While the U.S. appears poised for missile strikes against Syria as early as Thursday in response to the Assad regime's August 21 chemical weapons attacks near Damascus, clarity of mission remains an issue for Obama.
The White House is obliged to act in some way on Syria's unequivocal crossing of the so-called 'red line'. But beyond that the goals of the anticipated campaign are murky. According to the administration, the action will "deter and degrade" Assad without striving for a regime change. Others raise questions about the real effect of taking any military action at all, if it's something the Assad regime can survive.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has been a leading voice on taking action against Syria, has stopped short of U.S.-led regime change in Syria, but has called for purposeful U.S. force that includes arming the Syrian resistance.
"Is this just going to be just a retaliatory strike that has no lasting impact or something that changes the momentum on the ground in Syria?" McCain asked Tuesday.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the U.S. was "ready to go" when it comes to military action against Syria.
"We have moved assets in place to be able to fulfill and comply with whatever option the president wishes to take," Hagel told BBC News Tuesday.
According to Navy officials, four destroyers are positioned in the Mediterranean near Syria: the USS Mahan, USS Barry, USS Gravely and the USS Ramage. A fifth, the USS Stout, has also been positioned in the Mediterranean, but officials say it won't participate in any cruise missile attacks.
The escalation this week of U.S. rhetoric follows remarks from Secretary of State John Kerry, who said on Monday that the chemical weapons attacks were a "moral obscenity." In what was perhaps the strongest language from the administration on Syria at the time, Kerry accused the Syrian government of the “indiscriminate slaughter of civilians” and a cover up for a "cowardly crime."
Speaking at the American Legion National Convention in Houston Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden directly said, "Chemical weapons have been used."
"Everyone acknowledges their use," said Biden. "No one doubts that innocent men, women and children have been the victims of chemical weapons attacks in Syria, and there's no doubt who's responsible for this heinous use of chemical weapons in Syria: the Syrian regime," Biden said.
During Tuesday's White House briefing, press secretary Jay Carney reiterated the administration's intent is not to overthrow Assad.
"The options that we are considering are not about regime change," Carney said. "They are about responding to the clear violation of an international standard that prohibits the use of chemical weapons."
