Pentagon Considering Military Options in Syria

(Newsroom America) -- The Pentagon is weighing potential military options for Syria, as violence spreads throughout the country, though the Obama administration made clear it is leaning first towards diplomacy to resolve the widening humanitarian crisis there.

The options are being prepared for President Obama, should he call for them, CNN reported, though two officials said U.S. policy for now remained non-military in nature.

"Before we start talking about military options, we very much want to ensure that we have exhausted all the political, economic and diplomatic means at our disposal," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, told CNN.

Still, the Pentagon is examining its options in the region, an analysis that likely includes an assessment of available forces and other military assets either currently in the region or that can mustered quickly and sent there.

"The Pentagon is closely monitoring developments in Syria. It wouldn’t be doing its job if it didn’t put some ideas on the table," one senior official told CNN. "But absolutely no decisions have been made on military support for Syria."

"This remains a campaign to apply economic and diplomatic pressure," said the second official.

In an interview with reporters Tuesday, U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the senior minority member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the administration should consider "all options including arming the opposition."

Administration officials have debunked that idea, however, saying the U.S. doesn't want to add more weapons into the volatile and violent situation in Syria.

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