US Senate's Syria resolution sets 60 days deadline

The Syria war resolution drafted by members of the powerful US Senate Foreign Relations Committee permits up to 60 days of military action against the Bashar al-Assad regime and does not permit any boots on the ground, Congressional aides said.

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"The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has crafted a bipartisan Authorisation for the Use of Military Force that we believe reflects the will and concerns of Democrats and Republicans alike," Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said after successfully negotiating with Ranking Member Bob Corker on the resolution- 'Authorisation for the Use of Military Force in Syria'.

However, the text of the draft resolution was not officially released.

The resolution is likely to be put to vote before the committee today. The resolution, among other things, permit the deployment of a small rescue mission in the event of an emergency, Congressional aides said.

Menendez said the resolution gives US President Barack Obama the authority he needs to deploy force in response to the Assad regime's criminal use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people.

The resolution also assures that the authorisation is narrow and focused, limited in time, and assures that the Armed Forces of the US will not be deployed for combat operations in Syria.

Yesterday, Menendez presided over the Senate committee hearing on Syria. The Senate is expected to schedule a vote on the resolution early next week.

"I do think we were able to address many of the issuesthat were raised today during the hearing. And I thought the hearing was fine. There wasn't any new ground broke, and I was glad that Secretary (of State, John) Kerry reasserted the 'no boots on the ground' point. And I'm sure that will also be addressed in writing," said Corker after the Congressional hearing.