Assad stands ready for defense
Print Edition
Syria’s foreign minister said his country would defend itself using “all means available” in case of a US strike, denying that his government was behind an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus and challenging Washington to present proof backing up its accusations.
Walid al-Moallem, speaking at a press conference in Damascus yesterday, likened US allegations that President Bashar Assad’s regime was behind the attack to false American charges that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction before the 2003 US-led invasion of that country.
“They have a history of lies — Iraq,” he said.
Al-Moallem spoke a day after US Secretary of State John Kerry said there was “undeniable” evidence of a large-scale chemical attack likely launched by the Syrian government.
Al-Moallem called the US accusations “categorically false,” adding: “I challenge those who accuse our forces of using these weapons to come forward with the evidence.” Syria would fight back in case of a US strike, he added.
“We have the means to defend ourselves and we will surprise everyone,” he told reporters. “We will defend ourselves using all means available. I don’t want to say more than that.”
Al-Moallem also rejected accusations Syria was destroying evidence of the alleged attack.
He said he was not convinced there would be international military action, but if there was Syria could handle it. “The strike will come and go. We get mortars every day and we have learned to live with them,” he said.
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