Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halki had a narrow escape when a car bomb exploded near his convoy Monday morning as it moved through an upper-class Damascus neighborhood. State television said Halki was unharmed, but at least nine people were killed and 17 injured.
Syrian government officials said the attack showed that the rebels are not interested in negotiations.
In Washington, Secretary of State John F. Kerry sought to persuade Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria, to remain on the job. Brahimi has been on the verge of quitting for weeks, given the failure of his efforts inside and outside Syria to foster a diplomatic resolution. His departure would erode the Obama administration’s main diplomatic argument that a political settlement can be reached.
On Monday, Arab foreign ministers also met with Kerry in a session led by Qatar. Qatar is one of two Persian Gulf nations known to be arming the Syrian opposition, and several other nations have quietly concluded that Islamist extremists are among the recipients. Vice President Biden briefly joined the meeting, according to participants.
More forceful U.S. role urged
Several of Syria’s Arab neighbors, led by close U.S. ally Jordan, are lobbying for a more forceful U.S. role in Syria. There is no consensus about what the United States should do, however. Options include giving heavier gear to the rebels, providing protection for refugees or rebel fighters with missile batteries or aircraft, or authorizing precision airstrikes to destroy chemical weapons stockpiles or key air defenses.
The U.S. announcement last week that Syrian government forces have probably used sarin, a nerve agent, has fueled bipartisan congressional demands for better protection of Syrian refugees or more help to the rebels. Lawmakers who have been most critical of the administration’s stance, including Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), said the apparent use of chemical weapons crosses the threshold that President Obama had set for U.S. intervention.
Obama, however, has insisted on additional proof to buttress the U.S. intelligence assessments. Intelligence agencies concluded with moderate to high confidence that Syria has used the internationally banned weapons, but they cited potential problems with the evidence, said officials familiar with the findings. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the assessments.
The White House has said only that the findings were reached with “varying degrees of confidence.”
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US working hard to find political resolution to Syrian conflict – Washington Post
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US working hard to find political resolution to Syrian conflict - Washington Post
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