The guided-missile destroyer, USS Stout, is on its way to a position in the eastern

Mediterranean to join four other destroyers in preparation of a possible attack on Syria.

The guided-missile destroyer, USS Stout, is on its way to a position in the eastern

Mediterranean to join four other destroyers in preparation of a possible attack on Syria.

In a surprising turn of events, the Tory government of Prime Minister David Cameron suffered a major defeat late Thursday when the House of Commons voted 285 to 272 against a motion that would have authorized military intervention in Syria pending the results of a U.N. inspection team's probe into the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. The vote came at the end of hours of debate with so many members of parliament wanting to weigh in that the speaker of the Commons finally had to limit each to three minutes apiece.

An amendment by the Labour delegation—calling for "compelling" evidence—was rejected by 114 votes.

The main vote was to have been the first of two. The second would have come after the inspectors returned from Syria, where they are expected to be until Saturday, and presented their findings. Given that MPs would have a second chance, it was expected that the first vote would succeed. But Conservative defectors ended that possibility.

Cameron said afterward:



I can give that assurance. Let me say, the House has not voted for either motion tonight. I strongly believe in the need for a tough response to the use of chemical weapons, but I also believe in respecting the will of this House of Commons. It is very clear tonight that, while the House has not passed a motion, it is clear to me that the British parliament, reflecting the views of the British people, does not want to see British military action. I get that and the government will act accordingly.

How this will affect the Obama administration's apparent determination to strike Syria is unknown. But Obama is said by aides to be willing to order a solo attack if nobody else goes along.

As anyone paying attention knows by now, the rationale for an attack on the regime of Bashir al-Assad is based on what everyone or nearly so says was a chemical attack in an area outside Damascus in which thousands were injured and, various sources say, as many as 1,300 killed. Leaders of the U.S. and British governments, including President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron, say they are certain that the attack was undertaken by Syrian government forces. The regime has denied that and claimed the rebels who have been fighting it since March 2011 launched the attack. U.S. experts say they are convinced the rebels do not have the capability to attack with chemical weapons.

The U.N. inspection team has been taking samples and interviewing victims of the attack. The team's mandate is only to determine whether an attack occurred not who was responsible for it.

Please read below the fold for more developments.