Undersecretary of Defense in Beijing Pressing China on Chemical Weapons in Syria, North Korea

Lowering the threshold on chemical weapons use endangers everyone, he argues

The United States is trying to enlist Beijing's support for military action against Syria by arguing that it would help deter North Korea from using chemical weapons and threatening security in China's neighborhood, a U.S. official said Tuesday.

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James Miller, who was in Beijing to meet with Chinese officials, said a retaliatory strike against the Syrian government would uphold the international norm that chemical weapons must not be used.