Obama's bid to Congress on Syria part of push for global backing: U.N.

[ProSense]

Obama's bid to Congress on Syria part of push for global backing: U.N.

By Louis Charbonneau and Edith Honan

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to seek congressional approval for possible military action against Syria can be seen as part of an effort to forge a global consensus on responding to the use of chemical arms anywhere, the United Nations said on Sunday.

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U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon views Obama's decision "as one aspect of an effort to achieve a broad-based international consensus on measures in response to any use of chemical weapons," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

"The use of chemical weapons will not be accepted under any circumstances," he added. "There should be no impunity and any perpetrators of such a horrific crime against humanity must be held accountable."

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Nesirky said Ban spoke earlier on Sunday with Ake Sellstrom, head of the U.N. chemical weapons inspection team that left Syria on Saturday. Sellstrom is currently in The Hague preparing the analysis of samples and evidence collected at the site of the August 21 attack.

- more -

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/01/us-syria-crisis-un-idUSBRE98009420130901

[1-Old-Man]

1. If that had been his purpose he would have said so

If I read your post correctly what you are showing is one person's speculation about another person's opinion. See where Louis and Edith (the authors) say "can be seen as" in your first excerpt? That's what I mean by speculation, and then see where Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's "views" are quoted? That's what I mean by another person's opinion.

This is a real problem with today's delivery of 'news'. For the most part you are just being given someone's opinion, not actual facts.

[GeorgeGist]

2. Unless it turns out to be the rebels.

"There should be no impunity and any perpetrators of such a horrific crime against humanity must be held accountable."