美国:叙总统阿萨德跨过使用化武的“红线” US: Syria's Assad Crossed 'Red Line' with Chemical Weapons

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美国官员说,华盛顿正在推动一项计划,向叙利亚反政府武装提供武器。此举获得美国在欧洲盟友的积极初步回应。

此前,白宫官员说,情报部门的报告发现,在过去的一年里,大马士革曾多次小规模地对叙利亚反政府武装使用了化学武器,包括沙林毒气。

美国副国家安全事务顾问罗兹星期四说,奥巴马总统已经决定授权向叙利亚反政府武装提供“直接军事援助”。美国官员后来承认,向反政府武装提供的援助项目包括武器和弹药。

英国外交大臣黑格星期五说,伦敦同意美国对叙利亚使用化学武器的评估,呼吁国际社会做出“有力、果断的”回应。

北约秘书长拉斯穆森也欢迎他所说的“美国明确的声明”。他说,使用化学武器是“完全不能接受的”。他呼吁叙利亚让联合国对有关报道进行调查。

但是叙利亚的盟友俄罗斯说,美国提供的证据“看上去并不令人信服”。俄罗斯总统普京的助手乌沙科夫还说,美国扩大军事援助将阻碍举行叙利亚和平会议的努力。

美国情报官员近几个月来一直表示,他们确信叙利亚当局使用了化学武器。但奥巴马曾说,在确定下个步骤之前,他需要得到确凿证据。迄今为止,美国仅向叙利亚反政府武装提供非致命性的援助。


Officials say Washington is moving forward with a plan to provide arms to Syrian rebels, a move that prompted a positive early reaction from U.S. allies in Europe.

The decision came after White House officials said an intelligence report found conclusive evidence that Damascus used chemical weapons, including deadly sarin gas, on a small scale against Syrian rebels during the past year.

In response, Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said Thursday that President Barack Obama decided to authorize "direct military support" to the opposition. U.S. officials later acknowledged this support would include weapons and ammunition.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Friday that London agrees with the U.S. assessment on chemical weapons use, and called for a "strong, determined" response from the international community.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen also welcomed what he called the "clear U.S. statement." He said the use of chemical weapons is "completely unacceptable" and called on Syria to let the U.N. investigate the reports.

But Russia, Syria's ally, said the evidence provided by the U.S. "does not look convincing."  Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, also said the expanded U.S. military aid will hamper efforts to convene a Syria peace conference.

U.S. intelligence officials have been saying for months they suspect chemical weapons were used by the Syrian government . But Mr. Obama had said he needed to see firm evidence before deciding his next move. The U.S. has so far only provided non-lethal aid to the rebels.