Saturday, September 07, 2013

Latest developments in the Syria crisis

Photo: Charles Dharapak
Obama to give six television news interviews on Monday as Syria vote looms

President Barack Obama will give interviews on Monday to the three network news anchors, as well as to anchors from PBS, CNN, and Fox, more evidence of a "full court press" strategy ahead of pivotal congressional votes on military strikes in Syria. Keep reading

Also see
Obama appeals to country to back U.S. military force in Syria
Obama tells US nation Syria 'not another Iraq or Afghanistan'

EU blames Assad for attack, urges wait for U.N. report

The European Union blamed the Syrian government on Saturday for an August 21 chemical weapons attack in Syria but urged waiting for a report from U.N. weapons inspectors before any U.S.-led military response.

The carefully worded message from foreign ministers of 28 EU governments stopped short of endorsing possible U.S. and French military action against Syria ahead of the report, which France's president said could come by the end of the week. Keep reading

Also see
European Union: No strikes on Syria before UN report
European urge US to await UN report on Syria

Syria crisis: US orders non-emergency personnel out of Lebanon

The US state department has ordered non-emergency US personnel to leave Lebanon and has approved voluntary evacuation from southern Turkey.

The state department cited "current tensions the region" but did not specifically mention Syria. Keep reading

Also see
U.S. issues travel warnings for Lebanon and Turkey

Al-Qaida-linked group makes belated responsibility claim on assassination of Syrian governor

The Islamist militant group the Nusra Front has claimed responsibility for the assassination of the governor of Syria's Hama province last month, according to the US-based SITE intelligence monitoring group. Keep reading

Protesters rally against Syria strike in D.C., NYC

Dozens of people opposed to President Barack Obama's call for a U.S. military strike against Syria are picketed outside the White House on Saturday. Keep reading

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