The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved a resolution giving US President Barack Obama authority to take military action against Syria over its use of chemical weapons on civilians. By 10-7, the resolution will go to the full Senate next week for ratify.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said ''The greater risks... are not acting'' (photo: bbc.co.uk)

The Senate committee approved a plan that would give Obama authority to order limited strikes against Syrian military targets for 60 days.  He could extend the window by another 30 days under certain conditions. The resolution does not authorize the use of ground troops.  It states that military action must be aimed at deterring and preventing Syria from carrying out future chemical weapons attacks.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad on Wednesday stated that Syria has right to defend itself and is willing to strike back all attacks, including attacks under the cloak of the United Nations. The same day, Ali Habib, a former Defense Minister and a prominent member of President Bashar Assad's Alawite sect, has defected and is now in Turkey. If his defection is confirmed, Habib would be the highest ranking figure from the sect to break with Assad since the uprising against him began in 2011.

In related news, the Turkish army deployed additional troops and weapons along the Syrian border. British Prime Minister David Cameron said that the UK “can’t be part and won’t be part” of any military strikes against Bashar al-Assad’s regime. But he added that the international community should give necessary measures for the recent chemical weapons attack in the country. The statement came a few days after the British Parliament officially rejected the UK’s participation in a war in Syria.