U.S. Wants to Teach Assad a ‘Lesson,’ Pope Calls for End of ‘Clatter of Arms’

AsiaNews: Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said on Saturday that 355 people who died in its hospitals showed “neurotoxin symptoms”. Syria’s overtures have not however changed the international community’s position on a military intervention in Syria, except for its main allies, Russia and Iran.

So far, the only appeals for reconciliation and the end of hostilities have come from the Vatican.

Yesterday, the pope urged all countries involved in Syria to stop “the clatter of arms” and work for peace, calling on the parties to meet and talk in order to stop this “war between brothers”.

Despite Pope Francis’s appeal, the West and its allies appear to be moving towards armed conflict. Yesterday, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said the US military was “prepared to exercise whatever option” against Syria but intelligence was still being evaluated. Full report here.