Hands off Syria! Hands off Syria! Hands off Syria!
Just a quick news round up:Russia had requested a UN Security Council Meeting: Closed DoorReports are: no progress was made.
A meeting of the UN Security Council's permanent members today ended quickly with no sign of progress on an agreement over the Syria crisis.The meeting started breaking up after less than an hour, with the ambassadors of China, France, Britain, Russia and the United States steadily walking out.It was the second time in two days that the five Security Council powers had left a meeting on Syria with no progress.On Wednesday, the five countries met to discuss a resolution proposed by Britain to authorise the use of military force against Syria in retaliation for an alleged chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds near the capital, Damascus.Russia remains firmly opposed to such action, saying there is no evidence that President Bashar Assad's regime was responsible for the attack, as the US and its allies contend.British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant looked grim as he walk past reporters today, saying "No comment". The other ambassadors also did not speak to reporters.
A Western diplomat said today's meeting was requested by Russia. Russia's UN mission refused to comment.
US hand may not be stayed much longer-
It appeared likely that an American military operation could happen without formal authorization from Capitol Hill or the United Nations.Waiting for British participation would mean holding off on a strike at least until the weekend. Prime Minister David Cameron said his country would not join in military efforts until a U.N. chemical weapons inspection team on the ground in Syria releases its findings.Some of the U.N. chemical weapons experts will travel directly from Syria on Saturday to different laboratories around Europe to deliver “an extensive amount of material” gathered, U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said. While the mandate of the U.N. team is to determine whether chemical agents were used in the attack, not who was responsible, Haq suggested the evidence — which includes biological samples and witness interviews — might give an indication of who deployed gases.While Obama declared unequivocally this week that the U.S. had “concluded” that Assad’s government was behind the attack, he presented no definitive proof.Obama continued making his case for a robust response to world leaders, speaking Thursday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. With national elections scheduled in Germany for next month, Merkel is unlikely to pull her country into a military conflict.
Speaking of Britain: Thanks for the info NeoUK Prime Minister Cameron loses Syria war vote
British Prime Minister David Cameron has lost a vote endorsing military action against Syria by 13 votes, a stunning defeat for a government which had seemed days away from joining the U.S. in possible attacks to punish Bashar Assad's regime over an alleged chemical weapons attack. Thursday evening's vote was nonbinding, but in practice the rejection of military strikes means Cameron's hands are tied. In a terse statement to Parliament, Cameron said it was clear to him that the British people did not want to see military action.
Speaking of the ‘legal case’ for war? Quoting Haaretz U.S.: If we need legal justification for Syria strike, we'll produce one on our ownFixing the intelligence to fit the agenda. The usual. Obama the 'peace' president. A sick joke on the planet.
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