Obama administration weighs options on Syria

The worsening situation in Syria has accelerated deliberations inside the Obama administration about the next steps for the United States before next week's Group of Eight Summit with world leaders.

"We're fully aware about the worsening situation in Syria and are assessing options in light of that," White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters yesterday.

Washington is "concerned by the involvement of outside actors in trying to prop up" Syrian President Bashar Assad, Carney said. At the same time, the Syrian opposition "has strengthened and has become more sophisticated" and the United States has "worked more directly with them and developed stronger relationships with leaders within the opposition."

Carney's comments came a day after top U.S. national security officials met at the White House to discuss options that may include arming the Syrian rebels, and after former President Bill Clinton said Wednesday that President Barack Obama should act more forcefully in Syria.

The Syrian rebellion will be a leading topic when Obama and other world leaders meet next week at the G-8 Summit in Northern Ireland.

Clinton, according to Politico, said that aid to the Assad regime from Russia, Iran and Hezbollah raises the question of whether America should "do something to try to slow their gains and rebalance the power so that these rebel groups have a decent chance." Hezbollah is considered a terrorist group by Washington and Israel.

Clinton also said presidents should avoid over-interpreting public opinion polls about whether to get involved in crises overseas, Politico said.

Asked to respond to Clinton's critique, which was made in a closed event at the McCain Institute for International Leadership in New York, Carney said that Obama welcomes advice from "people who have expertise in this matter" while taking a long-view approach.