…with just a tinge of pink.

Since Obama declared last August that chemical weapons would constitute a “red line,” the administration this past June did conclude that the government used chemical weapons.

Now, a year later, and after additional CW attacks (which our allies have tended to confirm, even though our government will not admit of this), comes this:

…Syrian activists are accusing Bashar Assad’s forces of killing hundreds in a gas attack—in what would be the worst and deadliest chemical attack to date.

The attack raises new concerns that the so-called “red line” in Syria has been crossed, violated and effectively ignored.

That a major gas attack, with hundreds of casualties, occurred has been confirmed by video, symptom suites, and eye witness accounts.  Intelligence sources confirm that the Syrian rebels are very unlikely to be capable of mounting a chemical attack of this magnitude.  Beyond that, the political consequences, even in Syria, of being found out render a rebel CW attack of this size even more unlikely.

President Barack Obama, though, had this to say, through his secondary spokesman, Josh Earnest:

The United States strongly condemns any and all use of chemical weapons.  Those responsible for the use of chemical weapons must be held accountable.  Today, we are formally requesting that the United Nations urgently investigate this new allegation.  The UN investigative team, which is currently in Syria, is prepared to do so, and that is consistent with its purpose and mandate.

Yeah, that’ll show ’em.  Assad is shaking in his loafers.

What do “held accountable” or “unacceptable” (another favorite Obamatalk word) mean when there are no consequences?