President Barack Obama is still evaluating how the U.S. will respond to the chemical attack on Syrian civilians, allegedly by the Syrian government.

President Obama
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But Obama says any American response would send a "strong signal" to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Obama administration officials have said they would take action against the Syrian government even without the backing of allies or the United Nations.

British PM promises to hold off on Syrian intervention

WASHINGTON (AP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron is promising British lawmakers that he would not go to war until a U.N. chemical weapons team on the ground in Syria has a chance to report its findings.

On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council failed to reach an agreement on a draft resolution from the British seeking authorization for the use of force in Syria following last week's chemical weapons attack.

Russia, as expected, objects to international intervention.

Iran tries to prevent military strike on Syria

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's state TV is reporting that President Hassan Rouhani has said Iran will apply all efforts to prevent military action against the Tehran-backed regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The Thursday report says the remarks came late Wednesday during a phone conversation between Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Rouhani was quoted as saying "military action will have a big amount of costs for the region" and "it is necessary to apply all efforts to prevent it."

According to the report, he said both Iran and Russia would work to prevent any military action against Syria and called such action an "open violation" of international laws.

While condemning chemical weapons, Rouhani was quoted as saying, "Early judgment can be dangerous, before clarification" of allegations that Syria used such weapons.

UN chemical experts leave Damascus hotel

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — U.N. experts investigating purported poison gas attacks have left their Damascus hotel, but anti-regime activists say the team's destination was not immediately known.

The inspectors spent two days this week taking biological samples and interviewing survivors in the suburbs of Damascus where Syrian activists say hundreds were killed in the Aug. 21 attacks.

Associated Press photographers say the team left the hotel this morning in six cars with U.N. markings. The team's two-week mandate ends this weekend.

U.S. President Barack Obama says he has concluded the Syrian regime is behind the attack. It's not clear if the Western powers will wait for the U.N. experts' findings before launching a possible punitive military strike.

The U.S. has signaled it would act even without backing from its allies or the U.N.


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)

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