Kerry says boots on ground may be needed to secure chemical weapons in Syria

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday at a Senate hearing that boots on the ground may be needed in Syria if chemical weapons were to fall into wrong hands, a scenario representing a clear danger to the United States and its allies.

"If there is a cache" of chemical weapons needed to be secured, Kerry said, the need for boots on the ground may arise, but he assured lawmakers that President Barack Obama has no intention of sending troops to fight Syria's civil war.

"There will be no boots on the ground in respect of the civil war," said Kerry, in response to Senator Bob Corker's question.

"President Obama is not asking America to go to war," Kerry said. "He is asking for authorization to degrade and deter Bashar al-Assad's capacity to use chemical weapons."