France: Military ready to go to Syria if needed

[August 29, 2013]  PARIS (AP) -- The French military is ready to commit forces to an operation in Syria if President Francois Hollande decides to do so, the defense minister said Thursday. But the chief of state, who met with the head of the Syrian opposition, stopped short of announcing military intervention over a suspected chemical weapons attack.

Hollande offered his political and humanitarian support for the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition, but said the group will only be a viable alternative to Syrian President Bashar Assad if it has military credibility -- and if the international community can stop the spiral of violence.

The United States, France and Britain are believed to be preparing possible military action against Assad's regime after an apparent poison gas attack in Syria on Aug. 21. U.N. experts are currently in Syria investigating the attack.

"The Armed Forces are in a position to respond to the requests and the decisions of the president once he reaches that point" of committing French forces to an international intervention in Syria, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

Hollande does not need French parliamentary approval to launch any military action that lasts less than four months.

Hollande, who has spoken out strongly against Assad's government, on Thursday stressed the importance of a political solution and making the Syrian opposition a stronger alternative, notably with increased firepower.

Hollande said he told Syrian opposition leader Ahmad al-Jarba that "France will offer all its help. Its political help, its support, as it we have for months. But also its humanitarian, material aid."

"Everything must be done to reach a political solution, but that will not happen unless the coalition is capable of appearing as an alternative, with necessary force, notably its army," Hollande said. "We will only achieve this if the international community is capable of bringing a stop to this escalation of violence, of which the chemical massacre is just one illustration."

A French official said the aim of any French action would be to shock Assad's government into understanding that they cannot use chemical weapons. Assad blames the poison gas attack on the opposition.

The official, who spoke on condition because he was discussing sensitive military issues, said the goal was not to launch a war.

Al-Jarba, speaking alongside Hollande, said "this crime will not go unpunished."

Addressing the Syrian people, he said: "This punishment will be inflicted on this criminal, on his war machine, on those who used this weapon."

French military officials would not comment on reports Thursday that a French frigate has left southern France toward Syria to take part in an eventual military operation.

[Associated Press; By SYLVIE CORBET and JAMEY KEATEN]

Elaine Ganley in Paris contributed to this report.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.