Republicans call for Syria action

REPUBLICAN lawmakers have stepped up calls for US action against Syria in the face of growing evidence it used chemical weapons against its population in a bitter civil war.

But wide differences remain over what should be done and whether President Barack Obama is correct in proceeding cautiously before declaring the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has crossed a game-changing “red line”.

“I think the options aren’t huge, but some action needs to be taken,” said Representative Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Speaking on US television’s This Week, Rogers cited classified information that he said “strengthens the case that in fact some small amount of chemical weapons have been used over the course of the last two years”.

“And the problem is, you know the president has laid down the line – and it can’t be a dotted line. It can’t be anything other than a red line,” he added.

A US intelligence assessment earlier this week found that the Syrian regime was likely to have used chemical weapons against its civilian population, but the White House said Obama wanted more proof.

Obama has warned that Syria’s use of chemical weapons would be a “game changer” that crosses a US “red line”.

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