US Considers Next Steps in Syria

The Obama administration, which acknowledges Syria probably used chemical weapons, is likely to use the information to rally Russian support at the Security Council.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel speaks with reporters after reading a statement on chemical weapon use in Syria during a news conference in Abu Dhabi April 25, 2013. Hagel on Thursday said the U.S. intelligence community believes the Syrian government has used sarin gas on a small scale against rebels trying to overthrow the government of Bashar al-Assad. REUTERS/Jim Watson/Pool (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Tags: POLITICS) - RTXYZQ8
US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel speaks with reporters after reading a statement on chemical weapon use in Syria during a news conference in Abu Dhabi, April 25, 2013. - REUTERS/Jim Watson/Pool
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Barbara Slavin
@BarbaraSlavin1
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US confirmation that chemical weapons have likely been used in Syria gives the Obama administration a new opening to press Russia to support UN Security Council condemnation of the Assad government, but is unlikely to lead to direct US military intervention in the Syrian civil war.

President Barack Obama last August for the first time declared use or transfer of chemical weapons by Syria “a red line.”

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