WASHINGTON – The U.S. stands ready to strike at Syria in the wake of its possible use of chemical weapons on its citizens, according to reports Tuesday.
According to CNN, “U.S. officials sought Tuesday to lay the groundwork for a possible military strike on Syria in response to last week’s suspected chemical weapons attack.”
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said Tuesday that the United States is committed to working with the international community to respond to the “outrageous” attacks in the Arab nation.
The secretary condemned the violence carried out by the Syrian regime and said the United States military is prepared for any contingency involving Syria, a Defense Department spokeman said, adding that Hagel pledged to continue close coordination with the British and French defense forces.
Most U.S. allies, most U.S. partners and most of the international community have little doubt that the most basic international humanitarian standard was violated by the Syrian regime in using chemical weapons against its own people, Hagel said.
“The deeper we get into this, it seems to me it’s clearer and clearer that the government of Syria was responsible,” he added. “But we’ll wait and determine what the intelligence and the facts bear out.”
Secretary Hagel said President Barack Obama has asked the Defense Department for options for all contingencies, and the department has complied.
A White House spokesman said Monday that “the President acknowledged yesterday … that there were reports of widespread civilian deaths in one area in Syria. There is some evidence to indicate that chemical weapons may have been involved. The President described that yesterday in the interview as a big event of grave concern.
“And given our interest in ensuring that weapons of mass destruction are not proliferating and the need to protect our allies in the region, the President believes that this is something that requires our attention.”