Changes direction? • Obama: I'll freeze attack in Syria - if chemical weapons will be supervised

U.S. President Barack Obama makes it clear that he will freeze the plan to attack Syria if the regime will give up chemical weapons at its disposal.

In interviews with six U.S. media, Obama said that the Russian initiative to transfer chemical weapons in Syria to international control, may be a "possible breakthrough", and that he will consider the proposal seriously.

Obama stressed that he prefers a diplomatic solution over a military attack, but the behavior of Assad's regime over the last two years requires a skeptical attitude. Thus one has to proceed with approval of the attack in the Congress to pressure the Assad regime. Obama said that the plan presented by Russia would not have matured if the United States was not a military threat to Syria.

Obama also addressed the question of a possible Syrian response to the U.S. military attack, "Assad does not have many capabilities. He has capabilities - for children or the opposition which is still trying to get organized, with unskilled fighters," he quipped Assad. " He can get into the realm of attack on American objects, embassies, but we deal with threats like this on a regular basis, throughout the world."

Today Obama will meet with Democratic and Republican senators and tonight he shall address the nation.

Meanwhile, three surveys which were published tonight indicate that the American public has a clear majority against the planned attack in Syria. According to a poll conducted by Reuters, 63 % of Americans oppose the attack. This represents an increase of opponents, after in a survey conducted last week 53 % of Americans said that they are against such action.

Although senior officials in the American capital the Russian initiative should not deter the proceedings in Congress, Harry Reid, Senate majority leader, decided to postpone the vote until the picture becomes clear. The Senate was supposed to decide tomorrow if it will open discussions on the proposal approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee, endorsing Obama with limited military action.

The New York Times reports that Washington has information about 19 out of 42 sites in Syria, where chemicals are kept. According to sources quoted by the newspaper, Assad transferred chemicals from site to site, and it is difficult to know where all chemical weapons are. According to them, its destruction may take several years.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!