• UN team completes probe • Syrians stocking up on food PARIS — The United States Friday found itself with France as its only major partner in a potential strike against Syria, after a stunning rejection of military force in parliament forced Britain, America's staunchest ally, to pull out of any operation. The collapse of British support for a mission to punish Syria for allegedly using chemical weapons puts pressure on President Barack Obama as resistance grows at home — and comes with the irony that France was the most vocal critic of the US-led invasion of Iraq. French President Francois Hollande pledged backing for a potential American operation to hit the Damascus regime. “The chemical massacre of Damascus cannot and must not remain unpunished,” Hollande said in an interview to Le Monde, as UN experts left Damascus for Istanbul after completing their probe into the alleged attack. Damascus shops and supermarkets were filled with people stocking up on food and other necessities ahead of the expected strikes, although there appeared to be no signs of panic or shortages. Residents complained, however, that prices have shot up because of the high demand. Amid the turmoil of a British “no” and mounting American skepticism, Obama appeared undeterred in his desire to punish Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad, and advisers said he would be willing to retaliate against Syria on his own. His Secretary of State John Kerry called Al-Assad a “thug and a murderer” and said 1,429 people, including 426 children, were killed in the chemical weapons attack on Aug. 21. “It is a crime against humanity,” he said. The UN inspectors, he said, cannot tell the US anything it does not already know about the Aug. 21 attack. Kerry said the US had carefully examined its intelligence on Syria's weapons and would not repeat the mistakes that preceded the Iraq war. “Our intelligence community has carefully reviewed and re-reviewed information regarding the attack,” he said. “It's done so more than mindful of the Iraq experience. We will not repeat that moment.” In Damascus, Kheireddine Nahleh, a 53-year-old government employee, put on a brave face. “We got used to the sound of shelling,” he said. “Death is the same, be it with a mortar or with an American missile. I'm not afraid.” French military analysts say France's most likely role would be from the air, including use of Scalp cruise missiles that have a range of about 500 km, fired from Mirage and Rafale fighter jets. French fighters could likely fly directly from mainland France with support from refueling aircraft. France also has six Rafale jets at Al Dhafra air base, near Abu Dhabi, and 7 Mirage-2000 jets at an air base in Djibouti. — Agencies
