From VOA Learning English,this is In The News.This week, a United States Senate committeevoted in support of a possibleAmerican military strike against Syria.The Senate Foreign Relations Committeeapproved a proposed resolution by a vote of 10 to seven.The resolution gives President Barack Obama powerto take military action against Syriabecause the United States says the Syrian governmentused chemical weapons against civilians.The resolution calls for limited U.S. actionlasting no more than 90 days.It does not permit the use of American ground troops in Syria.The resolution now goes to the full Senate.The House of Representatives must also vote on it.The Senate committee vote came less than a weekafter United Nations chemical weapons inspectors left Syria.U.N. officials sent the inspection teamto investigate an attack that took place 10 days earlier.American officials say more than 1,400 peoplewere killed in the attack, near Damascus.The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assaddenies using chemical weapons.It says Syrian rebels used them against government soldiers.Last Saturday, President Obama spoke to Americansand the world about Syria.He said U.S. intelligence is clear that“well over 1,000 people” were killed-- gassed to death by their own government.He denounced what he called the worstchemical weapons attack of the 21st century.President Obama and some leading lawmakershave expressed strong support for military strikes against Syria.But a recent study found that 59 percent ofAmericans questioned oppose the idea.Christopher Hill is a former U.S. ambassador to Iraqand a former special representative to Kosovo.He supports limited military action against Syria.He says the world needs to send a strong signalthat anyone who uses chemical weapons will be punished.“But the problem is we don’thave an overall way forward on Syria.People are out there fighting in Syria,either on Assad’s forces or against Assad,because they have no idea what the future of the countryis going to hold and therefore they feel that in orderto safeguard their future, they need to fight.”Retired U.S. Marine Corps General Anthony Zinniagrees with Mr. Hill.General Zinni headed “Operation Desert Fox,”a series of strikes against Iraq in 1998.He says American military actionwill strengthen rebel forces allied with al-Qaida.“Any strikes on Assad weaken him. When you weaken him,you strengthen the opposition.Those extremists are also part of the opposition.”Some experts say a U.S. military strikemight incite the Shi’ite militant group Hezbollahto attack Western targets or Israel.Others say the Syrian military might usemore chemical weapons against rebels and civilians.General Zinni says the situation is like a theatrical production.“Once Assad goes -- when, and if-- this could even be a greater mess than it is now.I mean, this civil war isn’t overbecause it will have an ‘Act Two’ to it.”The former general says that “act”could see Syrian opposition groups fighting each otherafter President Assad is gone.And that’s In the News, from VOA Learning English.I’m Steve Ember.更多听力请访问51voa.com