U.S. President Barack Obama said in his weekly address Saturday "the possibility of a diplomatic solution" to Syria relinquishing its chemical weapons is due in part to the "credible threat of U.S. military force."
The president said Russia has shown a "new willingness to join with the international community" in putting pressure on Syria to give up the chemical weapons used in an attack last month that killed more than 1,000 Syrians.
Obama said a week ago, the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would not admit possessing chemical weapons, but "today, it does."
The president said the U.S. military would maintain its presence in Syria's region until the Middle Eastern country gave up its chemical weapons.
President Obama said the U.S. and the international community must be "prepared to act" if diplomacy failed.
The U.S. leader said "we have a duty to preserve a world free from the fear of chemical weapons for our children."
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