Local Editor

Fifty percent of Americans believe the United States should not intervene in the wake of the chemical weapons attacks, which the US claims Syria's regime stands behind it.

A whopping 79 percent of respondents - including nearly seven-in-10 Democrats and 90 percent of Republicans - say the president should be required to receive congressional approval before taking any action, the NBC News poll shows.
The two-day survey was conducted as the Obama administration weighs launching strikes against Syria for the alleged use of chemicals weapons, as well as amid growing demands by U.S. lawmakers that Congress should have a voice in any debate to authorize force.

Demonstrators marched on August 29 near the White House to protest possible US military intervention in Syria. Also on Thursday, Britain's Parliament rejected a motion urging an international response to the chemical weapons attacks blamed on the Syrian government.

But White House officials told NBC News that the administration was prepared to go it alone.

The poll also finds that only 21 percent think taking action against the Syrian government is in the national interest of the United States.

Syrian armed groups in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta admitted to Associated Press correspondent Dale Gavlak that they were responsible for last week's chemical weapons incident which western powers have blamed on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

The armed groups further revealed that the casualties were the result of an accident caused by militants mishandling chemical weapons provided to them by Saudi Arabia.

"From numerous interviews with doctors, Ghouta residents, rebel fighters and their families....many believe that certain rebels received chemical weapons via the Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, and were responsible for carrying out the deadly gas attack," wrote Gavlak.

Source: NY Times, edited by website team