US: 'Common-sense test' holds Assad responsible

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House asserted Sunday that a "common-sense test" dictates the Syrian government is responsible for a chemical weapons attack that President Barack Obama says demands a U.S. military response. But Obama's top aide says the administration lacks "irrefutable, beyond-a-reasonable-doubt evidence" that skeptical Americans, including lawmakers who will start voting on military action this week, are seeking.

"This is not a court of law. And intelligence does not work that way," White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said, part of a five-network public relations blitz Sunday to build support for limited strikes against Syrian President Bashar Assad.

"The common-sense test says he is responsible for this. He should be held to account," McDonough said of the Syrian leader who for two years has resisted calls from inside and outside his country to step down.

The U.S., citing intelligence reports, says the lethal nerve agent sarin was used in an Aug. 21 attack outside Damascus, and that 1,429 people died, including 426 children. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which collects information from a network of anti-government activists, says it has so far only been able to confirm 502 dead.

In an interview Sunday, Assad told U.S. journalist Charlie Rose there is not conclusive evidence about who is to blame and again suggested the rebels were responsible. From Beirut, Rose described his interview that is set to be released Monday, on the CBS morning program that Rose hosts with the full interview set to air on Rose's PBS program.

At the same time, Obama has planned his own public relations effort. He has scheduled five network interviews on Monday and then a speech to the nation from the White House on Tuesday, the eve of the first votes in Congress.

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Protesters against U.S. military action in Syria march to Capitol Hill from the White House in Washi …

Obama faces a tough audience on Capitol Hill. A survey by The Associated Press shows that House members who are staking out positions are either opposed to or leaning against Obama's plan for a military strike by more than a 6-1 margin.

"Lobbing a few Tomahawk missiles will not restore our credibility overseas," said Rep. Mike McCaul, the Texas Republican who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee.

Added Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif.: "For the president to say that this is just a very quick thing and we're out of there, that's how long wars start."

Nearly half of the 433-member House and a third of the 100-member Senate remain undecided, the AP survey found.

"Just because Assad is a murderous tyrant doesn't mean his opponents are any better," said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

On Saturday, a U.S. official released a DVD compilation of videos showing attack victims that the official said were shown to senators during a classified briefing on Thursday. The images have become a rallying point for the administration. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Intelligence Committee, also posted videos on the committee's website.

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center left, talks with members of the Arab League Peace Initiat …

"Those videos make it clear to people that these are real human beings, real children, parents being affected in ways that are unacceptable to anybody, anywhere by any standards," Secretary of State John Kerry said in Paris. "And the United States of America that has always stood with others to say we will not allow this — this is not our values, it's not who we are."

But McDonough conceded the United States doesn't have concrete evidence Assad was behind the chemical attacks.

Recent opinion surveys show intense American skepticism about military intervention in Syria, even among those who believe Syria's government used chemical weapons on its people.

Congress, perhaps, is even more dubious.

"It's an uphill slog," said Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who supports strikes on Assad.

"I think it's very clear he's lost support in the last week," Rogers added, speaking of the president.

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President Barack arrives on the South Lawn of the White House on Friday, Sept. 6, 2013 in Washington …

Complicating the effort in the Senate is the possibility that 60 votes may be required to authorize a strike.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said he would consider a filibuster, but noted the delay tactic was unlikely to permanently nix a vote.

Still, Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader, has predicted authorization and McDonough, too, on Sunday telegraphed optimism.

"They do not dispute the intelligence when we speak with them," McDonough said.

But while the publicly discussed information lacks a direct link between Assad and weapons, the private briefs are no better, two lawmakers said.

"The evidence is not as strong as the public statements that the president and the administration have been making," said Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich. "There are some things that are being embellished in the public statements. ... The briefings have actually made me more skeptical about the situation."

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Protesters against U.S. military action in Syria march to Capitol Hill from the White House in Washi …

Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif., said "they have evidence showing the regime has probably the responsibility for the attacks."

But that's not enough to start military strikes. "They haven't linked it directly to Assad, in my estimation," said McKeon, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

McDonough, an Obama foreign policy adviser dating back to his 2008 presidential campaign, said the dots connect themselves.

The material "was delivered by rockets — rockets which we know the Assad regime has and we have no indication that the opposition has."

At the same time, McDonough acknowledged the risks that military action could drag the U.S. into the middle of a brutal civil war and endanger allies such as Israel with a retaliatory attack.

The U.S. is "planning for every contingency in that regard and we'll be ready for that."

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry walks off of the stage with Qatar Foreign Minister Khalid Al Atti …

Congress resumes work Monday after its summer break, but already a heated debate is under way about Syria.

Vice President Joe Biden planned to host a dinner Sunday night for a group of Senate Republicans.

Obama's national security adviser, Susan Rice, plans to discuss Syria in a speech Monday at the New America Foundation and later meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus. A bipartisan, classified briefing for Congress is set for Monday and another is slated for Wednesday.

McDonough plans to meet Tuesday with the House Democratic Caucus, whose support could be crucial as Obama faces opposition from House Republicans.

Obama planned to address the nation on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday's first showdown vote in the Senate over a resolution that would authorize the "limited and specified use" of U.S. armed forces against Syria for no more than 90 days and barring American ground troops from combat. A final vote is expected at week's end.

A House vote appears likely during the week of Sept. 16.

McDonough spoke with ABC's "This Week," CBS' "Face the Nation," NBC's "Meet the Press," CNN's "State of the Union" and "Fox News Sunday." McCaul and Sanchez were on NBC. Cruz appeared on ABC. Rogers and Amash spoke to CBS. Paul was interviewed on Fox. McKeon was on CNN.

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Associated Press writers Deb Reichmann and Sarah DiLorenzo in Paris contributed to this report.

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Follow Philip Elliott on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/philip_elliott

U.S.: 'Common sense test' holds Assad responsible

The White House says "irrefutable, beyond-a-reasonable-doubt evidence" is not all that proves a chemical attack.
Demands military response

Report: NSA can access most smartphone data

BERLIN (AP) — The U.S. National Security Agency is able to crack protective measures on iPhones, BlackBerry and Android devices, giving it access to users' data on all major smartphones, according to a report Sunday in German news weekly Der Spiegel.

The magazine cited internal documents from the NSA and its British counterpart GCHQ in which the agencies describe setting up dedicated teams for each type of phone as part of their effort to gather intelligence on potential threats such as terrorists.

The data obtained this way includes contacts, call lists, SMS traffic, notes and location information, Der Spiegel reported. The documents don't indicate that the NSA is conducting mass surveillance of phone users but rather that these techniques are used to eavesdrop on specific individuals, the magazine said.

The article doesn't explain how the magazine obtained the documents, which are described as "secret." But one of its authors is Laura Poitras, an American filmmaker with close contacts to NSA leaker Edward Snowden who has published several articles about the NSA in Der Spiegel in recent weeks.

The documents outline how, starting in May 2009, intelligence agents were unable to access some information on BlackBerry phones for about a year after the Canadian manufacturer began using a new method to compress the data. After GCHQ cracked that problem, too, analysts celebrated their achievement with the word "Champagne," Der Spiegel reported.

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In this picture taken Sept. 7, 2013, acitivists protest with posters during the demonstration in Ber …

The magazine printed several slides alleged to have come from an NSA presentation referencing the film "1984," based on George Orwell's book set in a totalitarian surveillance state. The slides — which show stills from the film, former Apple Inc. chairman Steve Jobs holding an iPhone, and iPhone buyers celebrating their purchase — are captioned: "Who knew in 1984...that this would be big brother...and the zombies would be paying customers?"

Snowden's revelations have sparked a heated debate in Germany about the country's cooperation with the United States in intelligence matters.

On Saturday, thousands of people in Berlin protested the NSA's alleged mass surveillance of Internet users. Many held placards with slogans such as "Stop watching us."

Separately, an incident in which a German police helicopter was used to photograph the roof of the American consulate in Frankfurt has caused a minor diplomatic incident between the two countries.

German magazine Focus reported Sunday that U.S. Ambassador John B. Emerson complained about the overflight, which German media reported was ordered by top officials after reports that the consulate housed a secret espionage site.

A U.S. embassy spokesman downplayed the story, saying "the helicopter incident was, naturally enough, the subject of embassy conversation with the Foreign Ministry, but no demarche or letter of complaint about the incident was sent to the German government."

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Frank Jordans can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/wirereporter

Report: NSA can access smartphone data

The spy agency is able to crack protective measures on most mobile devices, a German newsweekly reports.
‘Zombies’ as paying customers

“I don’t think he has the authority,” Cruz told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos.

“It would be contrary to the Constitution,” he added later, when Stephanopoulos asked him if acting without Congressional approval would be an impeachable offense, as some republicans have suggested.

President Obama said last month that while he was in favor of a military strike on Syria and believed he could order one without Congressional authorization, he would seek the approval of Congress before he ordered military strikes against the Middle Eastern nation for its alleged use of chemical weapons last month that the United States says killed close to 1,500 people, including more than 400 children.

The president will address the American people Tuesday night in a nationally televised addressed. The day before, he’ll sit down for interviews with the country’s five major networks and PBS.

An unofficial tally by ABC News suggest that a resolution to strike Syria would fail in the House of Representatives and a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found that nearly 6 in 10 Americans opposed a unilateral U.S strike on Syria.

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Syrian rebels, including jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda, have taken control of the historic Christian town of Maalula north of Damascus, a watchdog and residents said on Sunday.

The town, home to around 5,000 people, is strategically important for rebels, who are trying to tighten their grip around the capital and already have bases south and west of Damascus.

Maalula, around 55 kilometres (34 miles) from Damascus, could also be used as a launching point for attacks on the highway between the capital and Homs, a key regime supply route.

The battle for the town left at least 17 rebels dead and more than 100 wounded overnight, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that dozens of regime forces and pro-militia members were also killed or wounded.

"Overnight, Syrian regime troops moved into the village, but rebel forces sent reinforcements and were able to take control of the entire town," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

He said Al-Nusra Front, which has pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, was among the forces that had taken control of the town.

Battalions affiliated with the Western-backed Free Syrian Army had also entered Maalula, he said.

A resident, reached by phone, confirmed that regime forces had withdrawn and rebel forces were now in control.

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View of the Syrian town of Maalula, on September 7, 2013. Syrian rebels, including jihadists linked …

"The rebels are inside Maalula, all of Maalula. The government troops have pulled out of Maalula," the resident said.

Abdel Rahman said "fierce fighting broke out between regime forces and rebel fighters overnight, and the soldiers withdrew to the outskirts of the town".

Troops were still stationed around the town, according to a rebel commander in the area, including at a checkpoint where fighting began on Wednesday after an Islamist rebel blew himself up in an attack.

He confirmed that there was little military activity on Sunday, and said civilians had begun fleeing the town on Wednesday.

The exodus has left Maalula virtually empty, residents say.

"There's no one left in Maalula, everyone has fled," 73-year-old George told AFP by phone from the town.

He said he had decided to stay behind with his brother, but his wife and their two daughters had left for Damascus on Friday.

"People are afraid, they are terrified," he said.

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An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube by Shaam News Network on September 4, 2013 alle …

A nun at the Maalula's Greek Orthodox Mar Takla convent said its inhabitants were safe.

"The sisters and the orphan children are fine," she told AFP by phone.

"All the residents have left to Damascus. The houses are empty, it's a ghost town."

Picturesque Maalula is nestled under a large cliff and is considered a symbol of the Christian presence in Syria.

Many of its inhabitants speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ that only small, scattered communities around the world still use.

It is full of troglodyte caves dating back to the first centuries of Christianity.

The clashes first erupted there on Wednesday, when Al-Nusra Front fighters and other Islamist rebels attacked a regime checkpoint at one entrance to the town.

The advance raised fears of attacks on churches or Christians in the town, but on Friday, the opposition Syrian National Coalition said rebels had withdrawn.

On Saturday, the Observatory said rebels were fighting pro-regime militias in western Maalula, and were also clashing with Syrian troops on its outskirts.

The scale and purpose of the operation against Syria has not changed in recent weeks, although US forces would adjust as needed, a defense official told AFP.

"We will continue to review our targeting and targeting options as the Syrian government adapts over time," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"We are working to the same objective that President (Barack) Obama has outlined," he insisted, responding to a report in the Los Angeles Times on Sunday

The strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in retaliation for what the US says is the regime's use of chemical weapons in a Damascus suburb, could last longer than a day, officials have said.

The Los Angeles Times had reported Sunday the Pentagon was readying more intense and longer attacks on Syria than originally planned, set to last three days.

War planners now aim to unleash a heavy barrage of missile strikes to be followed swiftly by additional attacks on targets that may have been missed or remain standing after the initial launch, the Times cited officials as saying.

Two US officers told the newspaper that the White House asked for an expanded target list to include "many more" than the initial list of around 50 targets.

The move is part of an effort to obtain additional firepower to damage Assad's dispersed forces.

The top US military officer, General Martin Dempsey, told lawmakers last week there would be an "initial" set of targets and then a secondary list of targets.

Dempsey suggested American forces would be able to shift strike plans even as the Syrian regime attempts to disperse equipment.

Pentagon planners are now considering using Air Force bombers, as well as five US missile destroyers currently patrolling the eastern Mediterranean Sea, to launch cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles from far out of range of Syrian air defenses, according to the newspaper report.

The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group with one cruiser and three destroyers positioned in the Read Sea can also fire cruise missiles at Syria.

"There will be several volleys and an assessment after each volley, but all within 72 hours and a clear indication when we are done," an officer familiar with the planning told the Times.

The intensified military planning comes as Obama prepares to personally make his case to the American people and further press reluctant lawmakers on the need for action after Assad allegedly used chemical weapons on his own people last month.

Obama is scheduled to tape interviews Monday with anchors of the three major broadcast networks, as well as with PBS, CNN and Fox News.

The interviews, to air that night, will precede Obama's address to the nation Tuesday ahead of an expected full Senate vote.

The president favors a limited attack with only a reduced number of warplanes to drop bombs over Syria, according to the Times.

Amid doubts a limited US offensive would sufficiently hamper Assad's military capabilities, one officer told the newspaper the planned operation would amount to a "show of force" over several days that would not fundamentally change the situation on the ground.

The planned US strike "will not strategically impact the current situation in the war, which the Syrians have well in hand, though fighting could go on for another two years," another US officer said.

Report: U.S. plan for Syria changes

The L.A. Times reports the course of action America may take against the Assad regime could be different than originally thought.
'3 days of attack'