UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The five permanent members of the deeply divided U.N. Security Council reached agreement Thursday on a resolution to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons, a major step in taking the most controversial weapon off the battlefield of the world’s deadliest current conflict. Senior U.S., Russian, British and French diplomats confirmed the agreement, which […]
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Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Syria chemical weapons deal negotiated by U.S., Russia could swing momentum toward ending war
GENEVA (AP) — A diplomatic breakthrough Saturday on securing and destroying Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile averted the threat of U.S. military action for the moment and could swing momentum toward ending a horrific civil war. Marathon negotiations between U.S. and Russian diplomats at a Geneva hotel produced a sweeping agreement that will require one of […]
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Obama admits Congress might not support strike
WASHINGTON — Congressional support for President Barack Obama’s push for a military strike against Syria continued to erode Monday as key lawmakers in both parties announced their opposition, while others began searching for alternatives to the proposed cruise-missile attacks. As the opposition piled up, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., pulled back his plan for […]
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U.S. runs into resistance over strike on Syria
PARIS (AP) — The U.S. tried to rally support on Saturday for a military strike against Syria, running into resistance from the American public and skeptics in Congress and from European allies bent on awaiting a U.N. report about a chemical attack they acknowledge strongly points to the Assad government. President Barack Obama prepared for […]
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Maine lawmakers not ready to endorse Syria strike
PORTLAND (AP) — While all of Maine’s congressional delegation remains undecided about military strikes on Syria, none of the four lawmakers is eager for the U.S. military to get involved in another conflict in the Middle East. Calls from constituents are heavily against military strikes, they say. “I do think we’re at a growing risk […]
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Assad warns of a risk of regional war if West strikes Syria
PARIS (AP) — France released an intelligence report on Monday alleging chemical weapons use by Syria’s regime that dovetailed with similar U.S. claims, as President Bashar Assad warned that any military strike against his country would spark an uncontrollable regional war and spread “chaos and extremism.” The verbal crossfire, including a rejection of the Western […]
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U.S. builds case for strike on Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — A top Syrian government official on Sunday dismissed the Obama administration as confused and hesitant, even as Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington has evidence of sarin gas use by Syria and that the case for a military attack is getting “stronger and stronger.” At the Vatican, Pope Francis condemned […]
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Obama to seek congressional OK for Syria action
WASHINGTON (AP) — Short on support at home and allies abroad, President Barack Obama unexpectedly stepped back from a missile attack against Syria on Saturday and instead asked Congress to support a strike punishing Bashar Assad’s regime for the alleged use of chemical weapons. With Navy ships on standby in the Mediterranean Sea ready to […]
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Obama edges toward strike on Syria
WASHINGTON (AP) — Edging toward a punitive strike against Syria, President Barack Obama said Friday he is weighing “limited and narrow” action as the administration bluntly accused Bashar Assad’s government of launching a chemical weapons attack that killed at least 1,429 people — far more than previous estimates — including more than 400 children. No […]
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West moves toward action in Syria
WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday outlined the clearest justification yet for U.S. military action in Syria, saying there was “undeniable” evidence of a large-scale chemical weapons attack, with intelligence strongly signaling that Bashar Assad’s regime was responsible. Kerry, speaking to reporters at the State Department, said last week’s attack “should […]