President Barack Obama's decision to seek congressional approval before taking military action in Syria elicited a range of responses internationally, with backers like France and Turkey expressing teeth-gritting determination to push ahead but others—notably Israel-questioning the American leader's resolve.
The knock-on effect of Mr. Obama's move was clear in France, which is an ally in the expected military mission. French President François Hollande spoke to Mr. Obama by phone after the announcement and reiterated that Paris was standing by Washington to help deter the regime of President Bashar al-Assad from using chemical weapons against rebel groups and civilians, a French official said.
But Mr. Obama's decision means any military action may not happen before several days—Congress is scheduled to return from its August recess only on Sept. 9, exposing Mr. Hollande to a tougher examination of his Syrian plans.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they opposed using force in Syria in a Saturday survey conducted by French polling agency BVA. Previous polls had showed a small majority of French people were in favor of a military intervention.
Read more of this report from The Wall Street Journal.