Syria is playing "core interests”:OBAMA

In an interview broadcast on CNN, U.S. President Barack Obama stressed that the situation is "slowly touching core interests" of the United States. But he warned not to rush to demand military intervention. There are legal challenges and we must also take into account international support, he said.

In search of truth: poison gas in Syria?

Obama said the United States continues to collect information. But "this is clearly an event that causes great concern," said the president about the alleged use of chemical weapons in Wednesday's attack near Damascus. "There is no doubt that when used chemical weapons on a large scale is very problematic and that begins to affect any of the core interests of the United States (...) and ensure non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and protecting our allies and our bases in the region. " Meanwhile, Obama said Washington is pressing the UN to "promote a better action" on Syria, and called on the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad to allow inspection the alleged use of chemical weapons. "We are in communication with the entire international community (...) do not expect cooperation (by Damascus), in view of the background," he added.

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Russia and USA joint statement

Claimed Russia and the United States together an "impartial investigation" of an alleged slaughter occurred on Wednesday near Damascus by the use of poison gas and denounced by the opposition, the Ministry of Russian Foreign. The ministry statement was issued after a telephone conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry. On the statement of the Ministry, Russia also urged the Syrian opposition to allow safe access UN experts in chemical warfare to the area where the attack allegedly occurred near Damascus. "The ball is now in the hands of the Syrian opposition, which should ensure safe access mission," said the Foreign Ministry in Moscow after the conversation between Lavrov and Kerry.

UN demands access

 Ban: Such a crime against humanity would have serious consequences for its author. Ban: "Such a crime against humanity would have serious consequences for its author.” For its part, the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon demanded again allow in UN inspectors and warned that there will be serious consequences if Syria was confirmed that chemical weapons were used. "Any use of chemical weapons anywhere, by anyone, under any circumstances, violates international law," Ban said during a visit to South Korea, her native country. "Such a crime against humanity would have serious consequences for its author," he added. The UN secretary general ordered his representative in disarmament, Angela Kane, traveling to Damascus to immediately investigate reports. "The intent of the UN is to conduct a thorough, complete and timely reporting on the alleged use of chemical weapons," the UN said today in a statement issued in New York. "The secretary general urges the Syrian authorities to respond positively and immediately to your request, especially because the Syrian government itself has expressed interest in the esclarecimeniento of the facts," he adds. Meanwhile, the UN special envoy and Arab League to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, believed to increase the options of reaching a political solution, though, in Syria, because the parties to the conflict are increasingly convinced that it is not possible purely military victory. "Syria means today without doubt the greatest threat to peace and security in the world," Brahimi said in the interview broadcast on television in the UN. At the same time was cautiously optimistic that Syria peace conference in Geneva to take place soon, but gave no specific dates.

Millions of Syrian children fleeing war

Meanwhile, the British government blamed the Syrian regime for the gas attack that killed hundreds of people last Wednesday near Damascus, although there is no concrete evidence on the facts. So far, the Syrian government denied entry to United Nations inspectors. The refusal fuels the suspicion that there is something to hide there, said British Foreign Secretary William Hague. The only "convincing explanation" for so many deaths is the use of poison gas, Hague said. "We believe this is a large-scale chemical attack of the Assad regime," he added. The August 28 U.S. and Russian diplomats will meet in The Hague to discuss the possibilities of holding such an international conference. Syria also is a priority issue in the UN General Assembly in September in New York and also discusses the conflict in the G20 meeting on 5 and 6 September in St. Petersburg. According to the UN, more than one million children have left the country and more than 100,000 people died in the past two years. 

Pentagon Mission: catch "El Chapo" ... or kill it

Military sources in Mexico and the United States confirmed to process the existence of a plan to catch "or run" El Chapo Guzman, prepared by the Pentagon and the Mexican government proposed and accepted in principle by President Calderon. Virtually copy of the plan that led to the killing of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, the plan would be carried out exclusively by members of the Navy of the United States, without any intervention by military or police elements Mexicans. Only outright rejection of the high command of the Mexican military has stopped ... But the Pentagon will raise with the hope that the next government will accept imminent.

Given how difficult it has been to catch Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, the U.S. government has prepared a plan to capture the drug lord, the best known leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, in an operation similar to the one carried out in Pakistan last year to give Osama Bin Laden, leader of Al Qaeda.

Military sources in Mexico and the United States confirms the existence of the plan, which was drawn up by the Pentagon several months ago and is now being held because it is designed to be run only by Americans, an idea that is not seen with pleasure by their Mexican counterparts. The plan was presented to even and Felipe Calderon, who promoted it among the armed forces. And although there was a sharp rejection from the Army and Navy of Mexico, Washington has not thrown away and propose it to the next president.

The plan exists from an order of the Department of Defense and the Northern Command has it considered a priority mission said a senior source in the Mexican Army by mutual agreement remains anonymous. The Pentagon claims due to the constant "failed attempts" of the Mexican government to arrest Guzman Loera since he escaped from maximum security prison in Puente Grande, Jalisco, in January 2001, during the presidency of Vicente Fox

El Chapo has escaped at least six times to stop mounted fences, military source confirmed. The most recent occurred last February in coastal mansion in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, one day after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, was on an official visit at the spa.

Accurate to capture the capo is provided by U.S. agencies, mainly in charge of the fight against drugs, the DEA, so that each "failed attempt" the Mexican government has irritated Washington. For Mexico the eventual U.S. military intervention in Mexico to take over the arrest of Chapo is "very risky", because in addition to a clear violation of the Constitution would cause all kinds of problems, the military official said.

The proposed operation is detailed in the Safety Plan to Support Mexico, designed by military strategists Special Forces Department of Defense United States, the Pentagon. The execution of the operation would be in charge of the main U.S. special forces, Navy SEALs (an acronym of the words is, air, land), formed by Navy commandos trained for covert actions in enemy territory by sea, air or earth.

The operation would be a copy of the Pentagon secretly executed in Pakistan to "capture or kill" bin Laden, who was finally killed in his hideout in May 2011. Special Forces helicopters reached the Muslim leader's bunker on the outskirts of Islamabad, near the Pakistani Military Academy. From that experience Pentagon controls Calderon explained the proposal to stop the Chapo, in what is defined as an operation "simple, quick and surgical".

In the mountains of Sinaloa, where Guzman Loera in and out at will, capturing three teams require special seals with the support of three digital high-tech aircraft and remotely operated armed with missiles, according to the plan. Special Forces would move by Sinaloa and Durango in helicopter gunships. At the target act two teams on the ground and another would stay in the air, backed by drones, to prevent any retaliation by the criminal group.

In 10 or 15 minutes the two assault teams to target and catch him, according to the operational proposal, should it find eliminate resistance in the act, like all his guard. As with the mastermind of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001, if the target would run to pick up the corpse.

The operation against El Chapo would be observed and directed "in real time" from the headquarters of the Pentagon's Northern Command and even from the offices of the National Security Council in the White House. In the operation against bin Laden, President Barack Obama went step by step from the White House the work of seals, although in the case of Mexico Pentagon officials would be responsible for monitoring the operation.

In the Mexican military plan does not fit, or the Army or the Navy. Mexican soldiers enter only to present the results. According to the military command consulted Process is clear that the United States has the capacity to capture Chapo in Mexico, but Mexican participation to simulate the Americans would have to dress in uniforms of any national corporation such as the Federal Police.

For the Northern Command, created in 2002 by the Pentagon after the attacks of Al Qaeda in order to carry out operations "sensitive" to "the security of Canada, United States and Mexico" capture Chapo is considered a mission. Washington equates to Mexican drug cartels to terrorists and therefore considers a threat to its national security. Consequently, the Northern Command assumed its obligation to act against drug traffickers, the commander added. 

UN investigation begin on Monday in Syria

 UN experts begin investigating on Monday near Damascus if chemical weapons were used in an attack on Wednesday, after the Syrian regime granted permission Sunday, announced the institution. "The mission is preparing to carry out investigations on site from August 26, "the agency said in a statement. The regime of Bashar al-Assad announced on Sunday that experts authorized to initiate an investigation, after it reached an agreement-that "effective immediately" - with the UN High Representative for Disarmament, Angela Kane. According to the statement of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "gave instruction to the mission led by Dr. (Aake) Sellström, which is currently in Damascus, to focus their attention to determine the facts of the August 21 with absolute priority."

The Syrian opposition accused Assad's regime of killing 1,300 people in an attack with chemical weapons in the suburbs of the capital, which the Syrian government categorically rejected. Ban "emphasized that the Syrian government says it will offer the necessary cooperation , including the cessation of hostilities in the places related to the incident, "according to the text.

"The secretary general reiterates that all parties have a responsibility shared urgently cooperate to provide a safe space for the mission to do its job effectively and give all the necessary information, "the statement said. The team of inspectors to examine the area had come to Syria on August 18 to investigate three other places.

"There is little doubt that Syrian forces used chemical weapons against civilians" in an attack on Wednesday in the suburbs of Damascus, reported Sunday a U.S. official, who described "late implausible permission" granted by Syria to investigate the facts. The source told AFP that, taking into account the number of victims and their symptoms , and the U.S. intelligence analysis, "there is little doubt, at this point, that a chemical weapon has been used by the regime against civilians in this incident. "

The comments mark an increasingly strong position of the United States, which seems willing to take military action following the alleged chemical attack that killed 1,300 people, according to the Syrian opposition, on the outskirts of Damascus on Wednesday. U.S. officials also reported that President Barrack Obama, who held meetings Saturday on the crisis in Syria with more directors, make a decision on how to respond to an attack with chemical weapons 'indiscriminate'.

The source, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said Washington noted that the Syrian regime Sunday authorized the UN experts to investigate the events from Monday, but the decision considered late and not credible. "If the Syrian government had nothing to hide and I wanted to prove to the world that has not used chemical weapons in this incident, would have ceased their attacks on the place and guaranteed immediate access to the UN for five days," said the U.S. official.

"At this point, the regime's decision (Syrian) to ensure access to the UN team is too late to be credible, even because the evidence at the site have been significantly altered product of persistent bombings and other actions intentional regime in the last five days, "he added.