US officials are wrestling with what type of military strike in Syria might deter future chemical weapons attacks and trying to assess how President Bashar Assad would respond, two senior administration officials said on Wednesday.
The Obama Administration insists the Syrian Government must be punished for its alleged use of chemical weapons on civilians, even though Assad has denied using chemical weapons, calling the allegations "preposterous." US administration officials have also said Assad's actions posed a direct threat to US national security, providing Obama with a potential legal justification for launching a strike without authorisation from the United Nations or Congress.
However, officials did not detail how the US was directly threatened by an attack contained within Syria's borders. Meanwhile, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council failed to reach an agreement on Wednesday on a British-proposed resolution that would authorise the use of military force against Syria. Russia reiterated its objections to international intervention in the Syrian crisis. The draft resolution — if it were to be put to a vote — would almost certainly be vetoed by Russia and China, which have blocked past attempts to sanction President Assad's regime. The US has not presented concrete proof, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday that UN inspectors needed four days in total to conclude a probe into chemical weapons use in Syria.
UN's special envoy to Syria lakhdar Brahimi said in Geneva any military strike must have Security Council approval. Significantly, Israel ordered a small-scale mobilization of reservists on Wednesday and strengthened its missile defences as precautions against possible Syrian attack should western powers carry out threatened strikes on Syria.
However, Syria's other neighbour Jordan said it will not be used as a launching pad for attacks on Syria and the kingdom favors a diplomatic solution to the crisis, Jordanian Government spokesman Mohammad Momani, who is also the country's Information Minister, said Wednesday. The remarks underline the US ally's efforts to avoid further friction with its larger neighbour for fear that Assad or his Iranian backers could retaliate.
The remarks come a day after Jordan hosted a meeting of top commanders from Western and Middle Eastern countries, including some that are likely to participate in a military action. He said Jordan prefers a "diplomatic solution to the Syrian crisis" and called on the international community to "consolidate efforts in that regard."
The United States has ruled out unilateral military action against Syria and is conferring with allies on potential punitive strikes that could last for more than a day, a senior US official said today. US Intelligence agencies are preparing a report laying out the evidence against Assad's Government in chemical weapons attacks.
However, the White House says it's already convinced and is planning a possible military response while seeking support from international partners. No additional US defensive weapons have been deployed in the region in anticipation of Syria responses. The US already has Patriot anti-missile batteries in Jordan and Turkey.
The US and its international partners were unlikely to undertake military action before Thursday. That's when British Prime Minister David Cameron will convene an emergency meeting of Parliament, where lawmakers are expected to vote on a motion clearing the way for a British response to the alleged chemical weapons attack.