Syria's official media, on Sunday, described US President Barack Obama's surprise decision to seek nod from lawmakers before launching a military strike against Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons as "the start of the historic American retreat".
"Whether the Congress lights the red or green light for an aggression, and whether the prospects of war have been enhanced or faded, President Obama has announced on Saturday, by prevaricating or hinting, the start of the historic American retreat," state-run Al-Thawra daily said in a sarcastic tone.
In a surprise move, Obama on Saturday, announced he believes military action against Syrian targets is the right step to take over the alleged use of chemical weapons but he wants Congressmen to weigh in on whether to use military force. The paper in a front page article said Obama worries about limited intervention turning into "an open war has pushed him to seek Congress' consent."
The US claimed 1,429 people were killed in the chemical attacks in a Damascus suburb by the Syrian army on August 21. Syria, however, denied US charges, saying jihadists fighting with the rebels used the deadly weapons in an effort to turn global sentiments against it.
Earlier, the embattled regime of President Bashar al-Assad said it has its "finger on the trigger" over an imminent military strike from the US and its Western allies.
"The Syrian army is fully ready, its finger on the trigger to face any challenge or scenario that they want to carry out," Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi said.
In a televised address from the White House Rose Garden in Washington on Saturday, Obama said he would take his case to Congress, not because he has to, but because he wants to.
"After careful deliberation, I have decided the US should take military action against Syrian targets. I'm confident we can hold the Assad regime accountable for their use of chemical weapons," Obama said.
"This attack is an attack on human dignity and it risks making a mockery of the global prohibition of the ban on chemical weapons. In a world with many dangers, this attack must be confronted. The US should take military action," he asserted.
"I will seek authorisation for the use of force by the representatives of the US people, the members of the US Congress," he said urging lawmakers to put aside their differences to vote for military action against Syrian regime.
Obama's decision came shortly after UN inspectors left Syria, carrying evidence that will determine whether chemical weapons were used in an attack.
"The aim of the game here, the mandate, is very clear, and that is to ascertain whether chemical weapons were used, and not by whom," UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
The inspectors will share their findings with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Ban, who has said he wants to wait until the UN team's final report is completed before presenting it to the UN Security Council.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which nine of the inspectors belong to, said it could take up to three weeks to analyse the evidence they collected.
Meanwhile, the Syrian National Coalition said the opposition group was disappointed by Obama's announcement.
"Our fear now is that the lack of action could embolden the regime and they repeat his attacks in a more serious way," said spokesman Louay Safi. "So we are quite concerned."
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