AP: President Barack Obama’s abrupt decision to instead ask Congress for permission left him with a high-risk gamble that could devastate his credibility if no action is ultimately taken in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack that crossed his own “red line.”
Obama’s credibility on line in reversal
President Hollande says alleged chemical attack cannot go unpunished
Wall Street Journal: President François Hollande’s vow to join a potential U.S.-led strike on Syria propels France to the unusual position of Washington’s top ally after the U.K. withdrew amid strong public and parliamentary opposition to military action.
UN experts leave Syria as US edges toward strike
AP: The U.N. experts investigating last week’s alleged chemical weapons strike outside Damascus left Syria early Saturday and crossed into neighboring Lebanon, departing hours after President Barack Obama said he is weighing “limited and narrow” action against Syrian regime.
U.S. intelligence on Syria stops short of Assad’s role
Bloomberg: As additional evidence of the Syrian regime’s complicity, the report said the U.S. intercepted communications involving a senior Syrian official “who confirmed that chemical weapons were used by the regime on August 21 and was concerned” that a United Nations team investigating the attack would obtain evidence.
Quietly, some allies push for action
Wall Street Journal: Turkish, Israeli and Saudi officials in recent days are telling President Barack Obama he must respond to Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons. Failure to act, these allies said, could convince Iran that Washington isn’t serious about halting its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
US: Iran can’t access much oil income
AP: The U.S. has concluded that nearly half of Iran’s monthly earnings from crude oil exports are accumulating in accounts overseas because of sanctions that restrict Tehran’s access to the money.
Glencore trades with Iran even as competitors depart
Bloomberg: Glencore Xstrata Plc (GLEN), the largest publicly traded commodities supplier, is conducting business with Iran even as competitors abandon the country, potentially drawing scrutiny from regulators.
Kerry: Failure to act on Syria would embolden Iran
AFP: US Secretary of State John Kerry declared Friday that international failure to take military action against Syria over its chemical weapons attacks would embolden Iran and Hezbollah.
Obama’s advisers shifted on Syria as Libya honed caution
Bloomberg: President Barack Obama is shaping his decision whether to attack Syria with the help of a small, loyal cadre of advisers who almost to a person share a reluctance to engage Bashar al-Assad’s regime militarily.
Mother of man held in Iran releases letter to him
AP: The mother of a former U.S. Marine who has been held in Iran for two years on spying charges on Thursday released the contents of a letter she sent to him. Behnaz Hekmati told her son Amir that the two years apart “is almost too much for a mother to endure.
