Obama confident Congress will authorise Syria strike

US President Barack Obama today exuded confidence that the Congress will authorise his request for a military strike against the Bashar al-Assad regime for its alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians.
"What happens if Congress doesn't approve it? I believe that Congress will approve it," Obama said.
"I believe Congress will approve it because I think America recognises that as difficult as it is to take any military action - even one as limited as we're talking about, even one without boots on the ground, that's a sober decision," he said at a joint news conference in Stockholm along with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.

"I think America also recognises that if the international community fails to maintain certain norms, standards and laws governing how countries interact and how people are treated, that over time, this world becomes less safe," Obama said.
The Congress is expected to take a vote on it early next week, with key Congressional committees having holding hearings on Syria and discussing the draft resolution on military attack.
The Obama Administration's top leadership has been briefing the lawmakers on a daily basis.

Obama said he would not have taken this before Congress just as a symbolic gesture.
"I think it's very important that Congress say that we mean what we say. I think we will be stronger as a country in our response if the President and Congress does it together," he said.

"As Commander in Chief, I always preserve the right and the responsibility to act on behalf of America's national security. I do not believe that I was required to take this to Congress, but I did not take this to Congress just because it's an empty exercise. I think it's important to have Congress' support on it," Obama said.