Pres. Obama says Syria chemical attack requires response
(CNN) -- Declaring himself "war-weary" but determined to hold Syria accountable for using banned chemical weapons, President Barack Obama said Friday he was considering a limited response to what U.S. intelligence assessed with "high confidence" as a Syrian attack that killed more than 1,400 people.Obama told reporters he had yet to make a final decision, but hinted at a military strike that sources and experts say would entail cruise missiles fired from U.S. naval ships at Syrian command targets -- but not any chemical weapons stockpiles."It is not in the national security interests of the United States to ignore clear violations" of what he called an "international norm" banning the use of chemical weapons, Obama said at a meeting with visiting heads of Baltic nations Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.He called the Syrian attack a "challenge to the world" that threatens U.S. allies Israel, Turkey and Jordan while increasing the risk of such weapons falling into the hands of terrorists.Earlier, Secretary of State John Kerry released details of a declassified U.S. intelligence report in an effort to muster support at home and abroad for a military response against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.However, NATO allies want the United Nations to authorize any military response, something that both Kerry and Obama said was unlikely because of opposition by permanent Security Council member Russia, a Syrian ally."My preference would have been that the international community already would have acted," Obama said, citing what he called "the inability of the Security Council to move in the face of a clear violation of international norms."He expressed frustration with the lack of international support, saying that "a lot of people think something should be done, but nobody seems willing to do it.""It's important for us to recognize that when over 1,000 people are killed, including hundreds of innocent children, through the use of a weapon that 98 or 99 percent of humanity says should not be used even in war, and there is no action, then we're sending a signal that that international norm doesn't mean much," Obama said. "And that is a danger to our national security."The remarks by Obama and Kerry, and the release of the intelligence report, came as Obama's administration faced rising resistance to a military strike against the Syrian government both at home and abroad.Britain's Parliament voted against joining a coalition sought by Obama to respond militarily, denying the president a key NATO ally that has steadfastly supported previous campaigns.In Washington, questions about the veracity of the U.S. intelligence and whether Washington is headed for another long war based on false information -- like happened in Iraq -- have emerged from both parties in Congress."I assure you nobody ends up being more war-weary than me," Obama said, adding that he was not considering any option that would entail "boots on the ground" or a long-term campaign.Instead, Obama said, he and his top military and security aides were looking at a "limited, narrow act" to ensure that Syria and others know the United States and its allies won't tolerate future similar future violations.Kerry: "We will not repeat" IraqEarlier, Kerry insisted that the situation differs from Iraq, saying the intelligence community "reviewed and re-reviewed" its information "more than mindful of the Iraq experience." And he added: "We will not repeat that moment."He cited particular evidence that shows al-Assad's regime was responsible."We know that for three days before the attack, the Syrian regime's chemical weapons personnel were on the ground in the area, making preparations," Kerry said. "And we know that the Syrian regime elements were told to prepare for the attack by putting on gas masks and taking precautions associated with chemical weapons."In addition, "we know where the rockets were launched from, and at what time," he said. "We know where they landed, and when.
(CNN) -- Declaring himself "war-weary" but determined to hold Syria accountable for using banned chemical weapons, President Barack Obama said Friday he was considering a limited response to what U.S. intelligence assessed with "high confidence" as a Syrian attack that killed more than 1,400 people.Obama told reporters he had yet to make a final decision, but hinted at a military strike that sources and experts say would entail cruise missiles fired from U.S. naval ships at Syrian command targets -- but not any chemical weapons stockpiles."It is not in the national security interests of the United States to ignore clear violations" of what he called an "international norm" banning the use of chemical weapons, Obama said at a meeting with visiting heads of Baltic nations Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.He called the Syrian attack a "challenge to the world" that threatens U.S. allies Israel, Turkey and Jordan while increasing the risk of such weapons falling into the hands of terrorists.Earlier, Secretary of State John Kerry released details of a declassified U.S. intelligence report in an effort to muster support at home and abroad for a military response against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.However, NATO allies want the United Nations to authorize any military response, something that both Kerry and Obama said was unlikely because of opposition by permanent Security Council member Russia, a Syrian ally."My preference would have been that the international community already would have acted," Obama said, citing what he called "the inability of the Security Council to move in the face of a clear violation of international norms."He expressed frustration with the lack of international support, saying that "a lot of people think something should be done, but nobody seems willing to do it.""It's important for us to recognize that when over 1,000 people are killed, including hundreds of innocent children, through the use of a weapon that 98 or 99 percent of humanity says should not be used even in war, and there is no action, then we're sending a signal that that international norm doesn't mean much," Obama said. "And that is a danger to our national security."The remarks by Obama and Kerry, and the release of the intelligence report, came as Obama's administration faced rising resistance to a military strike against the Syrian government both at home and abroad.Britain's Parliament voted against joining a coalition sought by Obama to respond militarily, denying the president a key NATO ally that has steadfastly supported previous campaigns.In Washington, questions about the veracity of the U.S. intelligence and whether Washington is headed for another long war based on false information -- like happened in Iraq -- have emerged from both parties in Congress."I assure you nobody ends up being more war-weary than me," Obama said, adding that he was not considering any option that would entail "boots on the ground" or a long-term campaign.Instead, Obama said, he and his top military and security aides were looking at a "limited, narrow act" to ensure that Syria and others know the United States and its allies won't tolerate future similar future violations.Kerry: "We will not repeat" IraqEarlier, Kerry insisted that the situation differs from Iraq, saying the intelligence community "reviewed and re-reviewed" its information "more than mindful of the Iraq experience." And he added: "We will not repeat that moment."He cited particular evidence that shows al-Assad's regime was responsible."We know that for three days before the attack, the Syrian regime's chemical weapons personnel were on the ground in the area, making preparations," Kerry said. "And we know that the Syrian regime elements were told to prepare for the attack by putting on gas masks and taking precautions associated with chemical weapons."In addition, "we know where the rockets were launched from, and at what time," he said. "We know where they landed, and when.
U.S. to release information about Syria's chemical weapons use
(CNN) -- The Obama administration will release declassified intelligence Friday backing up a government assessment that the Syrian regime was responsible for a chemical weapons attack, a senior administration official said.This comes amid talk among major powers of a military response against the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
(CNN) -- The Obama administration will release declassified intelligence Friday backing up a government assessment that the Syrian regime was responsible for a chemical weapons attack, a senior administration official said.This comes amid talk among major powers of a military response against the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Intercepts show Syrian military officials talked about chemical attack afterward
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- CNN has learned the United States has intercepts of conversations among top Syrian military officials discussing the chemical weapons attack after it took place last week, according to a U.S. official.The intercepts form a key basis for the conclusion that the Syrian regime was behind the attack.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- CNN has learned the United States has intercepts of conversations among top Syrian military officials discussing the chemical weapons attack after it took place last week, according to a U.S. official.The intercepts form a key basis for the conclusion that the Syrian regime was behind the attack.
Obama: U.S. concludes Syria carried out chemical weapons attacks
DAMASCUS, Syria (CNN) -- The United States has concluded Syria carried out chemical weapons attacks against its people, President Barack Obama said Wednesday, a claim that comes amid a looming diplomatic showdown over whether to strike against Bashar al-Assad's military.Obama's declaration to "PBS NewsHour" came at the end of a day that saw Russia and China walk out of a U.N. Security Council meeting as word surfaced Britain planned to pursue a resolution to authorize the use of force against Syria, even as United Nations weapons inspectors were in Syria assessing whether chemical weapons have been used."We do not believe that, given the delivery systems, using rockets, that the opposition could have carried out these attacks.
DAMASCUS, Syria (CNN) -- The United States has concluded Syria carried out chemical weapons attacks against its people, President Barack Obama said Wednesday, a claim that comes amid a looming diplomatic showdown over whether to strike against Bashar al-Assad's military.Obama's declaration to "PBS NewsHour" came at the end of a day that saw Russia and China walk out of a U.N. Security Council meeting as word surfaced Britain planned to pursue a resolution to authorize the use of force against Syria, even as United Nations weapons inspectors were in Syria assessing whether chemical weapons have been used."We do not believe that, given the delivery systems, using rockets, that the opposition could have carried out these attacks.
Baghdad bombs: Dozens killed, scores wounded
(CNN) -- A string of bombings mostly in and around Baghdad on Wednesday killed 49 people and wounded 180 others, police said.Seventeen attacks unfolded in and around Iraq's capital, primarily in Shiite areas, police said.
(CNN) -- A string of bombings mostly in and around Baghdad on Wednesday killed 49 people and wounded 180 others, police said.Seventeen attacks unfolded in and around Iraq's capital, primarily in Shiite areas, police said.
Many in Congress want consultation before Syria action
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As the U.S. prepares for a possible military strike on Syria, more than three dozen lawmakers -- among them a handful of Democrats -- demanded the Obama administration consult them, saying taking action without congressional approval is unconstitutional."While the founders wisely gave the office of the president the authority to act in emergencies, they foresaw the need to ensure public debate -- and the active engagement of Congress - prior to committing U.S. military assets," the 37 congressmen and women wrote to President Barack Obama on Tuesday. "Engaging our military in Syria when no direct threat to the United States exists and without prior congressional authorization would violate the separation of powers that is clearly delineated in the Constitution."They said that the 2011 U.S. military action in Libya, which included airstrikes, was unconstitutional and set a bad precedent the Obama administration should not apply in this situation.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As the U.S. prepares for a possible military strike on Syria, more than three dozen lawmakers -- among them a handful of Democrats -- demanded the Obama administration consult them, saying taking action without congressional approval is unconstitutional."While the founders wisely gave the office of the president the authority to act in emergencies, they foresaw the need to ensure public debate -- and the active engagement of Congress - prior to committing U.S. military assets," the 37 congressmen and women wrote to President Barack Obama on Tuesday. "Engaging our military in Syria when no direct threat to the United States exists and without prior congressional authorization would violate the separation of powers that is clearly delineated in the Constitution."They said that the 2011 U.S. military action in Libya, which included airstrikes, was unconstitutional and set a bad precedent the Obama administration should not apply in this situation.
Chemicals kill hundreds in countryside near Damascus, Syria
(CNN) -- Syrian opposition groups claimed that hundreds were killed Wednesday when the government used chemical agents in rebel strongholds in the Damascus countryside.That death toll could be as high as 1,300 people, George Sabra, the head of the Syrian National Council, said at a news conference.
(CNN) -- Syrian opposition groups claimed that hundreds were killed Wednesday when the government used chemical agents in rebel strongholds in the Damascus countryside.That death toll could be as high as 1,300 people, George Sabra, the head of the Syrian National Council, said at a news conference.
Family welcomes home 71-year-old Bill Ray from Afghanistan
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Major Bill Ray has retired from the military many times.
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Major Bill Ray has retired from the military many times.
State Department won't fire employees over Benghazi
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Four State Department employees placed on leave after last year's deadly terror attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, won't be fired, a decision that irritated key congressional Republicans insisting on accountability for security and other shortcomings.A senior State Department official said the employees would be assigned to different jobs, and an agency spokeswoman followed up by saying that an independent review of the matter found problems and raised questions but did not conclude any breach of duty."Clearly things could have been done better.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Four State Department employees placed on leave after last year's deadly terror attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, won't be fired, a decision that irritated key congressional Republicans insisting on accountability for security and other shortcomings.A senior State Department official said the employees would be assigned to different jobs, and an agency spokeswoman followed up by saying that an independent review of the matter found problems and raised questions but did not conclude any breach of duty."Clearly things could have been done better.
30 killed as bombs rock Baghdad
(CNN) -- At least 30 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured in car bombings and roadside bomb explosions in Baghdad neighborhoods Tuesday evening, police officials in the Iraqi capital said.Most of the explosions happened in Shiite areas, police said.
(CNN) -- At least 30 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured in car bombings and roadside bomb explosions in Baghdad neighborhoods Tuesday evening, police officials in the Iraqi capital said.Most of the explosions happened in Shiite areas, police said.
Flicker of hope as Israeli-Palestinian peace talks set for Monday
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- For the first time in three years, Israelis and Palestinians will come to the negotiating table in Washington on Monday night.U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated praise for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday morning.The talks will be "a difficult process," but he added that the consequences of not trying could be worse.
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- For the first time in three years, Israelis and Palestinians will come to the negotiating table in Washington on Monday night.U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated praise for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday morning.The talks will be "a difficult process," but he added that the consequences of not trying could be worse.
Police: Chinese man irate over debt sets nursing home ablaze, killing 11
(CNN) -- A squabble over $32 led a nursing home resident to set the building on fire, killing 11 people, Chinese state-run media reported.Police said 45-year-old Wang Gui lost his temper after accusing another resident of stealing 200 yuan from him, the Xinhua news agency reported.Staff members at Lianhe Senior Nursing Home tried to calm Wang down.
(CNN) -- A squabble over $32 led a nursing home resident to set the building on fire, killing 11 people, Chinese state-run media reported.Police said 45-year-old Wang Gui lost his temper after accusing another resident of stealing 200 yuan from him, the Xinhua news agency reported.Staff members at Lianhe Senior Nursing Home tried to calm Wang down.
1,200 inmates escape from Benghazi prison with help of neighbors
(CNN) -- Libyan authorities are trying to round up 1,200 inmates who spilled out of a Benghazi prison.The prisoners escaped the al-Kwyfah facility in Benghazi early Friday, but only 18 have been captured, city security spokesman Mohammed Hujazi told Libya News TV on Saturday.
(CNN) -- Libyan authorities are trying to round up 1,200 inmates who spilled out of a Benghazi prison.The prisoners escaped the al-Kwyfah facility in Benghazi early Friday, but only 18 have been captured, city security spokesman Mohammed Hujazi told Libya News TV on Saturday.
Quake hits northwest China; 89 dead
(CNN) -- Rescue teams are scrambling to reach the site of Monday morning's strong and shallow earthquake in northwestern China that has killed at least 89 people, according to state media.Another 593 people were injured and five were believed missing after the quake tore through Gansu Province, China Daily reported.The quake hit along the border of two counties -- Min and Zhang -- at around 7:45 a.m. local time, according to state news agency Xinhua.Emergency services are converging on the area, including the Red Cross Society of China, which is sending 200 tents and other supplies to shelter and sustain those left without homes.According to state broadcaster CCTV, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged crews to prioritize the rescue of survivors and minimize casualties.The original quake and powerful aftershocks caused roofs to collapse, cut telecommunications lines and damaged a major highway linking the provincial capital of Lanzhou to the south, according to the China Daily newspaper.More than 300 armed police troops and 64 heavy machines have been dispatched to repair National Highway No. 212, the paper reported.
(CNN) -- Rescue teams are scrambling to reach the site of Monday morning's strong and shallow earthquake in northwestern China that has killed at least 89 people, according to state media.Another 593 people were injured and five were believed missing after the quake tore through Gansu Province, China Daily reported.The quake hit along the border of two counties -- Min and Zhang -- at around 7:45 a.m. local time, according to state news agency Xinhua.Emergency services are converging on the area, including the Red Cross Society of China, which is sending 200 tents and other supplies to shelter and sustain those left without homes.According to state broadcaster CCTV, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged crews to prioritize the rescue of survivors and minimize casualties.The original quake and powerful aftershocks caused roofs to collapse, cut telecommunications lines and damaged a major highway linking the provincial capital of Lanzhou to the south, according to the China Daily newspaper.More than 300 armed police troops and 64 heavy machines have been dispatched to repair National Highway No. 212, the paper reported.
Twin Army Captains rushed home after father suffers heart attack
KENOSHA (WITI) -- FOX6 News recently told you about two twin brothers from Kenosha serving overseas in Afghanistan.
KENOSHA (WITI) -- FOX6 News recently told you about two twin brothers from Kenosha serving overseas in Afghanistan.
Man sets off black powder in Beijing airport
BEIJING (CNN) -- Medical personnel and police responded Saturday to an explosion in a terminal of the Beijing Capital International Airport, China's state-run Xinhua news agency said.A man set off homemade explosives inside the airport's Terminal 3, state television reported.The man was wounded, but no other injuries were immediately reported.The explosive used was black powder, the kind used in firecrackers, state television said.The man, identified as Ji Zhongxing, was transported to the hospital.Flights at the airport were not affected by the incident.
BEIJING (CNN) -- Medical personnel and police responded Saturday to an explosion in a terminal of the Beijing Capital International Airport, China's state-run Xinhua news agency said.A man set off homemade explosives inside the airport's Terminal 3, state television reported.The man was wounded, but no other injuries were immediately reported.The explosive used was black powder, the kind used in firecrackers, state television said.The man, identified as Ji Zhongxing, was transported to the hospital.Flights at the airport were not affected by the incident.
Panama's search of North Korean ship triggers confrontation
(CNN) -- It was a mystery that Panama's president said his country was struggling to solve.What was the massive military equipment hidden under hundreds of thousands of sacks of brown sugar on a North Korean boat?
(CNN) -- It was a mystery that Panama's president said his country was struggling to solve.What was the massive military equipment hidden under hundreds of thousands of sacks of brown sugar on a North Korean boat?
Snowden applies for temporary asylum in Russia
(CNN) -- American intelligence-leaker Edward Snowden applied for temporary asylum in Russia on Tuesday, a move that might soon allow him to leave Moscow's international airport while the request is considered, a Russian lawyer who helped him with the request told CNN.If the request is granted, Snowden would be able to live in Russia -- and even travel abroad -- for at least a year, lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said.And, despite previous indications that Snowden eventually wanted refuge in Latin America, Kucherena indicated Tuesday that Snowden might take his time in Russia."As far as I know, he's planning to stay in Russia to learn Russian culture, Russian language and (to) live here," Kucherena said.Kucherena told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that Snowden "intends to stay in Russia for now.""I asked him (what his plans were), he doesn't plan to go anywhere just yet," Kucherena said, according to RIA Novosti.This is the latest in a series of steps that Snowden has made in an attempt to establish a life outside the United States, where he faces espionage charges after publicly admitting that he released documents to the media that exposed U.S. mass surveillance programs.Kucherena said Snowden wrote the asylum request Tuesday at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport, where he has been holed up for the past three weeks because the United States revoked his passport.Russia's Federal Migration Service could take up to three months to consider Snowden's request, said Kucherena, a lawyer with a Kremlin advisory body.Within a few days, Snowden should receive a certificate showing that the request is under consideration, and that certificate will allow him to legally leave the airport's transit area, Kucherena said.Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, left Hawaii for Hong Kong this year and leaked NSA documents to the media, sparking worldwide controversy over U.S. surveillance programs.After he publicly identified himself as the leaker last month, he departed Hong Kong for Russia, where he is believed to have been staying in a transit area of the Moscow airport.Snowden's application may be a shift in his position.
(CNN) -- American intelligence-leaker Edward Snowden applied for temporary asylum in Russia on Tuesday, a move that might soon allow him to leave Moscow's international airport while the request is considered, a Russian lawyer who helped him with the request told CNN.If the request is granted, Snowden would be able to live in Russia -- and even travel abroad -- for at least a year, lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said.And, despite previous indications that Snowden eventually wanted refuge in Latin America, Kucherena indicated Tuesday that Snowden might take his time in Russia."As far as I know, he's planning to stay in Russia to learn Russian culture, Russian language and (to) live here," Kucherena said.Kucherena told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that Snowden "intends to stay in Russia for now.""I asked him (what his plans were), he doesn't plan to go anywhere just yet," Kucherena said, according to RIA Novosti.This is the latest in a series of steps that Snowden has made in an attempt to establish a life outside the United States, where he faces espionage charges after publicly admitting that he released documents to the media that exposed U.S. mass surveillance programs.Kucherena said Snowden wrote the asylum request Tuesday at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport, where he has been holed up for the past three weeks because the United States revoked his passport.Russia's Federal Migration Service could take up to three months to consider Snowden's request, said Kucherena, a lawyer with a Kremlin advisory body.Within a few days, Snowden should receive a certificate showing that the request is under consideration, and that certificate will allow him to legally leave the airport's transit area, Kucherena said.Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, left Hawaii for Hong Kong this year and leaked NSA documents to the media, sparking worldwide controversy over U.S. surveillance programs.After he publicly identified himself as the leaker last month, he departed Hong Kong for Russia, where he is believed to have been staying in a transit area of the Moscow airport.Snowden's application may be a shift in his position.
Bus, truck crash in Moscow, killing 17
MOSCOW (CNN) -- A crash involving a bus carrying children and a large truck killed 17 people in a Moscow suburb Saturday, authorities said.At least 29 others were injured, Russian emergency officials said.Dozens of ambulance crews responded to the accident in the village of Oznobishin, state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported.Helicopters will fly in medical personnel.
MOSCOW (CNN) -- A crash involving a bus carrying children and a large truck killed 17 people in a Moscow suburb Saturday, authorities said.At least 29 others were injured, Russian emergency officials said.Dozens of ambulance crews responded to the accident in the village of Oznobishin, state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported.Helicopters will fly in medical personnel.
Total U.S. troop pullout from Afghanistan unlikely, official says
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Obama administration believes it will reach a deal with the government of Afghanistan that would allow American troops to remain in the country after the current NATO mission ends next year, the top U.S. diplomat in the region said Thursday.The disclosure follows reports this week the administration was seriously considering an option of leaving no forces in the country after 2014."We do not believe that that's the likely outcome of these negotiations," James Dobbins, special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Pressed about reports on the so-called "zero option," Dobbins labeled them "unbalanced and unhelpful."A Pentagon official testifying at the same hearing said the United States will continue working with the Afghan government on establishing a security agreement as well as training Afghan forces."The United States is transitioning in Afghanistan, not leaving," Peter Lavoy, acting assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs said.U.S. and Afghan officials have been discussing plans to keep a small force behind to fight insurgents and to train Afghan security personnel.Dobbins said President Barack Obama is reviewing options for the number of American forces that would stay in Afghanistan 18 months from now."We've made significant progress on the text of a new bilateral security agreement.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Obama administration believes it will reach a deal with the government of Afghanistan that would allow American troops to remain in the country after the current NATO mission ends next year, the top U.S. diplomat in the region said Thursday.The disclosure follows reports this week the administration was seriously considering an option of leaving no forces in the country after 2014."We do not believe that that's the likely outcome of these negotiations," James Dobbins, special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Pressed about reports on the so-called "zero option," Dobbins labeled them "unbalanced and unhelpful."A Pentagon official testifying at the same hearing said the United States will continue working with the Afghan government on establishing a security agreement as well as training Afghan forces."The United States is transitioning in Afghanistan, not leaving," Peter Lavoy, acting assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs said.U.S. and Afghan officials have been discussing plans to keep a small force behind to fight insurgents and to train Afghan security personnel.Dobbins said President Barack Obama is reviewing options for the number of American forces that would stay in Afghanistan 18 months from now."We've made significant progress on the text of a new bilateral security agreement.