Syria ready for any “external aggression”: Bashar al-Assad

Earlier,the official Al-Thawra daily in a sarcastic attack on Obama said,”Whether the Congress lights the red or green light for an aggression,and whether the prospects of war have been enhanced or faded,President Obama has announced yesterday,by prevaricating or hinting,the start of the historic American retreat.” The paper in a front page article said Obama worries about limited intervention turning into “an open war has pushed him to seek Congress’ consent.”

The US claimed 1,429 people were killed in the chemical attacks in a Damascus suburb by the Syrian army on August 21. Syria,however,denied US charges,saying jihadists fighting with the rebels used the deadly weapons in an effort to turn global sentiments against it. Giving Syria’s first reaction to Obama’s decision,Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad today said Obama has become “hesitant” and “confused”.

“President Obama was clearly hesitant,disappointed and confused when he spoke yesterday,” Muqdad said. He also urged the US Congressmen to show “wisdom” while voting on the proposed military attack on Syria. “We ask the US Congress to show wisdom,” Muqdad said. Earlier,the embattled regime of President Bashar al-Assad said it has its “finger on the trigger” over an imminent military strike from the US and its Western allies.

“The Syrian army is fully ready,its finger on the trigger to face any challenge or scenario that they want to carry out,” Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi said yesterday. When asked to comment on the Syrian media statement that seeking congressional authorisation for military action against Syria is “the start of the historic American retreat”,US Secretary of State John Kerry replied,”I don’t believe so at all.”

Kerry said Obama has the right to take action against Syria,with or without Congress’ approval. But he stopped short of saying Obama was committed to such a course even if lawmakers refuse to authorise force.

“That is in the hands of the Congress of the United States. The president has made his decision. The President wants to stand up and make certain that we uphold the international norm,that we do not grant impunity to a ruthless dictator to gas his own people,” he said in response to a question.

“Anybody who saw those images,anybody who know focuses on the evidence that I just gave you about signatures of sarin in the hair and blood samples of the first responders I mean,first responders died. People who went to help the people who were hurt,died in this case,” he said. The case hasn¿t changed and the case doesn’t change at all. The rationale for a military response is as powerful today” as it has been,Kerry said. “This case is going to build stronger and stronger,” he said

Alleging that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a man who has committed a crime against humanity,Kerry expressed confidence that the Congress will give its authorisation to Obama as America’s credibility is at stake.

“I can’t imagine that the Congress of the United States will not recognise our interests with respect to Iran,Israel,Jordan,Turkey,our friends in the region,the Syrian people,the opposition,” Kerry said.

“America’s credibility is on the line here,and I expect the Congress of the United States to do what is right and to stand up and be counted,and I think that the Assad regime needs to recognise that they have refocused the energy of the American people on him,on his regime,on his lack of legitimacy to govern,and on the ways we will support the opposition in order to see that the people of Syria can choose their future in an appropriate way,” Kerry said.