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President Obama declared Saturday that he has decided to  take unilateral military action against Syria, but is seeking congressional  authority before launching an attack''
 
For the last several days we've  heard form  members of Congress 
President Obama declared Saturday that he has  decided to take unilateral military action against Syria for its alleged use of  chemical weapons, but will seek congressional authority before launching an  attack.
'This menace must be confronted and after  careful deliberation, I have decided that the United States should take military  action against Syrian regime targets,' Obama said from the Rose Garden Saturday.  
'Our military has positioned assets in the  region. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs has informed me that we are prepared to  strike whenever we choose,' he added. 'Our capacity to execute this mission is  not time sensitive. It will be effective tomorrow, or next week, or one month  from now. And I'm prepared to give that order.'
Obama noted that he has the authority to  strike Syria without a vote in Congress, but that a debate over the use of force  would make the country stronger and its response more effective. He did not say  whether he would go forward with an attack if Congress does not give him  authorization.
For the last several days we've  heard form  members of Congress 
who want their voices to be heard,' he  said. 'I absolutely  agree.'He said he spoke to congressional leaders  Saturday morning and that they  have agreed to schedule a debate and then a vote  when Congress comes  back into session. 
Obama made the remarks after meeting at the  White House with members of his  national security team, including Defense  Secretary Chuck Hagel, Joint  Chiefs chairman Martin Dempsey and Vice President  Joe Biden. 
The White House said it would be giving  Senate Republicans and Democrats separate briefings on Saturday. House members  of both parties also received an invitation to attend an  in-person,  members-only classified briefing at 2 p.m. Sunday.
The Syrian army responded to the looming  threat of U.S. strikes on Saturday by saying it will respond with force and has  its 'finger on the trigger.'
'The Syrian army is fully ready, its finger  on the trigger to face any challenge or scenario that they want to carry out,'  Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi said in a written statement aired on state  television.
 
 
Russia's President Vladimir Putin talks to journalists  in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, August 31, 2013
 
The statement from the Syrian army came after  the Obama administration  on Friday made its strongest case yet for a  'limited, narrow' punitive military  action against Assad. 
'History would judge us all extraordinarily  harshly if we turned a blind eye to a dictator’s use of chemical weapons,'  Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday, calling Assad a 'thug' and a  'murderer.'
'Some cite the risk of doing things,' he  added. 'But we need to ask, “What is the risk of doing nothing?”' 
The administration also released a  four-page  intelligence report Friday that said at least 1,429 people, including more than  400 children, were killed by the chemical weapons attack on August 21.  
Russian President Vladimir Putin countered Saturday that it would be 'utter nonsense'  for the Syrian government to use chemical weapons and urged  the U.S. to hold  off on any military action.
 
 
Hundreds died in the alleged chemical attacks on  Wednesday, including many women and children'
 
 
 
 
Secretary of State John Kerry said images like these  contributed to the U.S. assessment that chemical weapons were used in Syria''
 
 
Calling Assad a 'thug' and a 'murderer,' John Kerry  declared, 'History would judge us all extraordinarily harshly if we turned a  blind eye to a dictator¿s use of chemical weapons.'
'While the Syrian army is on the offensive,  saying that it is the Syrian  government that used chemical weapons is utter  nonsense,' he said. 'I  would like to address Obama as a Nobel Peace Prize  laureate: before  using force in Syria, it would be good to think about future  casualties.'
He challenged the U.S. to  provide any  evidence tying Assad's forces to the attack and suggested that top leaders  discuss the issue next week at the G20  summit.
'If they say that the [Syrian]  governmental  forces used weapons of mass destruction… and that they have proof of it, let  them present it to the UN inspectors and the [UN]  Security Council,' Putin  said. 'Claims that the proof exists, but is  classified and cannot be presented  to anybody are below criticism. This  is plain disrespect for their  partners.'
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