Obama is slowing his roll towards a "limited narrow act in Syria" by publicly requesting authorization from Congress for a military action.

BREAKING Obama to seek congressional authorization for strike on Syria delaying action. #Syria

— David Gregory (@davidgregory) August 31, 2013

Obama's "hastily organized" Rose Garden announcement follows an ongoing international debate over military intervention in the Middle Eastern country. While France has endorsed action, British lawmakers voted against it. Putin has called allegations of chemical weapon use in Syria "utter nonsense."

UN inspectors left the country early this morning for Lebanon. They are headed to the Hague, where blood and urine samples from Syrian victims, as well as soil samples, will be tested for evidence of a chemical attack.

The AP is reporting that Obama originally planned to take military action without Congressional approval but changed his mind last night.

Most of his national security advisers believed he "had the authority to act on his own," but the president changed his plan after a "lengthy discussion" with chief of staff Denis McDonough.

House Speaker John Boehner and other GOP members released a statement saying they had spoken with the president and "expect the House to consider a measure the week of September 9th."

Here is full video of Obama's Rose Garden address.

[image via AP]