03 September 2013

By Markaz Kavkaz

The Assad regime hailed a "historic American retreat" on Sunday, mockingly accusing president Barack Obama of hesitation and confusion after he delayed a military response to last month's chemical weapons attack near Damascus until after a congressional vote, reports Reuters.

It is to be recalled that the US Secretary of State John Kerry said tests had shown sarin nerve gas was fired on rebel-held areas on August 21, and expressed confidence that US lawmakers would do "what is right" in response, he called to teach a lesson to Bashar al-Assad, and to all those who want to use chemical weapons in the future.

Washington says more than 1,400 people, many of them children, were killed in the attack.

Meanwhile, opinion polls have shown strong opposition to a punitive strike among Americans weary of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama's announcement on Saturday that he would seek congressional authorization for punitive military action against Syria is likely to delay any strike for at least nine days.

The United Nations said Obama's announcement could be seen as part of an effort to forge a global consensus on responding to the use of chemical arms anywhere.

"The use of chemical weapons will not be accepted under any circumstances," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said. "There should be no impunity and any perpetrators of such a horrific crime against humanity must be held accountable".

The final resolution of a meeting of Arab League meeting foreign ministers meeting in Cairo urged the United Nations and international community to "take the deterrent and necessary measures against the culprits of this crime that the Syrian regime bears responsibility for".

The ministers also said those responsible for the attack should face trial, as other "war criminals" have.

With Obama drawing back from the brink, the ringleader of Alawite regime Bashar al-Assad reacted defiantly to the threat of Western retaliation, saying Syria was capable of confronting any external strike.

"Obama announced yesterday, directly or through implication, the beginning of the historic American retreat," Syria's official al-Thawra newspaper said in a front-page editorial.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad accused Obama of indecision:

"It is clear there was a sense of hesitation and disappointment in what was said by President Barack Obama yesterday. And it is also clear there was a sense of confusion as well".

Meanwhile, the UN inspectors had left Syria after gathering evidence on the use of chemical weapons.

The US military used a delay to better assess the situation and select targets in Syria. Nuclear aircraft carrier Nimitz and escort ships were sent to the Red Sea to participate in a strike, if necessary.

US military officials are using the delay to reassess which ships will be used for a strike, and which sites in Syria to target. One change was a decision to send the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its entire strike group toward the Red Sea to help support a Syria strike, if needed.

In turn, sources in the command of the Mujahideen reported that all departments given the command to redeploy its forces and bases. In the last days received information has been coming from Syria that in some locations of the Mujahideen were captured agents placing "bugs" for missile guidance.

The military command of Mujahideen did not rule out that the United States could strike also on their positions.

It is to be recalled that the United States had originally been expected to lead a strike relatively quickly, backed up by its NATO allies Britain and France. But British lawmakers voted on Thursday against any involvement and France said on Sunday it would await the US Congress' decision.

"France cannot go it alone", Interior Minister Manuel Valls told Europe 1 radio. "We need a coalition".

©  EsinIslam.Com

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