Obama issues military threat to Syria

[Reece]

US president Barack Obama bluntly warned Syrian president Bashar al-Assad on Monday not to cross a "red line" by using chemical or biological weapons in his country's bloody conflict and suggested that such action would prompt the United States to consider a military response.

Pointing out that he had refrained "at this point" from ordering US military engagement in Syria, Obama said that there would be "enormous consequences" if Assad failed to safeguard his weapons of mass destruction.

It was Obama's strongest language to date on the issue, and he warned Syria not only against using its unconventional weapons, but against moving them in a threatening fashion.

"We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilised," Obama said. "That would change my calculus."

"We cannot have a situation where chemical or biological weapons are falling into the hands of the wrong people," Obama told an impromptu White House news conference. He acknowledged he was not "absolutely confident" the stockpile was secure.

Obama said the issue was of concern not only to Washington but also to its close allies in the region, including Israel.

Seeking re-election in November, Obama has been reluctant to get the United States involved in another war in the Middle East, even refusing to arm rebels fighting a 17-month-old uprising against Assad.

Syria last month acknowledged for the first time that it had chemical and biological weapons and said it could use them if foreign countries intervene - a threat that drew strong warnings from Washington and its allies.

Western countries and Israel have expressed fears chemical weapons could fall into the hands of militant groups as Assad's authority erodes.

Israel has said that if Syrian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas used the situation to take control of the weapons, it would "act immediately and with utmost force."

"We're monitoring that situation very carefully. We have put together a range of contingency plans," Obama said when asked whether he envisioned the possibility of using US forces at least to safeguard Syria's chemical arsenal.

The Global Security website, which collects published intelligence reports and other data, says there are four suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria: north of Damascus, near Homs, in Hama and near the Mediterranean port of Latakia. Weaponsproduced include the nerve agents VX, sarin and tabun, it said, without citing its sources.

Obama also used the opportunity to renew his call for Assad to step down.

"The international community has sent a clear message that rather than drag his country into civil war, he should move in the direction of a political transition," Obama said. "But at this point, the likelihood of a soft landing seems pretty distant."

Obama said the United States had already provided $82m in humanitarian assistance for Syrian refugees and will "probably end up doing a little bit more" to keep the situation from destabilising Syria's neighbors.

[Woka]

I fear the world we now live in.

[JayL]

Weapons being "moved around in a threatening fashion"... sounds vague to me.

[Squeak]

f**king god damn president, using USA lives to intimidate political opponent. Just let Russia have Syria.

[SugarD]

f**king god damn president, using USA lives to intimidate political opponent. Just let Russia have Syria.

What are you even talking about?...

[Squeak]

What are you even talking about?...

Russia is backing the current regime and has a naval base in Syria, their key into the Mediterranean. The west doesn't make as much money off of Syria as they would like to so they are backing the "revolution."

[JDC]

You mean they finally found oil in Syria? :wow:

[Dolfagr]

Russia is backing the current regime and has a naval base in Syria, their key into the Mediterranean. The west doesn't make as much money off of Syria as they would like to so they are backing the "revolution."

And probably the military deals and loans to Syria since the 70's that need to be paid back by the regime.

[Mikal]

You mean they finally found oil in Syria? :wow:

I can't wait until fossel fuels run out or get very low, nations will stop being ignorant and only helping others just to get something out of it..
Sure oil will always re-produce naturaly but it takes a very long time.

IMO, the UK, USA, Russia, and anyone else thats getting involved, all of them should just go in and fuck their military up then hand the country over to the rebels so this bullcrap can be over.

 :ps: Y'know who rules the world? Oil companies..

[Wolfe]

I can't wait until fossel fuels run out or get very low, nations will stop being ignorant and only helping others just to get something out of it..
Sure oil will always re-produce naturaly but it takes a very long time.

IMO, the UK, USA, Russia, and anyone else thats getting involved, all of them should just go in and f**k their military up then hand the country over to the rebels so this bullcrap can be over.

 :ps: Y'know who rules the world? Oil companies..

Oh yeah right, their already killing themselves for oil before it even ran out, imagine when it actually does... lol



Did anyone ever think, maybe, just fucking maybe, the rebels are actually wrong ? we don't know, maybe it's just a fucking handfull of retards corrupted by greed doing this fucking rebellion, maybe the people we're fine with their fucking leader.


If anything, I back up Russia and china, even tho' their gaining money from the fucking Syrian government, let them solve their own business, Fucking Modern world has become too fucking noosey in other countries business, specially the US.

[JayL]

Did anyone ever think, maybe, just f**king maybe, the rebels are actually wrong ? we don't know, maybe it's just a f**king handfull of retards corrupted by greed doing this f**king rebellion, maybe the people we're fine with their f**king leader.

Yeah. I think that the only true example (out of the popular ones) of a country where the striking majority of the population was upset and hence mobilised to clean the dirt is Egypt. They did not have to go through civil war or anything of the sorts, because there was no army to stop anyone who wish to protest. When the army itself as a whole refuses to suppress protestors/coups etc then it's hard to doubt that there is a major sentiment of revolt. And none of that is happening in Syria - be it in the army or towns' population, those angered with the government always seems to be a certain group.

[Alan.Wake]

After Syria comes Jordan, keep it up till most of the Islamic nations that are refusing "American control" are collapsed. The predictions made 1400 years ago are coming true, as they should be.

[JDC]

Did anyone ever think, maybe, just f**king maybe, the rebels are actually wrong ? we don't know, maybe it's just a f**king handfull of retards corrupted by greed doing this f**king rebellion, maybe the people we're fine with their f**king leader.

Perhaps because the leader is a despot who used his troops to massacre thousands of protesters (read; massacre, not incapacitate or suppress) on recent past occasions?

[Mikal]

Oh yeah right, their already killing themselves for oil before it even ran out, imagine when it actually does... lol



Did anyone ever think, maybe, just f**king maybe, the rebels are actually wrong ? we don't know, maybe it's just a f**king handfull of retards corrupted by greed doing this f**king rebellion, maybe the people we're fine with their f**king leader.


If anything, I back up Russia and china, even tho' their gaining money from the f**king Syrian government, let them solve their own business, f**king Modern world has become too f**king noosey in other countries business, specially the US.

If every country kept it's nose out the world would be even less peaceful than it is now..

[Wolfe]

If every country kept it's nose out the world would be even less peaceful than it is now..

Probably, reminds me of medieval times, where people could wage their wars without having 200 people that has jack shit to do with it being dragged in, basicly you'd only get in a war if you we're an ally with him, or if it really really mattered to you.


Peace protection in the world atm, is causing the largest ammount of deaths ^^