CBS News reports, top story on evening news, US Pentagon is making the initial preparations for a Cruise missile attack on Syrian government forces

u/kilroy1944 pointed out that all action will take place when Obama makes his decision after meeting which occurred today (Saturday). You can see the minutes below.

Most Relevant Articles from Sunday

1. Iran Says Military Intervention in Syria ‘Will Have Severe Consequences for the White House’: TEHRAN, Iran

2. Syria says it has agreed to allow the UN to visit site of last week’s alleged chemical attacks

3. Senior #US official: There is very little doubt at this point that a #chemical weapon was used by the #Syrian government against civilians

4. Richard Engle - Unconfirmed - Sr US official: At this juncture, any belated decision by the regime to grant access to UN team would be too late to be credible.

5. Richard Engle on Twitter: UN: The Mission is preparing to conduct on-site fact-finding activities, starting tomorrow, Monday, 26 August. #syria - Confirmed by Al Arabiya

6. RT reports Syria has agreed to cease fire around CW sites

7. The Obama administration said Sunday it believed Syria used chemical weapons in an offensive last week around Damascus and rebuffed the Assad regime's offer to provide U.N. inspectors access to the affected areas, saying the move came too late to be credible.

8. French President Hollande told his US counterpart Obama during phone talks that all information indicate that the Syrian regime was behind the chemical attack near Damascus.

9. Guardian - Syria: west weighs up military options at meeting of top generals in Jordan With substantial hardware already in region, analysts say first move likely to be show of force without engaging Syria's military

Most Relevant articles from Saturday

PRIMARY DOC: Today the President held a National Security Council Meeting on #Syria. See the full readout here

1. YNET - Syria: Mideast will burn if we're attacked - As US prepares for possible attack on Syrian government forces, Assad's information minister says such an operation will 'ignite Middle East.' Syrian opposition leader urges immediate intervention to end 'slaughter of civilians'

2. Interfax - Russia may reinforce naval grouping in Mediterranean in response to U.S. buildup – expert

3. NOW - Iran says Syria will allow UN to inspect chemical sites

4. Reuters - The military chiefs of the United States, its main Western allies and Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are meeting in Jordan in the coming days to discuss the situation in Syria, defense officials said on Saturday.

5. CNN VIDEO (interviews in Damascus-Syrian People Disbelieve Assad Used Weapons

6. CNN - Chuck Hagel: Quick response needed if Syria used chemical weapons

7. TimesofIsrael - Israel said expecting US military response in Syria

8. BBC - Syria: Cameron and Obama threaten 'serious response'

9. Twitter - Israel is raising its alert level as Syria's retaliation on any US strike may include an attack on Israeli targets - Israeli press

10. Slate - Obama’s Guns of August: President Obama will likely bomb Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria. Here is the logic—and limits—for the president’s plan of attack.

11. Middle East News (Unconfirmed): Unconfirmed reports say the Jordanian army bordering Syria went on its highest alert level,anticipating a possible strike vs. #Syria.

12. Reuters - Americans strongly oppose U.S. intervention in Syria's civil war and believe Washington should stay out of the conflict even if reports that Syria's government used deadly chemicals to attack civilians are confirmed, a Reuters/Ipsos poll says. - About 60 percent of Americans surveyed said the United States should not intervene in Syria's civil war, while just 9 percent thought President Barack Obama should act.

13. Kerry discussed attack with Syrian FM: US official

Background

On the six o'clock news (on Friday) CBS reported that the US was making initial preparations to hit Syrian government forces with cruise missiles. As for now this means moving DDGs into position for cruise missiles strikes. May be a preliminary for attacks, testing public reaction, the real deal or to scare Assad into accepting negotiatinos. Either way, you'll learn here first.

Most Relevant News Articles from Friday

1. CBS - Initial article - U.S. preps for possible cruise missile attack on Syrian gov't forces - "We say initial because it will not occur until Obama gives approval; it is clear he is not there yet"

2. ITV News - US 'expands its navy presence' near Syria

3. WashPo - Hagel suggests US moving naval forces closer to Syria in case Obama orders military strike - The Pentagon is moving naval forces closer to Syria in preparation for a possible decision by President Barack Obama to order military strikes

4. Reuters - Obama senior national security advisors to meet at White House this weekend to discuss Syria options: U.S. official

5. Twitter (NewsBreaker) - U.S. Joint Chiefs Chair General Dempsey expected to present options for Syria strike at White House tomorrow

6. RT - US readies possible missile strike against Syria - report

7. Reuters - The U.S. Navy will expand its presence in the Mediterranean with a fourth cruise-missile armed warship because of the escalating civil war in Syria, a defense official said on Friday.

8. Google News - Pentagon Preps Cruise Missiles to Attack Syria - Obama Insists 'No Rush' on Launching Attack

9. Reuters - U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel strongly suggested on Friday the United States was positioning naval forces and assets in anticipation of any decision by President Barack Obama to order military action on Syria after apparent chemical weapons use.

10. Guardian - Syria: Chuck Hagel suggests US is marshalling military forces: US defence secretary says his department is providing Barack Obama with 'options for all contingencies'

11. Reuters - U.S. repositions naval forces, no decision on Syria strike: The United States on Friday was repositioning naval forces in the Mediterranean to give President Barack Obama the option for an armed strike on Syria, although officials cautioned that Obama had made no decision on military action.

12. Australian PM Rudd suspends campaigning for national security briefing on Syria - The Prime Minister said in Sydney this morning he was aware of media reports that the US was readying missile strikes on Syrian government forces, but said Australia would not rush into responding.

13. Antiwar - Obama Maintains Pretense of Opposing Syria War as Military Readies Strikes: Hagel Confirms Obama Requested Options for Attack

14. Report: Syrian rebel forces trained by West are moving towards Damascus

15. U.S. preparing missile strike on Syria as evidence mounts of chemical weapons use

16. BBC - Syria crisis: US weighs military options

17. Haraatz - After Syrian chemical attack, Obama opts for 'Tomahawk diplomacy'

Pieces relating to causality and possible tactics

1. NYTimes - "Air War in Kosovo Seen as Precedent in Possible Response to Syria Chemical Attack": NYT Source

2. NBC - US officials believe Syria used chemical weapons, weigh military response

3. SBS - Obama's statements from today - Obama warns of cost of US action in Syria

4. CBS - U.S. detected activity at Syria chemical weapons sites before attack

5. These statements were made prior to ship movement. WashPo - Obama plays down US intervening in Syria, a year after calling chemical weapons a ‘red line’

Military Info

US Carrier Locations

From u/kilroy1944 - Anyone in the states able to confirm that the ones in San Diego, Norfolk, Bremton are still in port?

CVN-75 Harry S. Truman (Red Sea)

CVN-77 George H.W. Bush (near states)

CVN-76 Ronald Reagan (San Diego)

CVN-70 Carl Vinson (San Diego)

CVN-69 Dwight D. Eisenhower (NorfolK – scheduled for DPIA)

CVN-74 John C. Stennis (Bremton – scheduled for DPIA

DPIA - Drydocking Planned Incremental Availability

Source

French Carrier Location

Location undetermined - DCNS completes Charles de Gaulle carrier refit

Last reported - Upon completion of testing the aircraft carrier, the aircraft Embedded Air Group (EAG) ( Rafale , Modernized Super Etendard aircraft and aerial reconnaissance Hawkeye ) join their "mother ship" in the Mediterranean

Last reported -

DDGS Aleigh Burke-class destroyer (types deployed in Mediterranean)

Wikipedia - Specs on USS Mahan, destroyer

Wikipedia - Specs on destroyer class, Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

Cruise Missile Types at NATO's disposal

TAURUS KEPD 350 - 500km

Storm Shadow SCALP EG - 250km

AGM-158 JASSM - 370km

BGM-109 Tomahawk - 2500km

AGM-86 ALCM - 2400km

Political Info

u/kilroy1944 just made this excellent point - (he's joined us as one of the newer moderators):

"On how the National Security process works at high levels in the US Government. The meeting that occurred today is considered a "Principals Meeting." This is a big deal, as these are the top guys in various agencies that get together before a meeting with the President's National Security Council. During this meeting they hash out policy proposals and where each agency stands.

The meeting that will be important is the National Security Council meeting. So if you read that the President has met with the NSC, this is when final decisions will be made. The fact that it is being reported that Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is meeting tomorrow suggests this meeting might come in the morning.

TL;DR What occured today (Friday) is a Principals Meeting, the meeting that will decide any action will be a meeting of the President's National Security Council. It is an important distinction when following US policy."

FAS - Related primary document - memo on the organization of the US National Security establishment at these levels -