U.S. Inching Up on Covert Attacks on Syrian Government

Top Washington officials are set to discuss striking positions of the Syrian military without a UN Security Council resolution. Bombing air force runways with missiles fired from coalition planes and ships is being considered, according to a report. 

 

"One proposed way to get around the White House’s objection to striking the Assad regime without a UN Security Council resolution would be to carry out the strikes covertly and without public acknowledgment,” one administration official who is to take part in the discussions told the Washington Post.

If Washington takes this 'covert' course it will pit the Pentagon and CIA directly against the Russian military that was invited into Syria by the government.  This would likely mean formal war.