Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that the use of chemical weapons in attacks on civilians in Syria last week was undeniable and that the Obama administration would hold the Syrian government accountable for what he called a “moral obscenity” that had shocked the world’s conscience, reports The New York Times. Setting the stage for eventual military intervention, Kerry said in a statement from the State Department that what is happening on the ground in Syria “is real and it is compelling” and requires a response from the international community, Politico reports. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama called multiple foreign leaders over the weekend to discuss a response to the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria, but, according to Roll Call, he hasn’t yet called Speaker John Boehner.