ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT (Reuters) - The U.S. military is prepared for any action againstSyria that may be necessary, but officials are still focused onmore aggressive international pressure to bring about the ouster ofPresident Bashar al-Assad, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta saidon Thursday. Vinyl Cutter Plotter
Panetta, speaking to reporters en route to Singapore for a securityconference, stopped short of advocating U.S. action without theendorsement of the U.N. Security Council, but said theinternational community needed to act more aggressively to obtainAssad's ouster while there was time. "This is an intolerable situation," Panetta said. "We cannot besatisfied with what is going on. Cutting Plotter Machine
And the international communityhas got to take further steps to make sure that Assad steps down." Asked about the possibility of U.S. military action without U.N.endorsement, Panetta said "I cannot envision that," adding that itwas important to have "the kind of support that we need in order toaccomplish the mission." His remarks came a day after Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to theUnited Nations, suggested military action without U.N.authorization might be necessary if the U.N. Security Councilfailed to agree on a course to address the Syrian situation. Asked if he disagreed with Rice's assessment, Panetta said theUnited States maintained all possible options for future action,but it was "very important right now that we continue to work withthe international community because we all share the same goalshere." Russia, a leading ally of Assad, has been resistant to further U.N.action against his government, which is fighting to put down arebellion that began as part of the Arab Spring protests forgreater democratic governance in the region. Simple Graph Plotter Manufacturer
Diplomatic efforts to end the bloodshed, including a U.N. brokeredpeace deal last month, have failed to end the fighting. Demands for outside action have risen in recent days amid reportsof a massacre that killed dozens of children and the killing of 13people who appeared to have been tied up and shot at close range. Panetta warned that as the situation in Syria drags on, more andmore countries like Iran and others in the region will becomeinvolved, making it more difficult to bring about a transition to astable new government.
"The longer this goes on, I think the greater the threat that thesituation is going to get worse in terms of what happens ultimatelywhen Assad does step down," he said. "I think the key right now, and I think we still have theopportunity, is to make an effective transition, getting rid ofAssad, but doing it in a way that continues to provide stabilityfor Syria. That ought to be the goal that we try to achieve." (Editing by David Brunnstrom ).
Panetta, speaking to reporters en route to Singapore for a securityconference, stopped short of advocating U.S. action without theendorsement of the U.N. Security Council, but said theinternational community needed to act more aggressively to obtainAssad's ouster while there was time. "This is an intolerable situation," Panetta said. "We cannot besatisfied with what is going on. Cutting Plotter Machine
And the international communityhas got to take further steps to make sure that Assad steps down." Asked about the possibility of U.S. military action without U.N.endorsement, Panetta said "I cannot envision that," adding that itwas important to have "the kind of support that we need in order toaccomplish the mission." His remarks came a day after Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to theUnited Nations, suggested military action without U.N.authorization might be necessary if the U.N. Security Councilfailed to agree on a course to address the Syrian situation. Asked if he disagreed with Rice's assessment, Panetta said theUnited States maintained all possible options for future action,but it was "very important right now that we continue to work withthe international community because we all share the same goalshere." Russia, a leading ally of Assad, has been resistant to further U.N.action against his government, which is fighting to put down arebellion that began as part of the Arab Spring protests forgreater democratic governance in the region. Simple Graph Plotter Manufacturer
Diplomatic efforts to end the bloodshed, including a U.N. brokeredpeace deal last month, have failed to end the fighting. Demands for outside action have risen in recent days amid reportsof a massacre that killed dozens of children and the killing of 13people who appeared to have been tied up and shot at close range. Panetta warned that as the situation in Syria drags on, more andmore countries like Iran and others in the region will becomeinvolved, making it more difficult to bring about a transition to astable new government.
"The longer this goes on, I think the greater the threat that thesituation is going to get worse in terms of what happens ultimatelywhen Assad does step down," he said. "I think the key right now, and I think we still have theopportunity, is to make an effective transition, getting rid ofAssad, but doing it in a way that continues to provide stabilityfor Syria. That ought to be the goal that we try to achieve." (Editing by David Brunnstrom ).