It’s looking like Iraq War redux.
President Obama’s report that Syria has used chemical weapons drew support from Britain, but shrugs from Iraq War opponents France and Germany — and contempt from Russia.
The less-than-supportive response of US allies yesterday had the White House ruling out sending combat troops to support the beleaguered Syrian rebels and hesitating on the idea of a no-fly zone.
Britain hailed the US determination that dictator Bashar al-Assad used poison gas.
“We welcome the decision of the United States to share this assessment with the international community,” said British Foreign Secretary William Hague.
But France, which sounded the alarm on chemical weapons with Britain in April, said taking a major step against Assad like a no-fly zone would have to be approved by the UN Security Council.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called “urgently” for a meeting of the council — where Russia, an Assad ally, would veto any major action.
Alexey Pushkov, chairman of Russia’s parliamentary foreign-affairs committee, said Obama’s chemical-weapons evidence was “faked in the same place as the lie about Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction.”
“Obama is going down the route of G. Bush,” he tweeted.
But Syrian rebels, who have suffered recent setbacks, welcomed the promise of US military aid, which could include anti-tank weapons.
Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called for the United States to impose a no-fly zone to protect the rebels.
But the White House virtually ruled that out. “A no-fly zone is not a silver bullet,” said Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes.