By CCTV correspondent Iain McKinnell

BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved a resolution authorizing the use of limited military force against Syria. Senators from the 18-member committee voted 10 to 7, with one abstaining. The vote clears the way for a full Senate vote, likely next week. It comes in response to last month’s alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus that left hundreds dead.

The Senate panel approved the use of force in Syria after accepting an amendment by Republican Senator John McCain that advocated increasing support for rebel forces.

The proposal allows the use of force for 60 days with the possibility of a 30-day extension. It limits military action to within Syria’s borders, while also preventing the use of US troops on the ground. The bipartisan vote revealed the division among US lawmakers on the issue of Syria.

The US House of Representatives must also approve the proposal. And despite the Senate panel’s decision, the bill’s fate in the wider Senate vote is still unclear.

According to US media, so far, only 21 senators have said they’ll support or are likely to support the resolution. Thirteen have said they’ll oppose or are likely to oppose it. 66 are undecided or unknown.

The draft resolution was drawn up by Democratic chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Bob Menendez, and the panel’s top Republican, Senator Bob Corker.

The vote marks the first time lawmakers have authorized military action since October 2002, when President George W. Bush was authorized to launch the invasion of Iraq.

(Source: CNTV.cn)