Kerry in Paris to discuss Syria strike

Iran Press TV

Sat Sep 7, 2013 8:21PM

US Secretary of State John Kerry is trying to bolster support from world countries including European nations for a possible US military attack on Syria.

Kerry, Vietnam vet and former Massachusetts senator, claimed Saturday that the potential strike already has the support of "a number of countries, in the double digits."

'We have more countries prepared to take military action than we actually could use in the kind of military action being contemplated," said Kerry, during a visit to Paris.

The European Union has said any strike on Syria should wait until after UN inspectors publish their report. The UN's chemical weapons experts could submit their initial findings by the end of next week, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

The United States claimed the Syrian government used chemical weapons in an August 21 attack against militants stationed in the suburbs of Damascus. Syrian authorities categorically rejected the claim, blaming the foreign-backed militants for gassing people.

Kerry is playing the role former US secretary of state Colin Powell had to pave the ground for invading Iraq based on false intelligence back in 2003. Now Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling Kerry a liar in regard to the Syrian case. 'Well, he [Kerry] lies. And he knows that he lies. This is sad,' Putin said earlier.

Apart from international community, Kerry should also convince a skeptical House of Representatives and the public opinion at home for the necessity of military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Guardian reported Saturday that even the Pentagon and the joint chiefs of staff 'are ambivalent about the mission.'

ARA/ARA