LOC19:03
16:03 GMT
WASHINGTON, Sept 3 (KUNA) -- U.S. President Barack Obama told key lawmakers
that Syrian President Bashar Assad and Syria need to be held accountable for
using chemical weapons.
Obama, who is meeting with leading members of Congress to press his case
for a strike against Syria, affirmed that "we have high confidence that Syria
used in an indiscriminate fashion chemical weapons that killed thousands of
people, including over 400 children, and in direct violation of the
international norm against using chemical weapons."
"That poses a serious national security threat to the United States and to
the region. And as a consequence, Assad and Syria needs to be held accountable,
" he stressed.
He noted that he has made a decision that "America should take action, but
I also believe that we will be much more effective, we will be stronger if we
take action together as one nation."
"We recognize that there are certain weapons that when used can not only
end up resulting in grotesque deaths but also can end up being transmitted to
non-state actors, can pose a risk to allies and friends of ours, like Israel,
like Jordan, like Turkey, and, unless we hold them into account, also sends a
message that international norms around issues like nuclear proliferation
don't mean much," he remarked.
Obama indicated that a draft authorization has been sent and "we're going
to be asking for hearings and a prompt vote."
He reiterated that "the military plan that has been developed by our Joint
Chiefs and that I believe is appropriate is proportional. It is limited. It
does not involve boots on the ground."
"This is not Iraq, and this is not Afghanistan. This is a limited,
proportional step that will send a clear message not only to the Assad regime
but also to other countries that may be interested in testing some of these
international norms that there are consequences," he affirmed.
He added "it gives us the ability to degrade Assad's capabilities when it
comes to chemical weapons. It also fits into a broader strategy that we have
to make sure that we can bring about, over time, the kind of strengthening of
the opposition and the diplomatic and economic and political pressure required
so that ultimately, we have a transition that can bring peace and stability
not only to Syria but to the region."
"I am confident that those concerns can be addressed. I think it is
appropriate that we act deliberately, but I also think everybody recognizes
the urgency here, and that we're going to have to move relatively quickly," he
remarked.
Obama affirmed "so long as we are accomplishing what needs to be
accomplished, which is to send a clear message to Assad, degrading his
capabilities to use chemical weapons, not just now, but also in the future, as
long as the authorization allows us to do that, I'm confident that we're going
to be able to come up with something that hits that mark." (end)
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