U.S. says Syria used chemical weapons
WASHINGTON – The White House declared Thursday that U.S. intelligence indicates Syrian President Bashar Assad has twice used deadly chemical weapons in his country’s fierce civil war, a provocative action that would cross President Barack Obama’s “red line” for a significant military response. But the administration said the revelation won’t immediately change its stance on intervening.
The information, which has been known to the administration and some members of Congress for weeks, isn’t solid enough to warrant quick U.S. involvement in the 2-year-old conflict, the White House said. Officials said the assessments were made with “varying degrees of confidence” given the difficulty of information gathering in Syria, though there appeared to be little question within the intelligence community.
Obama consoles survivors of Texas blast
WACO, Texas – President Barack Obama on Thursday was consoling mourners of the first responders who died last week in a fertilizer plant explosion that killed at least 14 people and devastated a small Texas town.
Obama attended a memorial service at Baylor University for those killed in last week’s explosion in nearby West, Texas, even as crews continued to search for answers to what caused the blast or whether any foul play was involved.
The April 17 explosion left a crater more than 90 feet wide and damaged dozens of buildings, displacing many residents from their homes.
The Insurance Council of Texas estimates it caused more than $100 million in damage.
Associated Press
