U.S. says it has evidence of use of chemical weapons

WASHINGTON, MOSCOW U.S. President Barack Obama has decided to send direct military assistance to the rebels in Syria, according to the White House, as reported by Reuters. Obama, the agency said, made the decision when the New York Times published a document "showing that a document has been circulating in Washington for some time proving that the regime of Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons in Syria." U.S. says it has evidence of use of chemical weapons In this way, said the reports, the Syrian government "crossed the red line set by Barack Obama." While the White House claims to have evidence of the use of chemical weapons, there are still deep divisions in Obama's administration about the next move, because, so far, Washington skillfully avoided interfering in Syria's civil war. But Obama has been under severe pressure for weeks now to intervene in the war. The UN earlier this week said that since the beginning of the conflict some 93,000 people lost their lives. Reports today suggested that "part of the evidence" of the use of chemical weapons was secured by the CIA, who "obtained urine samples from two rebels," - one dead, and one injured. The findings apparently indicate that both were exposed to sarin. Based on this, it was concluded that the poison gas was used by the Syrian army. Senior White House official Ben Rhodes said that Obama had decided to provide more support to the opposition. "This includes providing direct support to the Syrian Military Council, the military wing of the opposition." He confirmed the decision to send arms. According to Rhodes, the involvement of the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Iran in the Syrian conflict, "adds an element of urgency" to the calls for a harder line of the U.S. and its allies on Syria. Rhodes also said that Washington has sent their information about the use of chemical weapons to Russia. But reactions from Russia suggested this country considers the information to be fabricated. "The information on the use of chemical weapons by Assad has been fabricated in the same place as the lies that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction," Chairman of Duma's Foreign Policy Committee Aleksei Pushkov wrote on his Twitter account. This official suggested that the United States could use this to justify intervetion in the conflict between Syria's forces and rebels. "Obama is going down the same path as George Bush," Puskov observed. (Beta/AP, file) B92 Beta RTS Tanjug

U.S. says it has evidence of use of chemical weapons

In this way, said the reports, the Syrian government "crossed the red line set by Barack Obama."

While the White House claims to have evidence of the use of chemical weapons, there are still deep divisions in Obama's administration about the next move, because, so far, Washington skillfully avoided interfering in Syria's civil war.

But Obama has been under severe pressure for weeks now to intervene in the war.

The UN earlier this week said that since the beginning of the conflict some 93,000 people lost their lives.

Reports today suggested that "part of the evidence" of the use of chemical weapons was secured by the CIA, who "obtained urine samples from two rebels," - one dead, and one injured.

The findings apparently indicate that both were exposed to sarin. Based on this, it was concluded that the poison gas was used by the Syrian army.

Senior White House official Ben Rhodes said that Obama had decided to provide more support to the opposition. "This includes providing direct support to the Syrian Military Council, the military wing of the opposition."

He confirmed the decision to send arms. According to Rhodes, the involvement of the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Iran in the Syrian conflict, "adds an element of urgency" to the calls for a harder line of the U.S. and its allies on Syria.

Rhodes also said that Washington has sent their information about the use of chemical weapons to Russia.

But reactions from Russia suggested this country considers the information to be fabricated.

"The information on the use of chemical weapons by Assad has been fabricated in the same place as the lies that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction," Chairman of Duma's Foreign Policy Committee Aleksei Pushkov wrote on his Twitter account.

This official suggested that the United States could use this to justify intervetion in the conflict between Syria's forces and rebels.

"Obama is going down the same path as George Bush," Puskov observed.