US could pause Syria War plan, says Obama

Barack Obama said he will put military strikes on hold if Syria agrees to place its chemical weapons under international control.

11:44 10 September 2013

Following US Secretary of State John Kerry inadvertent suggestion that Syria put its chemical weapons stockpiles under international control and after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov presented the same proposal with his Syrian counterpart, US President Barack Obama confirmed that he is willing to put military strikes on hold if Syria complies.

On Monday, the US president gave series of television interviews with the goal to build support among US congress. He maintains a limited strike is necessary to punish Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime for using chemical weapons that killed more than one thousand civilians.

Mr Obama told BBC news: "I want to make sure that norm against use of chemical weapons is maintained.”

"That's in our national security interest. If we can do that without a military strike, that is overwhelmingly my preference."

Diane Sawyer asked the president if he’s going to put military attack on hold should Mr Assad comply and he answered: “Absolutely, if in fact that happened.”