U.S. intel indicates Syria ramping up chemical weapons bases

(CBS News) President Obama gave a sharp warning Monday to Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian dictator who is fighting a rebellion by his own people.

Assad has not used his chemical weapons, including nerve gas, but the possibility that he might threatens to pull the United States into that conflict.

Here is how President Obama put it:

"I want to make it absolutely clear to Assad and those under his command: The world is watching," the president said. "The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable. And if you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons, there will be consequences and you will be held accountable."

Obama warns Assad against using chemical weapons: "There will be consequences"
Syrian violence prompts U.N. to pull out staff

This satellite image shows one of Syria's two dozen chemical weapons bases. U.S. monitoring of these bases indicates the Assad regime has begun preparing chemical weapons use.

/ CBS News/DigitalGlobe

One of Syria's chemical weapons bases can be spotted in commercial satellite photos. U.S. monitoring of roughly two dozen such bases indicates the Assad regime has begun preparing its chemical weapons for use. Orders have been issued to bring together chemical ingredients which are normally stored separately for safety, but when combined, form the deadly nerve agent sarin.

Throughout months of heavy fighting, intelligence analysts have said Assad remained confident he would defeat the uprising. But now the fighting has crept so close to Damascus that airliners are refusing to land. Syria experts say the regime may have pushed the panic button, although the Syrian foreign ministry repeated today that the Assad dictatorship would never use such weapons against its own people.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the use of chemical weapons enough to call in the U.S. troops.

(CBS News' Margaret Brennan reports on Clinton's comments)

"This is a red line for the United States," she said. "I'm not going to telegraph in any specifics what we would do in the event of credible evidence that the Assad regime has resorted to using chemical weapons against their own people, but suffice it to say we are certainly planning to take action if that eventuality were to occur."

Seizing the chemical weapons and agents would require putting up to 75,000 troops on the ground, a massive operation that U.S. officials say is only likely to happen if and when Assad falls. Preventing Assad from using his chemical weapons would require air strikes against sites defended by Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles.

For now, the Obama administration is backing up its public warnings by sending private messages to Assad through one of his few remaining allies, Russia.

CBS

[duzmafuzt]

Is it wrong, after the Bush years, and come lately to not have trust in our intelligence apparatus, in the good ol USA? With the Benghazi debacle, and absolutely no accountability, do we really trust our own leaders? The CIA is an arm of our leadership, and it failed on 911. The entire intel community failed miserably. This Benghazi thing, has not been explained, and Americans do not care. Syria has chemical weapons? Oh? Did they come, from Iraq? Give us a break. It is going to catch up with us, and then? Maybe another 911 style of an attack? Go back to sleep America. Go back to sleep America!!

[zoopster1]

Pentagon is now saying there is no evidence of any preparation underway for deployment of chemical weapons, and no directive from the Assad regime authorizing either deployment or use.

So we watch and wait. Suits me fine... last thing I want to see is thousands of US troops having to spend Christmas in their MOP gear.

[redbeachvn]

Send in the Israeli and Turkish infantry. The place is in their back yard and as far as dying goes better them than US. They owe us that much.

[lillyhorton]

The US said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. THE US WAS WRONG. The US occpied Iraq for years.

[playgame22]

sam did use such nerve gas, killed thousands of his own people, kirds,,look it up

[payasyougo]

Mr. Obama, you have no credibility.

[cdraper5]

Poor baby. You still upset you lost.

[Rafterman11]

Only the far right wing nutbags believe. In other words, no one of importance.

[antoniof123]

Here we go again let the UN do something it is there job have Russia, or China do it make the EU or Nato do something we need to stand by and shut up.

If this turns out to be another Bush like mess I am going to lose it. It is their country let them kill each other I don't care.

[LandDestroyer]

Where is this building? Who said it is a "chemical weapons base?" How can a satellite image tell you what's going on inside the buildings, especially since these satellites have a very short window to take pictures, and don't return overhead for a least a few days?

All questions I wouldn't have to ask if real journalists wrote a real article, instead of this piece of utter propaganda.

[cdraper5]

What do you know of satellite capabilities. Something you saw on TV or in a movie? I think satellites have these things called rockets on them that allow them to be moved or "Tasked". I want your security clearance revoked!!!!!! Nimrod.

[IrishEyesRSmiling]

Can always count on Russia being an ally of the irrational USA opposition's side in any conflict. What a waste ~

[zoopster1]

Russia/China aren't taking Syria's side just to be contrary. Their interests are strategic, same as ours. Syria hosts several important Russian military bases and ports, and Russian troops routinely run exercises with their Syrian counterparts. We have supported despots like Batista, Diem, Marcos, Pinochet and even Saddam, for the same reasons. What makes them any different from us?

[dj_chi]

by EnoughOfZerobama December 3, 2012 9:43 PM EST
Syria got nothing to worry about, obama is in charge.

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You said that about Romney! Boy, you really pegged that crushing Romney win, didn't ya! It was supposed to be a sure thing.... so is that big win still coming?????

[joesapper]

mixing the chem weapons makes the stable unstable , and made to deliver .

The reports are , they are mixed and moved , so since the deaths are without wounds of projectiles , one has to ask , who or what is the monitor , and who is the doctors that is going to confirm the use ? , this game has been done before with next to no reports of facts .

Who has their hands on the bolt on weapons in the bad guy group , and in September all the weapons were not accounted for , so what about this disaster in the making ?