Washington: US President Barack Obama has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that the use or deployment of chemical or biological weapons in his country’s conflict would be a “red line” for the United States as it views Damascus’s suppression of the uprising.
In an unscheduled appearance in the White House briefing room on Monday, the president told reporters that the issue of chemical and biological weapons was of high concern to the both the United States and its close ally, Israel.
“I have at this point not ordered military engagement,” Obama said.
“A red line for us is (if) we see a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around, or being utilized. That would change my calculus,” Obama said.
Commenting over the Afghanistan situation and killing of US-led forces by the Afghan forces, he said that the US was watching with “deep concern” an increase in so-called “green on blue” attacks on US troops in Afghanistan by insiders in Afghan uniform.
 “Obviously, we have to do more, because there is an uptick over the last 12 months or so on this,” he said.
 Obama emphasized that Afghan security forces must be trained to take over from withdrawing US and NATO troops.
 “In the long-term, we will see fewer US casualties and coalition casualties by sticking to our transition plan and making sure that we have the most effective Afghan security force possible, but we have to do it in a way that doesn’t leave our guys vulnerable,” he said.
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