(VOVworld) - The military intervention in Syria planned by US President Barack Obama has won the backing of key figures in the US Congress controlled by the Republican Party. Leaders of both Republican and Democratic parties pledged their support on Wednesday in a press conference following their meeting with Obama. Speaker of the US House of Representatives John Boehner said the use of chemical weapons must be responded to. Only the United States has the capability and the capacity to stop Assad’s regime and to warn others around the world that this type of behavior is not going to be tolerated. House minority leader Nancy Pelosi added that Washington must respond to actions “outside the circle of civilized human behavior”.

To win this critical support, Obama made use of this short time prior to his Sweden visit to persuade the Congress, vowing that the military plan would deliver important results while keeping the United States out of a larger war. Obama said Syria strike will degrade Assad's chemical weapons capability and bring Syrians out of death and devastation caused by a civil war.

So far only 23 out of 435 Congressmen and 20 out of 100 Senators have confirmed to say yes. An opinion poll released by the Washington Post-ABC News on Tuesday showed nearly 60% of respondents are against Syria strike.

US President Barack Obama meets with his national security staff to discuss the situation in Syria. (Photo: Reuters)

On Tuesday, Russia condemned the US for dispatching warships near Syria. 5 destroyers and a landing ship has already arrived the Mediterranean, signaling readiness for possible missile strike against Syria. US officials said the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and 4 other ships in its strike group moved into the Red Sea early on Monday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday that she hoped an international consensus will be reached at this week's G20 summit in response to an alleged chemical attack in Syria. Merkel was quoted as saying that Germany will not participate in military action in Syria but will do everything possible in the remaining days to have a united response of the international community.