Crisis In Syria
The President’s call to pause for diplomacy on Syria’s chemical weapons is getting mixed reviews in a Congress that was already divided on possible use of force.
FOX News Radio’s Jared Halpern reports from Capitol Hill:
A diplomatic solution is being met with some hopeful signs here.
(Sherman) “I think what the Russians have proposed may turn out to be the best thing to come out of Russia since vodka.”
California Democrat Brad Sherman.
Many lawmakers, however, express skepticism Russia will make good, and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Republican Mike Rogers says he was hoping to hear a more forceful message from the President.
(Rogers) “He should have come out, acted as Commander-in-Chief and said listen, we have a moral obligation to act on chemical weapons.”
For the time being, any vote on authorizing military force, is on hold.
On Capitol Hill, Jared Halpern, FOX News Radio.
CLICK HERE for more on the President’s address on Syria Tuesday night.
However, the Russian plan to have Syria give up their chemical weapons may prove tough at the UN.
FOX News Radio’s Simon Owen reports:
The U.S. and France want the UN Security Council to put pressure on Syria to stick to that handover proposal. They want the Council to sign a resolution promising severe consequences should Syria back out of any deal.
But there are suggestions Russia would veto anything like that — saying Syria can’t be expected to act with a gun pointed at its head. Russia is also opposed to any resolution which accuses Syria’s government of launching chemical weapons attacks.
In London, Simon Owen, FOX News Radio.
Amid the debate about how to solve the Syrian chemical weapons crisis comes a UN report detailing atrocities in the Syrian civil war.
FOX News Radio’s Emily Wither reports:
The U.N. commission investigating human rights abuses in Syria says the country is a battlefield where armed forces on both sides are getting away with large scale murder. The report finds that evidence confirms at least eight massacres have been carried out by President Assad’s regime, but rebel forces have been behind one as well. Another nine suspected mass killings since March are also being investigated. Most of the information has been gathered from Syrian refugees escaping to neighboring countries.
Emily Wither, FOX News Radio.
