Saying that the U.S. has a moral responsibility to respond forcefully, President Barack Obama said on Saturday that he would give Congress a chance to vote on the use of military force in Syria for that regime's alleged use of chemical weapons, the Washington Post reports.
The announcement puts off a cruise missile strike that had appeared imminent, a prospect that had the region on edge and stoked intense debate in the United States, where many dread getting dragged into a new war.
Obama did not indicate what he would do if Congress rejects the measure.
Lawmakers are scheduled to return from recess on Sept. 9 to begin what is sure to be a contentious debate about the risks of injecting the United States into a conflict in which it has few reliable allies and enemies on both sides of the front lines. The Senate will hold committee hearings on the proposed strike this week, Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) announced Saturday.
Read more at the Washington Post.