by any standards.’



Yesterday a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he did not believe the UN route wasbeing seriously considered.

‘We have always supported working through the UN but have been clear there is not a path forward thereand we are not currently considering proposing another vote,’ he said.

MOST WATCHED NEWS VIDEOS

Previous123Next

Heartwarming Guinness advert with a surprise ending

Rapper Emine's awkward moment on ESPN show

Teen flies the toy chopper that killed him by slicing off...

WARNING. Graphic content. Civilians treated after Syria 'gas...

Teenage exorcists who hate Harry Potter here to clean up...

CCTV: Incredible footage of exploding catering van



Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Charles at Braemar Gathering

Five-year-old 'Baby Beethoven' is a child piano-playing...

Dustin and Courtney get Geordie and Essex makeovers on Big...

Relatives and friends gather at Bernie Nolan's funeral

WARNING: Graphic images. Medics treat injured after 'gas...

Freak hailstorm in Devon day after late-summer heatwave

MOST READ NEWS

Previous123Next

Prince Andrew's rage at bungling Palace police: Duke tore...



Outrage as toy company creates 'crystal meth lab' for...

What is wrong with Eminem? The moment rapper 'freaked out'...

Executions, murders and graphic floggings on screen: But...

Has Jonathan Aitken's socialite daughter Alexandra split...

Teenage exorcists who say Harry Potter has corrupted the...

Jim Davidson's rant at 'unfunny, smug' MasterChef star Ade...

Just playing at life: Famous athletes pictured going about...

Village 'liberated' by rebels... who then forced Christians...



British jets in Cyprus scrambled to chase after Syrian...

Is this Britain's smallest hotel? Farmers convert...

Father of six who is one of Britain's vilest internet trolls...

Comments (0)

Like

MailOnlineFollow

@MailOnline

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

© Associated Newspapers Ltd

america may still go to the un over syria as obama launches new bid to win support for air strikes _...

Documents