As the US Congress gets ready to discuss President Obama’s plans for military strikes on Syria, the lobbying by pro and anti-war groups has reached its crescendo in print, electronic and the social media. Those in favour of US led military strikes say that the Syrian regime must be punished for the use of chemical weapons which led to death of more than 1400 civilians on the outskirts of Damascus on August 14. They point out that there are substantial evidences to prove that Assad regime was behind the attack and it is high time to send the right message through limited and narrow strikes as proposed by President Obama.
The other view is that the credibility of US will be at stake if no such strike is launched after so much of hype about it. President Obama has been speaking to US lawmakers to garner congressional support for a military strike on Syria. He would appear in an interview on six of the America's largest news networks to try and sell his military plan of action in Syria. Obama will also make a nationwide address from the White House tomorrow.
The anti-war lobby has been making a case that there are no concrete evidences and no military action can be authorized without the permission of UN Security Council. Hence, US must wait for the UN inspector’s report who are analyzing the samples collected from the attack sites in Syria. But analysts say that even after the UN inspectors are able to prove that chemical weapons were used in Syria, they won’t be able to tell who used them since it is not their mandate. Then there are apprehensions that by launching military strikes, US will be seen joining hands with jihadist elements like Al Nusra front and Al qaeda militants who have made gains in Syria.
Syrian President in an interview to a US TV Channel is said to have denied that his regime had anything to do with last month's chemical weapon attack. He is also reported saying to American people that it had not been a good experience for them to get involved in the Middle East in the conflicts and convey the same to US Congressmen. US Senate could vote on a possible military strike as early as Wednesday. The Senate foreign relations panel has already given a go ahead to the military strikes with the condition that it will be limited to 90 days and there won’t be any boots on the ground for combat operations. The Republican dominated House of Representatives is going to be a major hurdle for the US President where contents of the draft resolution is yet to be sorted out.
Reports from Syria say, the mood is heavy and people are bracing themselves up for military strikes any time. Security forces are preparing for the eventuality and Syrians are storing food and fuel in anticipation of strikes. Meanwhile Iran’s foreign minister Javed Zarif told in Baghdad that U.S. intervention in Syria can spill over to the region while his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari said Iraq will not be a base for any attack nor will it facilitate any such attack on Syria. Turkey has deployed additional troops and stationed jet fighters in alert mode along its south eastern borders with Syria. Israel has deployed Iron Dome missile defense battery in the outskirts of Jerusalem to destroy any rocket launches by Syria or the Hezbollah in case of a possible US led strikes. It has also put in place air defence systems along the Syrian border, drafted reserve soldiers and is handing out gas masks.
