• President Obama is Gaining <a href=”http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/04/us/politics/obama-administration-presses-case-on-syria.html” target=”_blank”>Political Momentum</a> Towards a Syria Strike. National Security Advisor Susan Rice says the administration is “<a href=”http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/03/20312124-exclusive-susan-rice-says-administration-quite-confident-congress-will-ok-syria-action?lite” target=”_blank”>quite confident</a>” Congress will approve. There are still lingering doubts among some U.S. lawmakers, bolstered by polls that show <a href=”http://www.washingtonpost.com/page/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2013/09/03/National-Politics/Polling/release_258.xml” target=”_blank”>59% of Americans oppose military action in Syria.</a> Pro-Israeli lobbying group <a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/03/aipac-syria-_n_3862369.html?utm_hp_ref=politics” target=”_blank”>American Israel Public Affairs Committee weighed in, endorsing a strike.</a>
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• U.S. Senate Committee Drafts Authorization for Military Action. <a href=”http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/running-transcript-senate-foreign-services-committee-hearing-on-syria/2013/09/03/35ae1048-14ca-11e3-b182-1b3bb2eb474c_story.html” target=”_blank”>After a hearing in Washington</a>, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee produced a proposal authorizing military action in Syria (<a href=”http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/09/03/senate-resolution-syria-strike/2760615/” target=”_blank”>see video clips of the heated debate</a>). The resolution would approve a “limited strike” that could last no more than 90 days, and bans the presence of U.S. troops in combat operations on the ground. That resolution would go to a committee vote before facing Congress.
• France Opens Debate on a Syria Strike. The French National Assembly is holding an <a href=”http://www.france24.com/en/20130904-france-mps-debate-syria-military-action-francois-hollande-russia” target=”_blank”>emergency debate on intervention in Syria.</a> President François Hollande vowed to “punish” the Assad regime for using chemical weapons; his government ruled out striking alone, but would partner with the U.S. if it goes forward with military action. French officials also argue that a strike would help “shift the balance in a 2 1/2-year-old civil war that was tipping in favor of Bashar Assad,” <a href=”http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/09/04/french-lawmakers-debate-their-own-military-action-in-syria/” target=”_blank”>AP reports.</a>
• Labs Begin Work on Chemical Weapons Analysis. The <a href=”http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23947149″ target=”_blank”>BBC reports</a> that samples from Syria gathered by U.N. inspectors arrived at the central laboratory of the <a href=”http://www.opcw.org” target=”_blank”>Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons </a>on Saturday. From there they go to designated laboratories across the world for analysis, with a report within seven to 10 days, at the soonest.
• Syrian Official Calls for U.S. Dialogue. In a mix of realpolitik and charm offensive, a top diplomat in the Assad regime called for dialogue with the U.S., while threatening retaliation for a strike. “We love the American people … we do not want wars with the United States,” <a href=”http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324202304579053110051555776.html” target=”_blank”>Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad told The Wall Street Journal</a> in an interview on Tuesday. Mr. Mekdad said Damascus would strike back not only at Israel, but also at Syria’s neighbors Jordan and Turkey if they take part in any U.S.-led operation.
Suggested Reads from Our Editorial Team:
RT: Putin Warns Against Military Action in Syria
Daily Telegraph: U.K.’s David Cameron Rules Out Any Future Military Action in Syria
Reuters: Obama Wins Backing for Syria Strike from Key Congressional Members
New Republic: Senate Hearing on Syrian War Hints at Obama’s True Intentions
Channel 4: Syria Cartoons: How Assad’s Soldiers Mock Barack Obama