Amid talk of looming U.S. military strikes that could happen at any time, Kerry vowed that the United States reserved the right to act alone if necessary and warned the war-weary American public that the time for dithering is past.

“We know that after a decade of conflict, the American people are tired of war. Believe me, I am too,” he said. “But fatigue does not absolve us of our responsibility. Just longing for peace does not necessarily bring it about. And history will judge us all extraordinarily harshly if we turned a blind eye."

President Barack Obama, speaking at the White House shortly after Kerry’s remarks, said he had not yet made a decision but was weighing a “limited, narrow act.”

"We're not considering any open-ended commitment. We're not considering any boots-on-the-ground approach," the president told reporters as he met with Baltic leaders.

Even as Kerry spoke, the White House released a four-page declassified intelligence finding that U.S. spy agencies have "high confidence" Assad's regime was to blame for the devastating attack that left 1,429 people dead.

Read the U.S. government assessment of the chemical weapons attack in Syria

In a 19-minute address from the State Department, Kerry gave no hint of a timetable for American action.

“Let me be clear: We will continue talking to the Congress, talking to our allies and, most importantly, talking to the American people,” he said. “President Obama will ensure that the United State of America makes our own decisions on our own timelines, based on our values and our interests.”

The top diplomat spoke after Obama met at the White House with his national security team to discuss the pending American response. The president and his top aides have said there is no doubt that Bashar Assad's regime was behind an alleged chemical weapons attack on Aug. 21.

The White House has built a logical case that the Assad regime was to blame, arguing that it had the known stockpiles, the rockets to deliver the chemical shells and the motive to target opposition populations.

But a British intelligence memorandum made public this week cast doubt on the supposedly ironclad case.

And, until Friday, the White House had not directly addressed other possibilities, like an accidental launch. Or launch by a rogue Syrian military officer. Or a conventional shell striking a chemical weapons cache (depending on the substance). Or launch by a third party, like forces fighting for Assad but answering to Iran.

“The United States government now knows that at least 1,429 Syrians were killed in this attack, including at least 426 children,” Kerry declared.

“We know that for three days before the attack, the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons personnel were on the ground in the area, making preparations,” he said.

“And we know that the Syrian regime elements were told to prepare for the attack by putting on gas masks and taking precautions associated with chemical weapons. We know that these were specific instructions,” he added.

“We know where the rockets were launched from, and at what time. We know where they landed, and when. We know rockets came only from regime-controlled areas and went only to opposition-controlled or contested neighborhoods,” he said.

The intelligence assessment made no mention of information, previously published in news reports, that cast doubt on the claim of a centrally ordered chemical weapons strike.

Kerry promised that, in looking to punish “this crime against conscience, this crime against humanity,” America was mindful of the errors leading up to the war in Iraq.

“Our intelligence community has carefully reviewed and re-reviewed information regarding this attack. And I will tell you it has done so more than mindful of the Iraq experience,” he said. “We will not repeat that moment.”

Obama’s response “will bear no resemblance to Afghanistan, Iraq or even Libya,” Kerry pledged. “It will not involve any boots on the ground. It will not be open-ended. And it will not assume responsibility for a civil war that is already well underway.”

Instead, the president will take a “limited and tailored” approach “to ensure that a despot’s brutal and flagrant use of chemical weapons is held accountable.”

Obama said in a CNN interview broadcast one week ago that if he fails to secure a United Nations mandate for military action, “then there are questions in terms of whether international law supports it."

Kerry pointed to the Chemical Weapons Convention (which Syria has not signed) but otherwise made no reference to an international legal framework to justify a possible attack.

And he argued that Russian obstruction at the United Nations Security Council meant that the administration could not use that avenue to rally support for action against Syria.

The administration’s case for war has rested largely on a handful of arguments:

1) Failure to act will embolden Assad to use chemical weapons again.

2) He could threaten key allies and partners like Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel.

3) Obama had called the use of chemical weapons a “red line” and would lose credibility in standoffs with countries such as Iran and North Korea if he does not follow through here.

But it has done relatively little to address worries that strikes at Syria could lead Assad either to escalate attacks on his own people or target Israel, or could accidentally release chemical weapons .

And public opinion polls show the U.S. public does not favor military intervention without explicit congressional authorization.

Kerry’s presentation did nothing to dull Republican House Speaker John Boehner’s skepticism. Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said, “We — and the American people — look forward to more answers from the White House.”

“If the president believes this information makes a military response imperative, it is his responsibility to explain to Congress and the American people the objectives, strategy, and legal basis for any potential action,” Buck said in a statement.

Secretary of State John Kerry insisted Friday the United States is not alone in its quest to punish Bashar al-Assad's Syrian regime, citing the support of France, America's "oldest ally."

On Thursday, key US ally Britain dropped out of the coalition planning military strikes in response to Assad's use of chemical weapons following a parliamentary vote.

For some, this left Washington looking internationally isolated, particularly as a Russian veto had prevented Western powers from winning a United Nations mandate for action.

But Kerry said other countries supported the US push, notably Australia, members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and France, which famously refused to join the US-led war in Iraq but has said it is ready to join strikes on Syria.

"America should feel gratified. We are not alone in our condemnation an we're not alone in our will to do something about it and to act. The world is speaking out and many friends stand ready to respond," Kerry said.

"The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the regime and said we needed, quote, to hold the Syrian government legally and morally accountable for this crime," he said.

"Our oldest ally, the French, said the regime committed this vile action and it's an outrage to use weapons that the community has banned for the last 90 years in all international conventions.

"The Australian prime minister said he didn't want history to report that we were party to turning such a blind eye."

Kerry's comments came in a speech in which he defended the apparently imminent military intervention as part of America's historic "duty" to prevent the use and spread of chemical weapons.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Edging toward a retaliatory strike, President Barack Obama said Friday he is weighing "limited and narrow" action against Syria as the administration bluntly accused Bashar Assad's government of launching a chemical weapons attack that killed at least 1,429 people — far more than previous estimates — including more than 400 children.

"We're not considering a boots-on-the-ground approach," Obama said, seeking to reassure a public weary after a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

With France as his only major ally, Obama told reporters he has a strong preference for multilateral action but "we don't want the world to be paralyzed."

Halfway around the world, U.S. warships were in place to deliver a punishing blow.

At the same time, U.N. personnel carried out a fourth day of inspection as they sought to determine precisely what happened in the attack last week. The international contingent arranged to depart Syria on Saturday and head to laboratories in Europe with the samples they have collected.

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In this image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, which h …

Video said to be taken at the scene shows victims writhing in pain, twitching and exhibiting other symptoms associated with exposure to nerve agents. The videos distributed by activists to support their claims of a chemical attack were consistent with AP reporting of shelling in the suburbs of Damascus at the time, though it was not known if the victims had died from a poisonous gas attack.

Residents of Damascus stocked up on food and other necessities in anticipation of strikes, although no signs of panic or shortages were evident.

"We got used to the sound of shelling" after three years of civil war, said Kheireddine Nahleh, a 53-year-old government employee. "Death is the same, be it with a mortar or with an American missile. I'm not afraid."

Obama met with his national security aides at the White House and then with diplomats from Baltic countries, saying he has not yet made a final decision on a response to the attack.

But the administration did nothing to discourage the predictions that he would — and soon. It was an impression heightened both by strongly worded remarks by Secretary of State John Kerry's remarks and the release of an unclassified intelligence assessment that cited "high confidence" that the Syrian government carried out the attack.

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In this citizen journalism image provided by Edlib News Network, ENN, which has been authenticated b …

In addition to the dead, the assessment reported that about 3,600 patients "displaying symptoms consistent with nerve agent exposure" were seen at Damascus-area hospitals after the attack. To that, Kerry added that "a senior regime official who knew about the attack confirmed that chemical weapons were used by the regime, reviewed the impact and actually was afraid they would be discovered." He added for emphasis: "We know this."

The assessment did not explain its unexpectedly large casualty count, far in excess of an estimate from Doctors without Borders.

Mindful of public opinion, Kerry urged Americans to read the four-page assessment for themselves. He referred to Iraq — when Bush administration assurances that weapons of mass destruction were present proved false, and a U.S. invasion led to a long, deadly war. Kerry said this time it will be different.

"We will not repeat that moment," he said.

Despite difficulty in rounding up foreign allies, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, travelling in the Philippines, said, "Our approach is to continue to find an international coalition that will act together." So far, only France has announced it will support military action.

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A Syrian refugee holds a passport and a baby as she passes through the Turkish Cilvegozu gate border …

U.S. warships were in place in the Mediterranean Sea armed with cruise missiles, long a first-line weapon of choice for presidents because they can find a target hundreds of miles distant without need of air cover or troops on the ground.

White House officials previewed the intelligence findings Thursday night in a telephone briefing for senior members of Congress.

The Assad government has accused rebels of carrying out the attacks.

The looming confrontation is the latest outgrowth of a civil war in which Assad has tenaciously — and brutally — clung to power. An estimated 100,000 civilians have been killed in more than two years, many of them as a result of attacks by the Syrian government on its own citizens.

Obama has long been wary of U.S. military involvement in the struggle, as he has been with turbulent events elsewhere during the so-called Arab Spring. In this case, reluctance stems in part from a recognition that while Assad has ties to Iran and the terrorist group Hezbollah, the rebels seeking to topple him have connections with al-Qaida terrorist groups.

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In this image taken from video obtained from the Erbin Ciity, which has been authenticated based on …

Still, he declared more than a year ago that the use of chemical weapons would amount to a "red line" that Assad should not cross. And Obama approved the shipment of small weapons and ammunition to the Syrian rebels after an earlier reported chemical weapons attack, although there is little sign that the equipment has arrived.

With memories of the long Iraq war still fresh, the political cross-currents have been intense both domestically and overseas.

Dozens of lawmakers, most of them Republican, have signed a letter saying Obama should not take military action without congressional approval, and top leaders of both political parties are urging the president to consult more closely with Congress before giving an order to launch hostilities.

Despite the urgings, there has been little or no discussion about calling Congress back into session to debate the issue. Lawmakers have been on a summer break for nearly a month, and are not due to return to the Capitol until Sept. 9.

Obama's efforts to put together an international coalition to support military action have been more down than up.

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In this citizen journalism image provided by Edlib News Network, ENN, which has been authenticated b …

French President Francois Hollande has endorsed punitive strikes, and told the newspaper Le Monde that the "chemical massacre of Damascus cannot and must not remain unpunished."

But British Prime Minister David Cameron's attempt to win a vote of approval in Parliament for military action ended in ignominious defeat on Thursday. American attempts to secure backing at the United Nations have been blocked by Russia, long an ally of Syria.

United Nations Secretary General Ban ki-moon has urged a delay in any military action until the inspectors can present their findings to U.N. member states and the Security Council.

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Ganley reported from Paris. Angela Charlton in Paris, Zeina Karam in Beirut, Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria, and Julie Pace, Donna Cassata, Matthew Lee, Lolita C. Baldor and Bradley Klapper in Washington contributed to this report.

Obama weighs 'limited and narrow' Syria action

The administration accuses the Assad regime of a chemical attack that killed at least 1,429 people.
Kerry: Different from Iraq

HONOLULU (AP) — Navy training and testing could inadvertently kill hundreds of whales and dolphins and injure thousands over the next five years, mostly as a result of detonating explosives underwater, according to two environmental impact statements released by the military Friday.

The Navy said that the studies focused on waters off the East Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, Southern California and Hawaii from 2014 through 2019, the main areas that the service branch tests equipment and trains sailors.

The studies were done ahead of the Navy applying to the National Marine Fisheries Service for permits for its activities. The Navy said that it if hadn't done so and was later found to have harmed marine mammals, it would be found in violation of federal environmental law and have to stop its training and testing.

Most of the deaths would come from explosives, though some might come from testing sonar or animals being hit by ships.

Rear Adm. Kevin Slates, the Navy's energy and environmental readiness division director, told reporters this week the Navy uses simulators where possible but sailors must test and train in real-life conditions.

"Without this realistic testing and training, our sailors can't develop or maintain the critical skills they need or ensure the new technologies can be operated effectively," Slates said in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday.

According to the reports, computer models show it may kill 186 whales and dolphins off the East Coast and 155 off Hawaii and Southern California.

The Navy said it developed the estimates by totaling the hours it will test and practice with sonar, torpedoes, missiles, explosives and other equipment over five years. Experts then combine the data with what's known about the marine mammals and then use computer modeling.

Off the East Coast, there could be 11,267 serious injuries and 1.89 million minor injuries like temporary hearing loss. The reports said the testing and training might also cause marine mammals to change their behavior — such as swimming in a different direction — in 20 million instances.

Off Hawaii and Southern California, the reports said that the naval activities may cause 2,039 serious injuries, 1.86 million temporary injuries and 7.7 million instances of behavioral change.

But Michael Jasny, senior policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the Navy was underestimating the effect its activities on marine mammals.

For example, he pointed to a study by government and private sector scientists published just last month in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society showing mid-frequency active sonar can disrupt blue whale feeding. The study says feeding disruptions and the movement of whales away from their prey could significantly affect the health of individual whales and the overall health of baleen whale populations.

Jasny said the Navy's ocean activities are "simply not sustainable."

"These smaller disruptions short of death are themselves accumulating into something like death for species and death for populations," Jasny said.

One of the statements covers Hawaii and Southern California, while the other covers the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico.

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Hawaii and Southern California Training and Testing EIS: www.hstteis.com

Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing EIS: www.aftteis.com

Navy training's deadly effect on sea life

Tests using explosives and other equipment could kill hundreds of whales and dolphins, studies find.
Millions of injuries

The slimy, invasive species can be destructive and harmful to humans, so Florida is calling in reinforcements.
'Very serious pest'