US Believes Syria Used Chemical Weapons But Says Facts Needed [View all]

[Purveyor]

Source: REUTERS

Washington: US intelligence agencies believe Syria's government has likely used chemical weapons on a small scale, the White House said on Thursday, but added that President Barack Obama needed "credible and corroborated" facts before acting on that assessment.

The disclosure of the assessment, which Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said was made within the past 24 hours and the White House said was based in part on physiological samples, triggered immediate calls for US action by members of Congress who advocate deeper US involvement.

But while President Barack Obama declared that Syrian use of chemical weapons would be a game-changer, his administration made clear it would move carefully - mindful of the lessons of the start of the Iraq war 10 years ago.

--CLIP
"Given the stakes involved, and what we have learned from our own recent experiences, intelligence assessments alone are not sufficient - only credible and corroborated facts that provide us with some degree of certainty will guide our decision-making," Miguel Rodriguez, White House director of the office of legislative affairs, said in a letter to lawmakers.

Read more: http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/us-believes-syria-used-chemical-weapons-but-says-facts-needed-359071

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Sounds like they are walking back today's earlier hyperventilating...