US President Barack Obama said he has decided to take military action against Syria, but will seek authorisation from Congress before he does.
Obama said on Saturday that the US had presented a "powerful case" linking the Syrian government to an alleged chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs last week.
"It is a danger to our national security," he said, "that risks making a mockery of the global prohibition on the use of chemicalweapons."
In a brief statement delivered at the White House, Obama told reporters that the US military was prepared to launch a "limited" strike, which analysts say will likely entail firing cruise missiles at Syrian army targets.
"I'm confident we can hold the Assad regime accountable for their use of chemical weapons and deter this kind of behaviour and degrade their capacity to carry it out," he said.
The president made no mention of when he will seek authorisation from Congress, but lawmakers are scheduled to return from recess on September 9.

Utter nonsense

Earlier on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that the US provide evidence of the Syrian government's alleged use of chemical weapons to the UN Security Council.
He added that it would be "utter nonsense" for the Syrian government to have used such weapons.
"Syrian government troops are on the offensive and have surrounded the opposition in several regions. In these conditions, to give a trump card to those who are calling for a military intervention is utter nonsense," Putin told reporters in Vladivostok city near the Chinese border.
Syria has denied carrying out the attack, and Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi said on Saturday that Syria's army is ready for potential foreign strikes against it and has its "finger on the trigger."
As tensions rise, Arab foreign ministers will meet in Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Sunday to discuss Syria, Arab League deputy chief Ahmed Ben Helli said.
The meeting had been scheduled for Tuesday, but was advanced "inlight of rapid developments in the Syria situation and based on the request of several Arab states," Ben Helli told reporters.
Last Tuesday, the Arab League accused the Syrian regime of carrying out chemical weapons attacks.

Obstructionism

The US is struggling to rally international support for an attack on Syria, and a strong statement from the Arab League would be a boost. The British parliament rejected a motion calling for military action on Thursday night.
In a report released on Friday, the US said the attack killed 1,429 people, including more than 400 children. Aid agencies cited lower figures, saying that 355 people were killed, with as many as 3,000 injured.
A team of UN weapons inspectors finished gathering evidence about the alleged attacks on Saturday, and left Damascus. It could take days, if not weeks, for the team to analyse its samples.
US officials have already said they will not wait for the results: Secretary of state John Kerry said on Friday that the UN report would only confirm that chemical weapons were used, not who used them.

Source: ALJAZEERA NEWS!