WASHINGTON - The United States has not concluded that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against it own people as a way to try to crush the rebellion in the country, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Tuesday.
Carney spoke after the Israeli military's top intelligence analyst said in Israel that Syrian government forces had used chemical weapons repeatedly in Syria's two-year civil war.
The United States has declared that use of chemical weapons by Syria would cross a “red line” that could trigger intervention.
Pressed on the issue at his daily news briefing, Carney said the United States had not concluded that chemical weapons had been used and said it is difficult to determine when such weapons are used.
He said the United States remains concerned about reports that these weapons had been utilized and that Washington is skeptical of reports that the Syrian opposition had used them.
Obama has made clear that the use of chemical weapons or transmission of them to “non-state actors” is unacceptable. - Reuters