White House formally asks Congress to authorize military action against Syria

Email|Print|Comments       twitter     facebook     Sina Microblog     reddit    

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31-- The White House on Saturday sent Congress a draft resolution that authorizes a U.S. military action against the Syrian government over its alleged use of chemical weapons last week.

Early in the afternoon, President Barack Obama announced that he would first seek authorization from Congress, as demanded by some lawmakers, before acting to punish Syria for its use of sarin gas in an Aug. 21 attack in the suburbs of Damascus, the Syrian capital.

The draft resolution, to be debated and voted in Congress when U.S. lawmakers return to session on Sept. 9 after a summer break, states that the objective of military strikes on Syria should be to "deter, disrupt, prevent and degrade the potential" for future uses of chemical weapons or other weapons of mass destruction.

It also declares that "the conflict in Syria will only be resolved through a negotiated political settlement."

Obama said in his statement that though he has decided to act militarily against Syria government targets, the operation will not be "an open-ended intervention" and will not involve "boots on the ground."

"Instead, our action would be designed to be limited in duration and scope," he said.

• Obama to seek Congressional authorization on military action against Syria
• Obama urges military action against Syria
• Syria says U.S. report 'fabricated' as Washington building case for strike
• Kerry says U.S. to make own decision on attack on Syria
• Russia believes no country can make unilateral decision on Syria
• UN chemical investigation team conduct probe work in Syria
• U.S. seeking international coalition in Syria issue: Hagel
• Officials say U.S. may take unilateral action against Syria
• France to act on Syria despite British setback: Hollande
• Germany has no plan to join military actions against Syria

We Recommend

• Gallery: Reveal the South Korean beauty production line
• Army aviation brigade in actual-troop drill
  
• Top 10 Chinese provinces for the well-heeled
• Baby born to save his sister - the story of a savior sibling
• Lady of mystery: Female SWAT team in prison disclosed
• Single mother, baby live in KFC restaurant for months
• Fan Bingbing poses for Malaysian magazine Citta Bella
• Zhang Xinyi covers COSMOPOLITAN
• A collection of bizarre rooftop buildings around China