US not rushing to war in Syria

The White House clarified days after it had come to know that the Syrian regime under President Bashar Al-Asaad had used chemical weapons on its own people.

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough speaking on CBS News on Sunday, has said that the U.S. would not rush to war in Syria. Photo: AP

US is not rushing to war in Syria, the White House has stressed, days after it said that that Syrian regime led by President Bashar Al-Asaad has crossed the red line by using chemical weapons against its own people.

“We’ve rushed to war in this region until the past. We’re not going to do it here,” White House Chief of Staff, Denis McDonough told the CBS news in an interview while referring to Iraq.

“We have to be very discerning about what’s in our interest and what outcome is best for us, and the prices that we’re willing to pay to get to that place,” he said.

McDonough said “scope and scale” of US assistance, which has been robust heretofore, to the Syrian opposition council as well as to the Syrian military council will expand.

“Why are we doing that? We’re doing that because we want to make sure that Syrians who want to take charge of their own country have the ability to do that. We want to make sure that they have the cohesion and the capabilities to work together with their colleagues to have the kind of future for Syria,” he said.

As the Obama Administration moves ahead with its policy on Syria, the White House official said the US would take into confidence its allies and partners in this regard.