On Thursday, The New York Times reported that the White House had “no smoking gun” linking the Assad regime directly to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Damascus last week. The Times stated that the administration was already trying to downplay public intelligence presentation expectations. Administration officials said any such expectations would “not contain specific electronic intercepts of communications between Syrian commanders or detailed reporting from spies and sources on the ground.”
Despite the lack of evidence, the administration is prepared to use military force against Assad. “The commander in chief of any military is ultimately responsible for decisions made under their leadership,” Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said.
On Wednesday night, Obama said he might try a “shot across the bow” in Syria.
U.K. Parliament rejects Syria action, PM Cameron faced pressure from the main opposition Labour Party, as well as from some politicians in his own Conservative Party, The prime minister said no decision to act had been made and that the U.K. wouldn’t become involved in military action until a further parliamentary vote, due next week, after inspectors from the United Nations report their findings on the use of chemical weapons last week.
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