In her first public comments on the debate over whether or not to use military force in Syria, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday that an idea floated by her successor —and seemingly accepted by both Russia and the Assad regime – could be “an important step.”
Following a meeting with President Barack Obama, Clinton acknowledged the debate that has consumed both Washington and the country as a whole.
“A vigorous and important debate is underway in congress and around kitchen tables all over America,” she said. “This is a challenge that has catalyzed the kind of debate that I think is good for our democracy. As you know, this is a fluid situation with statements from Russia and Syria and others in the last several hours.”
Clinton outlined what she said are the most salient points in the debate over the situation in Syria.
“First , as the president has said, the Assad regime’s inhuman use of weapons of mass destruction against innocent men, women and children violates a universal norm at the heart of our global order,” Clinton said. “And therefore, it demands a strong response from the international community, led by the United States.
“Second, the international community cannot ignore the ongoing threat from the Assad regime’s stockpiles of chemical weapons — whether they are used again against Syrian civilians or transferred to Hezbollah or stolen by other terrorists,” she continued. “This is about protecting both the Syrian people and our friends in the region. The world will have to deal with this threat as swiftly and comprehensively as possible.”
Clinton then addressed comments made by current Secretary of State John Kerry, who suggested Monday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could avoid a military strike if he surrenders his chemical weapons. Russia subsequently endorsed the idea, which the State Department initially said was merely a hypothetical posed by Kerry. But by Monday afternoon, the State Department said it will take a “hard look” at the Russian proposal.
“Now, if the regime immediately surrendered its stockpiles to international control, as was suggested by Secretary Kerry and the Russians, that would be an important step,” Clinton said. “But this cannot be another excuse for delay or obstruction. And russia has to support the international community’s efforts sincerely or be held to account. It is very important to note that this discussion that has taken hold today about potential international control over Syria’s stockpiles only could take place in the context of a credible military threat by the United States to keep pressure on the Syrian government as well as those supporting Syria like Russia.”
Clinton closed by emphasizing that the Syrian civil war poses significant implications for American security interests.
“Third, as has been emphasized many times and I did so as secretary of state, the broader conflict in Syria is a threat to regional stability and security of our allies and partners, as well as a humanitarian catastrophe for the Syrian people and those neighboring countries attempting to absorb hundreds of thousands, now more than 2 million refugees,” Clinton said. “Achieving a political solution that ends the conflict is in the interest of the United States.”
