Secretary of State John Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Commitee that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad already believes that the United State is not going to stop him from using chemical weapons.
“One of the reasons Assad is using these materials is they’ve made the calculation that the West is not going to do anything,” Kerry said. “Impunity is already working to kill a lot of people and make things more dangerous. I guarantee you that is part of their assessment.”
Kerry consistently repeated the White House’s belief that inaction will inevitably lead to another atrocity in the future.
“If we don’t respond, we’re going to be back here, asking you to respond to some greater confrontation,” he said. “That will create much greater danger for the American people.”
