Assad denial as Obama seeks strike backing

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad denied that he was behind a chemical weapons attack on the Syrian people, as the White House yesterday pressed ahead with the uphill effort of persuading Congress to approve a military strike to punish Assad.

The Obama administration faces a crucial test vote set for Wednesday in the Senate, and White House chief of staff Denis McDonough made the rounds of five Sunday talk shows to argue for a resolution authorising a limited strike on Syria.

In Paris, the US secretary of state John Kerry did not rule out France’s suggestion that it go to the UN Security Council for an authorisation of a possible military strike once UN inspectors complete their report on the Aug 21 attack near Damascus in which more than 1,400 people were killed.