Britain says no to military strike in Syria, US prepares to go it alone

British lawmakers reject their government’s call for strikes against the chemical-armed Syrian regime Thursday, leaving the United States to act alone. Following the House of Commons vote defying British Prime Minister David Cameron’s bid to win support for military intervention, he says, “It is clear to me that the British parliament, reflecting the views of the British people, does not want to see British military action. I get that and the government will act accordingly.”But the White House says US President Barack Obama’s decision on Syria will be “guided by what is in the best interests of the United States. ” Earlier, envoys from the permanent five members of the UN Security Council — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — met at UN headquarters in New York. The 45-minute meeting was the second since Britain proposed a draft resolution to permit “all necessary measures” to protect Syrian civilians after a suspected chemical weapons attack last week. Earlier in the week, reports suggested that a Western strike was imminent.US warships armed with cruise missiles converge on the eastern Mediterranean, and US military officials say they are ready to strike if Obama gives the order.

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