CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Obsessed
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Fever Dreams
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDBs Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      CULTURE
      • Power Trip
      • Fashion
      • Books
      • Royalist
      TECH
      • Disinformation
      SCOUTED
      • Clothing
      • Technology
      • Beauty
      • Home
      • Pets
      • Kitchen
      • Fitness
      • I'm Looking For
      BEST PICKS
      • Best VPNs
      • Best Gaming PCs
      • Best Air Fryers
      COUPONS
      • Vistaprint Coupons
      • Ulta Coupons
      • Office Depot Coupons
      • Adidas Promo Codes
      • Walmart Promo Codes
      • H&M Coupons
      • Spanx Promo Codes
      • StubHub Promo Codes
      Products
      NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
      FOLLOW US
      GOT A TIP?

      SEARCH

      HOMEPAGE
      0

      U.S. Warns on Assad About Use of Chemical Weapons

      Chemical Weapons

      The U.S. said it would intervene in Syria if the regime used chemical weapons against the opposition.

      The Telegraph

      Updated Jul. 14, 2017 2:59AM ET / Published Dec. 03, 2012 5:50PM ET 

      Kevin Lamarque / AFP / Getty Images

      By Richard Spencer

      The United States has warned President Bashar al-Assad of Syria it would intervene in the country’s civil war if he used chemical weapons against the rebels.

      The warning came as the U.N. said it was pulling all non-essential staff out of the country and, in a sign of the strains in Damascus itself, the chief foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdessi was reported to have defected.

      Defense officials confirmed they had received “credible reports” of movements of weapons components at Syria’s known chemical sites, though there was no indication that stocks were being readied for immediate use.

      But with Turkey already warning that the Syrian regime might use ballistic missiles, perhaps with chemical warheads, as a last resort, Hillary Clinton, the U.S. secretary of state, reiterated that this would change America’s policy towards the war.

      “We have made our views very clear: this is a red line for the United States,” she said. “I’m not going to telegraph in any specifics what we would do in the event of credible evidence that the Assad regime has resorted to using chemical weapons against their own people, but suffice it to say, we are certainly planning to take action if that eventuality were to occur.”

      The United States and its Western allies have refused to back the rebels militarily or answer requests to impose a no-fly zone. They are getting closer to allowing direct arms supplies, and on Tuesday NATO is likely to approve sending Patriot missiles to Turkey’s borders to protect it from Syrian attacks, deliberate or accidental.

      Assad is under severe pressure as the fighting comes closer to Damascus.

      The secretary-general of the Arab League, Nabil al-Arabi, said in an interview with AFP news agency that he thought the Assad regime could collapse “at any time.”

      “Facts on the ground indicate very clearly now that the Syrian opposition is gaining, politically and militarily,” he said. “Every day they are gaining something.”

      The United Nations also announced it was sending all non-essential, non-Syrian staff out of the country, and halting trips outside of the capital, because of the worsening security situation there.

      The reported defection of Makdessi will add to the pressure on Assad. Mr. Makdessi was previously the press secretary of the Syrian embassy in London.

      Syria’s air force has been bombing districts in southern Damascus which have fallen into rebel hands, and it has been unable to fully secure the airport and airport road. Although the airport reopened at the weekend, an EgyptAir plane from Cairo was turned back on Monday afternoon after being informed security was not assured.

      However, the regime itself repeated denials yesterday that it would use its chemical weapons arsenal. “Syria confirms repeatedly it will never, under any circumstances, use chemical weapons against its own people, if such weapons exist,” an official said.

      READ THIS LIST

      DAILY BEAST
      • Cheat Sheet
      • Politics
      • Entertainment
      • Media
      • World
      • Innovation
      • U.S. News
      • Scouted
      • Travel
      • Subscription
      • Crossword
      • Newsletters
      • Podcasts
      • About
      • Contact
      • Tips
      • Jobs
      • Advertise
      • Help
      • Privacy
      • Code of Ethics & Standards
      • Diversity
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Copyright & Trademark
      • Sitemap
      • Best Picks
      • Coupons
      • Coupons:
      • Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
      • HP Coupon Codes
      • Chewy Promo Codes
      • Nordstrom Rack Coupons
      • NordVPN Coupons
      • JCPenny Coupons
      • Nordstrom Coupons
      • Samsung Promo Coupons
      • Home Depot Coupons
      • Hotwire Promo Codes
      • eBay Coupons
      • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
      © 2023 The Daily Beast Company LLC