Some lawmakers told last week about Syria, sarin
Some members of Congress were told last week that the United States had evidence that Syrians were killed using the chemical sarin, according to sources familiar with the briefings.
The Senate and House intelligence committees were briefed by administration officials on the threat in Syria as recently as last week, and several sources familiar with the briefing say lawmakers were told that three people died from sarin poisoning.
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These sources could not speak with attribution, because intelligence briefings are confidential and lawmakers and aides are sworn to secrecy.
The White House publicly acknowledged Thursday that Syria used chemical weapons, leading several senators called on the Obama administration to step up its response.
“It’s pretty obvious that red line has been crossed,” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told reporters.
“The situation in Syria is unacceptable,” he added. “The president of the United States said that this would be a red line if they used chemical weapons. The president of the United States has now told us they used chemical weapons.”
McCain, who has been advocating more intervention in Syria for years, called for arming the opposition, a step that the White House has resisted thus far, establishing a safe zone and taking proactive steps to ensure that the chemical weapons don’t fall into the wrong hands.
“It does not mean boots on the ground,” McCain said.
Senators received a briefing Thursday morning from several officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry. House lawmakers will receive the same briefing at 9:30 a.m. Friday.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, said called on the national community to respond to the crossing of “red lines.”
“I am very concerned that with this public acknowledgement, President [Bashar] Assad may calculate he has nothing more to lose and the likelihood he will further escalate this conflict therefore increases,” Feinstein said. “It is also important that the world understands the use of weapons of mass destruction, such as sarin, will not be countenanced, and clearly Assad must go.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/syria-chemical-weapons-red-line-crossed-senators-90640.html#ixzz2RZdKedYR
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