BBC News with Jonathan Izard.

An influential US senate committee has authorized military action over the use of chemical weapons in Syria. A similar motion is been discussed by a committee of the House of representatives. Jane O'Brien reports.

The Obama administration expected military action to be a tough sell. And today's initial vote by members of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee was close, passing by 10 votes to 7. This is only the first hurdle though. The resolution granting the president’s 60 days to use force against Syria with a guarantee that American troops won't be used in ground combat now goes to the full senate.

A possible military intervention has also been debated in the French national assembly. The Secretary of State John Kerry told the Senate Committee that inaction involved much greater risks than intervening against the government of President Assad.

“We know that Assad will read our silence, our unwillingness to act, as a signal that he can use his weapons with impunity.”

And President Obama has said the credibility of the international community and the US Congress is on the line over the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Speaking during a visit to Sweden, Mr. Obama said, not just he, but the entire world had drawn a red line by banning such weapons and warned that inaction would erode international norms.

The world set a red line when governments represent 98% of the world's population said the use of chemical weapons are abhorrent and passed a treaty forbidding their use, even when countries are engaged in war. He said that he would continue to engage with Russia and saying it could still change its approach over Syria and the crisis would be ended more quickly if Russia was on board.