UN Chief Urges West to Await Syria Report

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is
urging world powers to hold off on
possible military action against Syria
until a U.N chemical weapons inspection
team completes its work in the country.

Ban said Thursday that the team will
leave the country by Saturday and
report its findings to him.
He said "diplomacy should be given a
chance" as the U.S. and other Western
powers consider their response to the
Syrian government's alleged use of
chemical weapons against civilians last
week.

The U.N. team left Damascus in a
convoy on Thursday to begin its third
day of inspections.
British Prime Minister David Cameron is
meeting with parliament on Thursday to
discuss the Syria situation.
Amid mounting pressure from
lawmakers, his government said
Wednesday that Britain would not take
part in any military action against Syria
until the U.N. team had a chance to
report its findings.

In Washington, White House officials
plan to brief members of Congress, on
Thursday, about intelligence on the
alleged poison gas attacks that killed
hundreds of civilians in Damascus
suburbs.
The Syrian government denies having
any role in the alleged attacks. And state
media reports say Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad said Thursday his
country would defend itself against any
aggression and emerge "victorious."

Iran warned any Western action against
Syria would result in the "imminent
destruction of Israel," a U.S. ally in the
region.
According to Iranian news reports,
Revolutionary Guards Major General
Mohammad Ali Jafari also said any U.S.
action against Damascus would be like
a "second Vietnam" for America.
U.S. President Barack Obama says he
has not decided on any action, but he
has vowed that those who break
international norms need to be held
accountable.

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