WASHINGTON—President Obama said on Wednesday he has not yet made a decision on whether he will order a military strike against Syria, but said the U.S. government has "concluded" that Bashar Assad's regime has deployed chemical weapons.
In an interview on PBS NewsHour following his address to mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, Obama added that he has "no interest" in an open-ended conflict.
"I have not made a decision," Obama said in the interview. "I have gotten options from our military, had extensive discussions with my national security team."
Obama, however, said that Syrian regime's alleged use of chemical weapons would factor into his calculation to act, and he warned that the Assad should be held accountable.
"I have not made a decision, but I think it's important that if, in fact, we make a choice to have repercussions for the use of chemical weapons, then the Assad regime, which is involved in a civil war, trying to protect itself, will have received a pretty strong signal, that in fact, it better not do it again," Obama said. "And that doesn't solve all the problems inside of Syria, and, you know, it doesn't, obviously end the death of innocent civilians inside of Syria. "
Obama added that he's received options from military advisers and has consulted extensively with his national security team as he ponders his next move. But the president made clear that he is certain that Assad's team was responsible for the Aug. 21 strike on the outskirts of Damascus.
"We have looked at all the evidence, and we do not believe the opposition possessed nuclear weapons on – or chemical weapons of that sort," Obama said. "We do not believe that, given the delivery systems, using rockets, that the opposition could have carried out these attacks. We have concluded that the Syrian government in fact carried these out. And if that's so, then there need to be international consequences. "
In an interview on PBS NewsHour following his address to mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, Obama added that he has "no interest" in an open-ended conflict.
"I have not made a decision," Obama said in the interview. "I have gotten options from our military, had extensive discussions with my national security team."
Obama, however, said that Syrian regime's alleged use of chemical weapons would factor into his calculation to act, and he warned that the Assad should be held accountable.
"I have not made a decision, but I think it's important that if, in fact, we make a choice to have repercussions for the use of chemical weapons, then the Assad regime, which is involved in a civil war, trying to protect itself, will have received a pretty strong signal, that in fact, it better not do it again," Obama said. "And that doesn't solve all the problems inside of Syria, and, you know, it doesn't, obviously end the death of innocent civilians inside of Syria. "
Obama added that he's received options from military advisers and has consulted extensively with his national security team as he ponders his next move. But the president made clear that he is certain that Assad's team was responsible for the Aug. 21 strike on the outskirts of Damascus.
"We have looked at all the evidence, and we do not believe the opposition possessed nuclear weapons on – or chemical weapons of that sort," Obama said. "We do not believe that, given the delivery systems, using rockets, that the opposition could have carried out these attacks. We have concluded that the Syrian government in fact carried these out. And if that's so, then there need to be international consequences. "