With the Obama Administration stating that the Assad regime used chemical weapons against its own people and it has credible evidence in this regard, top US lawmakers demanded decisive actions in Syria including a no-fly zone and arming the rebels.
"We cannot afford to delay any longer. Assad is on the offensive with every weapon in his arsenal and with the complete support of his foreign allies. We must take more decisive actions now to turn the tide of the conflict in Syria," Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, said.
The senators said the US must rally an international coalition to take military actions to degrade Assad's ability to use airpower and ballistic missiles and to move and resupply his forces around the battlefield by air.
"The President's red line has been crossed and the country's credibility is on the line," they said adding that it was not the time to merely take the next incremental step but to move ahead for more decisive actions.
Stating that Assad's forces conducted at least 5,000 air-to-ground attacks last month alone, the two Senators said a decision to provide lethal assistance, especially ammunition and heavy weapons, to opposition forces in Syria is long overdue.
"We hope the President will take this urgently needed step. But providing arms alone is not sufficient. That alone is not enough to change the military balance of power on the ground against Assad," they said.
The House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers said the US should assist the Turks and Arab League partners to create safe zones in Syria from which US and its allies can train, arm, and equip vetted opposition forces.
"These efforts have the potential of turning the tide once and for all against the Assad regime to deliver a peace negotiation. Then the United States would have the credibility it needs for a seat at the table during the transition to a post-Assad Syria," he said.
Senator Bob Corker, ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, urged Obama to exercise leadership by ensuring that strict safeguards are in place and publicly make the case to the American people for arming moderate forces.
"Such an effort would embrace the approach passed overwhelmingly by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and would acknowledge the enormous risks for the US and region from the worsening conflict, which could lead to an extremist takeover," said Corker.
"It is now clear that the Assad regime has crossed a red line. I support the President's decision to expand assistance for the vetted Syrian opposition, and I encourage the Administration to begin, in earnest, arming the Free Syrian Army," Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said.
