Obama: Everyone believes Assad regime committed chemical attack

Chemical warfare is banned by international conventions against armies, least of all against children, US President Barack Obama said at the closing of the G20 summit in Russia Friday. Bashar must be punished; otherwise any dictator will feel free to violate this ban. He said that in his private conversation with President Vladimir Putin, he was not able to convince him on this point, but they did agree to work together toward a political solution of the Syrian crisis. Obama said reports from US military sources that he had decided to expand the operation against Syria and its inventory of targets were inaccurate. Asked if he would go forward if Congress voted against military intervention in Syria, the president recalled that US intervention in World War II and Kosovo was undertaken by presidents of the day depsite its unpopularity with the American people. Obama will address the nation again next Tuesday.