US should not act rashly

The UN should play the leading role in resolving the Syrian crisis, and countries should seek to work together under its auspices

Since Aug 21, the Syrian crisis has continued to escalate because of the allegations that chemical weapons have been used. Before the United Nations inspectors started their investigations and fact-finding activities on Aug 26, the United States had already started a high-profile media blitz that strikes against Syria were imminent. The New York Times reported on Aug 24 that the US would bypass the United Nations to directly launch air strikes against Syria. US officials were considering the war in Kosovo at the end of the 1990s as the precedent for attacking Syria without authorization from the UN. All of a sudden, US comments and actions became the biggest factor bearing a decisive impact on the Syrian crisis, and the whole world had their eyes on the US.

Some analysts pointed out that the Obama administration had apparently already made military preparations for the imminent use of force against the Syrian government, but it could still not ascertain if the Syrian rebels were ready to take over the government. Once this is ascertained, US strikes will be certain.