US response to Syria chemical weapons attack ‘not aimed at regime change’
US response to Syria chemical weapons attack ‘not aimed at regime change’ | JPost | Israel News.
WASHINGTON — A US government official told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that all military options currently under consideration by President Barack Obama against Syria are aimed at punishing the perpetrators of last week’s chemical attack outside Damascus, as well as inhibiting their ability to conduct further gas attacks.
“The purpose is a response to the use of chemical weapons,” the official said. “We are not contemplating any action aimed at regime change.”
White House press secretary Jay Carney told journalists on Tuesday that the use of chemical weapons in Syria on a massive scale by its nominal president, Bashar Assad, demands a response from the international community.
“There is no doubt here that chemical weapons were used on a massive scale on August 21 outside of Damascus,” Carney said.”There is also very little doubt, and should be no doubt, for anyone who approaches this logically, that the Syrian regime is responsible.”
Carney called Assad’s actions a “flagrant violation of international norms” and a redline set out by 198 nations.
“There must be a response,” Carney said. “We cannot allow this kind of violation of an international norm.”
But the White House reiterated that the president does not believe there is a military solution to the Syrian civil war, and added that “a decision about the use of military force has not been made” in response to last week’s events.
WarSclerotic 
August 27, 2013 at 9:49 PM
What a clarification! Winston Churchill once said of Clement Attlee that he was a sheep in sheep’s clothing. It seems to be quite applicable to Obama to describe his policy in dealing with Iran and Syria
August 27, 2013 at 10:42 PM
How ridiculous! Punishment and not regime change??
Come on, give-me-a-break.
More like Obama saving face.
Life means nothing, image is everything.
August 27, 2013 at 11:00 PM
Actually, this ”declaration of intentions” which was made by an ”US official” is pretty clever. US is telling to Assad : ” Look, we are going to beat the sh!t out of you, but hey, take it easy : our goals are not what are you fear most; we’ll only deliver some serious heavy blows to your boys, so keep it cool and don’t mess with Israel. I myself, the great Obama, tried to mess once with these crazy cats and believe me, I had enough of that. Especially Bibi can be very nasty. Imagine that : I thought I can make him an offer he can’t refuse but the bastard just told me to fu@k myself – its not so bad, after all…So, my dear doctor, I strongly advice you, don’t mess with the Israelis. Good luck and good night. See you later, in Damascus.”
August 27, 2013 at 11:04 PM
And I thought he couldn’t get any worse….
August 27, 2013 at 11:24 PM
The allies just want to do their job without any severe interference from the Assad regime forces – or even friends. We can say, more or less what will be after USA, Britain and France will finish the Syrian Job, but there is no way to guess what will happen if rockets will start to fly over the Israelis heads. Because, in this case, ”Iran will be the limit” as a paraphrase to ” the sky is the limit”. The patrons of this conflict, the Iranians have to understand that letting Obama to punch Assad in his face and call it a match is far more better for them in comparison with what will happen if the ayatollahs will teach the little doctor to do nasty things, mess with Israel and getting their nuclear facilities blown up just like that, in one stormy night.
August 28, 2013 at 3:48 AM
Bingo!