France keen on Syria action despite US delay

French President Francois Hollande, who appears determined to launch imminent strikes on Syria, is hamstrung by the United States -- which has delayed taking action -- and growing domestic opposition to military intervention.
Hollande, who unilaterally intervened in Mali to prevent Islamists from proceeding south towards the country's capital, has repeatedly voiced his determination to "punish" President Bashar al-Assad's regime for alleged chemical weapons attacks on August 21.
France has been catapulted to the status of Washington's main ally in the Syria crisis after the British parliament in a shock move rejected plans for military action mooted by Washington.
But Paris risks being seen as the "trailer" to the American vehicle in case of an intervention, former French prime minister Francois Fillon warned over the weekend.

He said France should act "responsibly" and not follow anyone into an attack "even if they are our friends and allies, the Americans."
"The region is a powder-keg," Fillon warned.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad today branded the French government as "irresponsible" and accused Hollande and foreign minister Laurent Fabius of duping "the French people to justify the failed policies against Syria."
But a French government source said the government would soon declassify and make public secret documents which showed that Damascus had stockpiled sarin, mustard gas and other chemical agents.
The Journal du Dimanche newspaper said Damascus's arsenal exceeded 1,000 tonnes of chemical agents, some of which had been stored for nearly three decades.

US President Barack Obama in a surprise move put off threatened missile strikes on Damascus that had appeared imminent, saying he would seek approval from Congress first.
This pushes back any military action until at least September 9, when US lawmakers return from their summer break.
The United States and other Western and Arab countries blame the alleged gas attacks in the Damascus suburbs on the Assad regime, which itself strenuously denies any responsibility and points an accusing finger at the opposition forces.
Washington says that based on its intelligence, more than 1,400 people were killed in the gruesome incident.

"If the United States decides not to intervene, it's clear that France cannot go it alone because there has to be a coalition to ensure legitimacy," said Elisabeth Guigou, the head of parliament's foreign affairs committee and a member of Hollande's Socialist party.
But a French source close to the case voiced concern over putting off action for too long.