syria, no one elected the us world policeman, page-13

bacci
That is completely different to going to another country to impose regime change. America had no right to overthrow Gadaffi or Assad while these guys stay in their own borders
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now either you know more than the rest of the world or make an apology for posting emotive bile




Britain and the US are finalising plans to launch limited punitive military strikes at the end of the week against the regime of Bashar al-Assad over the "abhorrent" use of chemical weapons near the Syrian capital, Damascus, last week.

As the Arab League threw its weight behind the allies' judgment that the Assad regime was responsible for the chemical attack, the US and Britain paved the way for intervention, saying it would be a response to a violation of international law and not aimed at regime change.

General Sir Nick Houghton, chief of the defence staff, will outline a series of arm's-length options for targeted attacks against Syria during a meeting on Wednesday of the UK's national security council (NSC) .

Houghton, who is expected to reiterate the military's misgivings about entering the conflict, is expected to tell ministers the UK could assist US forces with cruise missile strikes launched from submarines, warships and aircraft against targets such as command and control bunkers.

The Commons is expected to endorse military action – with a few rebels on all sides – after Ed Miliband indicated on Tuesday that Labour will reluctantly support the government motion, which will closely refer to international law.

Cameron said any use of chemical weapons was "morally indefensible and completely wrong," adding that any action taken "would have to be legal, would have to be proportionate. It would have to be specifically to deter the future use of chemical weapons".

Without spelling out any detailed plans, he signalled limited action. "This is not about getting involved in a Middle Eastern war or changing our stance in Syria or going further into that conflict … it is about chemical weapons. Their use is wrong, and the world shouldn't stand idly by."



Kerry's judgment is expected to be followed by a decision by Obama on the exact form of a military strike, which will be designed to deter the future use of chemical weapons by Assad or other regimes.

The White House made clear that the action would not be designed to widen the Syrian conflict or overthrow the regime. Spokesman Jay Carney said: "The options we are considering are not about regime change." He later added: "There has to be a response to that clear violation of international norms."

The rest of the international coalition that will either take part in the military action or offer diplomatic support was coming together rapidly on Tuesday night.

In Paris, François Hollande said: "France is ready to punish those who took the decision to gas the innocent."

France "will not shirk its responsibilities" Hollande told a meeting of French ambassadors. He is due to chair a meeting of his security cabinet on Wednesday, bringing together his ministers of defence, foreign affairs and the interior with France's top generals, to finalise preparations for the country's role.

The Arab League meanwhile blamed Assad for the gas attack and voiced regional support for action. After an emergency meeting in Cairo, the league said it held the Syrian government "fully responsible for the ugly crime" and demanded that perpetrators face international trials."

Legally, the UK and the US indicated they were relying on the Geneva protocol of 1925 which banned the use of chemical weapons after their deployment in the first world war.

Using similar language to Cameron, Nick Clegg said: "If we stand idly by we set a very dangerous precedent indeed where brutal dictators and brutal rulers will feel they can get away with using chemical weapons. What we are considering is a serious response to that. What we are not considering is regime change, trying to topple the Assad regime,[or] trying to settle the civil war in Syria one way or another."