Report: US preparing military options in Syria

President Obama has said that the United States is still seeking a
diplomatic solution, and White House press secretary Jay Carney said Tuesday
that getting involved militarily or arming the Syrian opposition is not being
considered at this time.

{mosads}Several lawmakers, including Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and
Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), said Tuesday they think the United States should start
considering whether to arm the rebels against the forces of Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad.

The United States has hoped that a United Nations resolution would
help lead to a political transition in Syria, but the resolution was vetoed
over the weekend by China and Russia.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice warned that the veto
would embolden Assad’s forces to escalate their crackdown.