UK and US finalise plans for military strikes against Syrian regime

Arab League backs allies’ judgment that Bashar al-Assad’s regime was responsible for Damascus chemical attacks

Britain and the US are finalising plans to launch limited punitive military strikes at the end of the week against the regime of Bashar al-Assad over the “abhorrent” use of chemical weapons near the Syrian capital, Damascus, last week.

As the Arab League threw its weight behind the allies’ judgment that the Assad regime was responsible for the chemical attack, the US and Britain paved the way for intervention, saying it would be a response to a violation of international law and not aimed at regime change.

General Sir Nick Houghton, chief of the defence staff, will outline to a meeting on Wednesday of the UK’s National Security Council (NSC) a series of arm’s-length options for targeted attacks against Syria.

Houghton, who is expected to reiterate the military’s misgivings about entering the conflict, is expected to tell ministers the UK could assist US forces with cruise missile strikes launched from submarines, warships and aircraft against targets such as command and control bunkers.

David Cameron announced a recall of parliament on Thursday to allow MPs to formally debate the proposed intervention.

The Commons is expected to endorse military action – with a handful of rebels on all sides – after Ed Miliband indicated on Tuesday evening that Labour will reluctantly support the government motion, which will closely refer to international law.

Cameron said any use of chemical weapons was “morally indefensible and completely wrong,” adding that any action taken “would have to be legal, would have to be proportionate. It would have to be specifically to deter the future use of chemical weapons”.

Without spelling out any detailed plans, he signalled limited action. “This is not about getting involved in a Middle Eastern war or changing our stance in Syria or going further into that conflict. It is nothing to do with that. It is about chemical weapons. Their use is wrong, and the world shouldn’t stand idly by.”

The next step towards military strikes – which could be launched between late on Thursday, following the vote at Westminster, and the end of the weekend – is expected to be taken on Wednesday when John Kerry, the US secretary of state, releases more information linking the Assad regime to the chemical weapons attack on the Ghouta area east of Damascus.

Kerry is expected to say there is definitive proof linking the regime to the attack on the basis of “open sources” such as evidence from international doctors, a judgment that only the regime could have launched such a large attack, and intercept intelligence of Syrian communications from, among others, the Israelis.

Kerry’s judgment is expected to be followed by a decision by Barack Obama on the exact form of a military strike, which will be designed to act as a deterrent to prevent the future use of chemical weapons by Assad or any other regime.

The White House made clear that the action would not be designed to widen the Syrian conflict or overthrow the regime. …read more