The Washington Senate Committee passed a resolution in favour of military action on Syria, whilst President Barack Obama, defied pressure from world leaders to abandon plans for air strikes against Syria, during a discussion over the crisis in the Middle-East at the G20 world summit.
Whilst highlighting that the UN security council was effectively paralysed by vetoing powers, Obama told G20 leaders that it was important to uphold international norms against chemical weapons.
The United States ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, reiterated the United Nations inability to attack stating,
“there was no viable path forward in this Security Council.”
Obama’s remarks at the G20 summit come as the Washington Senate Committee passed a resolution that authorised the use of military force on Syria. The entire Senate is expected to vote on the resolution next week.