Syria expects U.S.-led military attack ‘at any moment’

Syria expects U.S.-led military attack ‘at any moment’
31 August, 2013 – Agence France Presse

DAMASCUS: Syria expects a military attack “at any moment” and is ready to retaliate, an official said Saturday, hours after UN experts probing a suspected gas attack blamed on the regime quit the country.

The departure of the inspectors has opened a window for a possible US-led strike after President Barack Obama on Friday gave his clearest indication yet that a military intervention was imminent.

“We are expecting an attack at any moment. We are ready to retaliate at any moment,” the security official told AFP, asking not to be named.

The 13 UN inspectors, led by Ake Sellstrom, left their Damascus hotel in a convoy before dawn and crossed into Lebanon a few hours later, AFP reporters said.

They are due to report straight back to United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon and detail their conclusions on whether a poison gas attack actually did take place in Damascus suburbs on August 21, based on samples collected on site.

Obama’s administration says it has no need to wait for the results of the probe, claiming its intelligence gives firm evidence the regime launched a chemical onslaught that killed 1,429 people, including at least 426 children.

That brought a contemptuous response from Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country is a close ally of Syria, saying claims the regime had used chemical weapons were “utter nonsense.”

Obama said on Friday: “We cannot accept a world where women and children and innocent civilians are gassed on a terrible scale.”

“The world has an obligation to make sure we maintain the norm against the use of chemical weapons,” the president said, slamming the failure of the UN Security Council to agree on action.

Obama said he was looking at a “wide range of options” but had ruled out “boots on the ground” or a “long-term campaign.”

“We are looking at the possibility of a limited, narrow act,” he said, while stressing no final decision had been taken on unleashing military strikes against Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

France gave its backing to the US plans, saying a “strong message” should be sent to the Assad regime, but British lawmakers have voted against any involvement in military action and other close US allies said they would not sign up.

Syrian has denied responsibility for the alleged incident and has pointed the finger of blame at “terrorists” — its term for rebels ranged against Assad’s forces.

In Damascus, the mood was heavy with fear, and security forces were making preparations for possible air strikes, pulling soldiers back from potential targets.
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