Secretary of State John Kerry revealed Friday the highlights of an unclassified intelligence assessment into last weeks reported chemical weapons attack that killed more than 1,000 outside Damascus, saying it is clear to the United States that the Syrian government was responsible.

“We know that a senior regime official confirmed that chemical weapons were used by the regime,” Kerry said from the State Department, offering the bluntest rationale yet for military engagement in Syria in a blistering 19 minute statement. “We know this.”

According to Kerry, the United States also knows that at least 1,429 Syrians were killed in the attack, including at least 426 children. He said the U.S. has been able to confirm the source of the Syrian chemical weapons in last week’s attack, and that Syrian government weapons technicians were known to be preparing their use. Kerry said this assessment was “fact.”

Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2013...ation/#ixzz2dYcuD66M

1. When I vote to give the President of the United States the authority to use force, if necessary, to disarm Saddam Hussein, it is because I believe that a deadly ****nal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a threat, and a grave threat, to our security and that of our allies in the Persian Gulf region. I will vote yes because I believe it is the best way to hold Saddam Hussein accountable." —Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9,2002
   
   Congressional Record — Sen. John F. Kerry 

Might I suggest dropping a few anti Gluon bombs on the chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria. 

Putin demands US prove Syria chemical arms use

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday dismissed as "nonsense" claims that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons and demanded that the United States provide proof.

http://news.yahoo.com/putin-de...-arms-105200603.html

I don't think there is any doubt that chemical weapons were used. But now what? Does the world just turn its back on such an attack? Do we join forces and send a message that this type of war fare is not going to be tolerated? 

I am torn on this one. On one hand I feel that we should make a limited strike on Syria to help possibly keep our allies safe in that region from further chemical attacks. On the other hand, it would benefit the Rebels and since they have been linked to al Qaida I don't want to help them in anyway, shape or form. Its a tough decision.

Anyone else got an opinion?

The US has no business in Syria and should not intervene with military force. While many of our allies talk the talk they are unwilling to walk the walk and will abandon us at the least push back. Also there is no such thing as a surgical strike without collateral damage. Just look at Libya, they begged for US air support and now some of the families of victims of surgical strike collateral damage want to sue the US govt and burned down our consulate. So much for gratitude.

In recent yrs. everytime we have intervened with military power in the ME it has come back to bite us. Anyone remember the Marine barracks bombing in Lebanon? How about Somalia? We went there to prevent them from starving and bring some order. They repaid us by dragging the body of an  almost nude US Army pilot through the streets and laughing. In Iraq and Afghanistan thousands of US casualties and they repaid us by stealing as much as they could and killing even more US personnel.  In Libya they begged the US for help and showed their gratitude by burning our consulate and killing more US personnel. Then there is Egypt..... and it just goes on and on. The US tries to help and the world hates us even more.

No, I think we should sit this one out. If other countries want to intervene more power to them. 

It might be wise to remember that Assad isn't the only WMD owner in the region:

Turkish security forces found a 2kg cylinder with sarin gas after searching the homes of Syrian militants from the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Nusra Front who were previously detained, Turkish media reports. The gas was reportedly going to be used in a bomb.

The sarin gas was found in the homes of suspected Syrian Islamists detained in the southern provinces of Adana and Mersia following a search by Turkish police on Wednesday, reports say. The gas was allegedly going to be used to carry out an attack in the southern Turkish city of Adana.

On Monday, Turkish special anti-terror forces arrested 12 suspected members of the Al-Nusra Front, the Al-Qaeda affiliated group which has been dubbed "the most aggressive and successful arm” of the Syrian rebels. The group was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in December.

http://rt.com/news/sarin-gas-turkey-al-nusra-021/

United Nations human rights investigators have said that they have gathered testimony from outside Syria suggesting that the rebels, and not Bashar Assad's regime, may have used chemical weapons.

"Our investigators have been in neighboring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions, but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated, "Carla Del Ponte, a member of the UN independent commission of inquiry on Syria, told Swiss-Italian television. "This was use on the part of the opposition, the rebels, not by the government authorities," she added.

http://www.clarionproject.org/...sed-chemical-weapons

It is possible that a conventional weapon found a WMD stash; it has happened before: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Raid_on_Bari

I guess now we wait and see what Congress decides. 

I hate the thought of more military action on the part of the US. Yet, I know that we can't just bury our heads in the sand and pretend it isn't happening. We learned on 9/11 how fast it can come to our own country. The problem with Syria is that both sides are rotten to the core. 

In Syria, we see an Islamic civil war.  The inheritors of the Persian and Ottoman empires are willing to fight to the last Arab, as usual.  With Russia and China lurking in the background, things are getting interesting.  And, not in a good way.

Democrats and their wars. The hardest part for them now-they can't blame Bush anymore. What will they do, what will they do.

Congress will decide if we use military action or not Best. You know Congress, right? Those men and women who represent ALL Americans up there in D.C.? Democrat AND Republican. 

What are we wanting to blow up?  We don't really need to rely on our track record on improving middle eastern governments.

You mean the same people who approved the Iraq war !