US Vice-President Joe Biden has re-confirmed that President Barack Obama “hasn’t made a decision yet” on Syria, US media report
LONDON “Whitehall sources say weapons inspectors could report to the security council on Saturday – a recall of Parliament over the weekend hasn’t been ruled out.”
A UN diplomat confirms that the permanent members of the UN Security Council will reconvene in New York today Thursday at 14:30 local time
LONDON: The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, has been speaking in the House of Lords. “International law is based on the Christian theory of just war,” he tells peers. “Just war theory says that the step of opening fire is one that must only be taken when there is no possible alternative whatsoever under any circumstances.”
Canada says it will not join a Western military intervention. “At the present time the government of Canada has no plans to have a Canadian military mission,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters after speaking with his British, French and US counterparts.
The permanent Security Council members met on Wednesday, but the UK apparently was unable to persuade Russia to support its draft resolution.
The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are due to meet again later today to discuss the Syrian crisis, according to the Reuters news agency.
“While tempers fray and frustrations show, there is no sense of panic here,” says the BBC’s Richard Galpin in Tel Aviv. BBC correspondents have helped us compile a piece taking in the mood in various cities around the world.
The International Committee of the Red Cross warns that the suffering of civilians in many parts of Syria is reaching “unprecedented levels”.
UN inspectors wear gas masks to examine sites
http://www.itv.com/news/story/2013-08-29/syria-civil-war-assad-rebels/
The UK government has published legal advice saying strikes against Syria would be justified even without UN backing
The White House is due to give senior US Congress members a classified briefing on why it is certain Syria has used chemical weapons
US President Barack Obama says he has not yet decided on a plan for retaliatory action against President Bashar al-Assad
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said his country will defend itself against Western aggression
UN inspectors are set to give their findings on the alleged chemical weapons attacks to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the weekend
Key Points
UK PM David Cameron concludes his speech by saying: “Britain should not stand aside.” He goes on:”We should prepare ourselves for a strong international response.”
tweets: In London PM Cameron says attack would be about CW [chemical weapons], not about intervening in civil war. But all sides here in #Syria see it as intervention
Mr Cameron (British Prime Minister) says while he agrees with the need to get the United Nations Security Council to approve military action in Syria, he said that could not be the only legal base for action. Any action has to be taken by countries with the capability to deter and degrade any further use of chemical weapons by Syria, he argues, and it is in Britain’s interest to maintain the international taboo against chemical weapons being used.
Mr Cameron says it would be “unthinkable” to take military action if there was “overwhelming opposition” on the UN Security Council.
In response to a question about why the regime would use chemical weapons now, Mr Cameron says he believes the most likely explanation is that Mr Assad has been “testing the boundaries”.
Mr Miliband says the UK should follow the principle: “Evidence should precede decision; not decision precede evidence.”
We must “strain every sinew to make the international institutions that we have in the world work to deal with the outrages in Syria”, Mr Miliband tells MPs.
Ed Miliband says repeatedly that he does not ‘rule out’ military intervention in Syria
UK opposition leader Ed Miliband is now on his feet in the House of Commons. Politicians are united in their condemnation for the use of chemical weapons, he says, but divided over what response to take. Labour has not ruled out military intervention, he says, but adds that there is a need to be “clear eyed” about its consequences.
Sen. Bob Menendez on Syria: ‘From my perspective, I think there is a compelling case to act, in a limited way’ – @politico
Labour MP Jack Straw is next on his feet, reminding MPs of his advocacy of intervention in Iraq in 2003 Jack Straw was the British foreign secretary at the time of the Iraq invasion. He warns MPs that is easy to start military action, but hard to stop it: “I have the scars to prove it.” But the strategic case for intervention in Syria is not clear, he argues, veering between “alleviation of humanitarian suffering to some punishment of the Assad regime”.
“99 backbenchers have asked to speak in the debate.”
“What is the purpose of military action?” Sir Malcolm asks. “To deter further acts of chemical weapons being used.” He argues that members of the Assad regime are watching very carefully to see whether they “will get away with what they have done”.
1446:
Ed Miliband wraps up his speech, and senior Conservative backbencher Sir Malcolm Rifkind takes the floor. “What we know for certain is that chemical weapons were used,” Sir Malcolm says.
Iain Watson Political correspondent, BBC News
Labour backbencher Glenda Jackson calls on Mr Cameron to explain why he is convinced that external military intervention can prevent further use of chemical weapons in Syria. “There is also no 100% certainty about what course of action might succeed or fail,” David Cameron replies. But if there is no international response, the Syrian government will “conclude that it can use these weapons again and again, and with impunity”, he adds.
tweets: Audible gasp – not just from labour benches – when the PM says we are not getting involved in the conflict
The UK government has published legal advice saying strikes against Syria would be justified even without UN backing
The White House is due to give senior US Congress members a classified briefing on why it is certain Syria has used chemical weapons
UN weapons inspectors in Syria are expected to complete their investigations on Friday and leave Damascus on Saturday
US President Barack Obama says he has not yet decided on a plan for retaliatory action against President Bashar al-Assad
Syria has accused the West of “inventing”
excuses to launch an attack and warned of “grave consequences” in case of a strike.
The US Navy has deployed a fifth naval destroyer to the eastern Mediterranean, a US defence official tells AFP. The USS Stout is “in the Mediterranean, heading and moving east” to relieve the USS Mahan, said the official, who said both ships might remain in place for the time being.
1406:
The Scottish National Party MP Angus Robertson joins the debate to urge the UK government to ensure that those responsible for the suspected chemical weapons attacks in Syria are held responsible in an international court of law. PM David Cameron agrees, but adds: “We have to recognise the slowness of those wheels.”