US military threat to Syria must remain credible

WASHINGTON – The threat of US military action against Syria must remain on the table if diplomatic efforts to secure control of its chemical weapons are to succeed, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Tuesday.

“All of us are hopeful that this option could be a real solution to this crisis, yet we must be clear-eyed,” Hagel told US lawmakers. The “real, credible” threat of US military action must continue, he insisted.