Arabs states divided, powerless over US strikes on Syria

The Arab League has squarely accused the Assad regime of carrying out a chemical weapons attack in Damascus last week that killed hundreds

Divided over a conflict they failed to resolve diplomatically, Arab countries are powerless observers of possible US strikes on Syria not designed to achieve what most of them want -- President Bashar al-Assad's downfall.

"The Arab countries are weak, preoccupied by their own internal affairs. Some of them care little about what will happen in Syria," said Emirati analyst Abdelkhaleq Abdallah.

"They are angry at the attitude of the international community which (they feel) has betrayed the Syrian people, but also by the fact that an Arab country is being targeted in unilateral strikes, without UN approval."

The Arab League, which suspended Syria's membership in November 2011 and gave its seat to the main opposition group, has squarely accused the Assad regime of carrying out a chemical weapons attack in Damascus last week that killed hundreds.
 
US Secretary of State John Kerry cited the pan-Arab body yesterday among a list of allies "ready to respond" to the chemicals weapons attack.