Obama : US Intelligence Evaluations on Syrian Chemical Weapons are ” Preliminary Assessment”

WASHINGTON (ST) _US President Barak  Obama described the U.S. intelligence evaluations  on  the Syrian  army use of chemical weapons as “a preliminary assessment.”

Speaking after meeting with the Jordanian King Abdullah II  in Washington  and one day after the disclosure of U.S. intelligence that Syria had likely used chemical weapons, Obama mixed talked tough while calling for patience as he sought to fend off pressure for a swift response against Syria,

The White House disclosed the new intelligence Thursday in letters to two senators, but had Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announce it to reporters traveling with him in the United Arab Emirates. The letters were sent in response to questions from senators of both parties who are pressing for more U.S. involvement.

“Our intelligence community does assess, with varying degrees of confidence, that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale in Syria, specifically, the chemical agent sarin,” the White House said in the letters, which were signed by Obama’s legislative director, Miguel Rodriguez. He went on to write that “given the stakes involved,” the U.S. was still seeking “credible and corroborated facts” before deciding how to proceed.

AFP quoted  spokesman for the White House Jay Carney as saying to reporters on Friday: “The president wants the facts,” adding: “We are working to verify reliable and accurate facts .”

In a sign that the issue is mere  allegations Carney refused to “set a timetable for this process,” and pointed out that “the facts are that it must be based on an investigation, not the date.”

As usual, the spokesman reiterated U.S.  hollow threats , saying that “all options will be on the table.”

In March,  Syria asked the  UN Security Council to set up a commission of inquiry on the use of  chemical weapons  by armed terrorist groups against civilians  in khan al-Asal area in Aleppo  but the US and other Western countries disrupted Committee and pressed the UN  to  irregularly expand its work , in violation of Syrian sovereignty ,as it did  in Iraq in the nineties of the last century.

T. Fateh