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Syria
President Barack Obama
Good evening --
I just addressed the nation about the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Over the past two years, what began as a series of peaceful protests
against the repressive regime of Bashar al-Assad has turned into a
brutal civil war in Syria. Over 100,000 people have been killed.
In that time, we have worked with friends and allies to provide
humanitarian support for the Syrian people, to help the moderate
opposition within Syria, and to shape a political settlement. But we
have resisted calls for military action because we cannot resolve
someone else's civil war through force.
The situation profoundly changed in the early hours of August 21, when
more than 1,000 Syrians -- including hundreds of children -- were
killed by chemical weapons launched by the Assad government.
What happened to those people -- to those children -- is not only a
violation of international law -- it's also a danger to our security.
Here's why:
If we fail to act, the Assad regime will see no reason to stop using
chemical weapons. As the ban against these deadly weapons erodes, other
tyrants and authoritarian regimes will have no reason to think twice
about acquiring poison gases and using them. Over time, our troops
could face the prospect of chemical warfare on the battlefield. It
could be easier for terrorist organizations to obtain these weapons and
use them to attack civilians. If fighting spills beyond Syria's
borders, these weapons could threaten our allies in the region.
So after careful deliberation, I determined that it is in the national
security interests of the United States to respond to the Assad
regime's use of chemical weapons through a targeted military strike.
The purpose of this strike would be to deter Assad from using chemical
weapons, to degrade his regime's ability to use them, and make clear to
the world that we will not tolerate their use.
Though I possess the authority to order these strikes, in the absence
of a direct threat to our security I believe that Congress should
consider my decision to act. Our democracy is stronger when the
President acts with the support of Congress -- and when Americans stand
together as one people.
Over the last few days, as this debate unfolds, we've already begun to
see signs that the credible threat of U.S. military action may produce
a diplomatic breakthrough. The Russian government has indicated a
willingness to join with the international community in pushing Assad
to give up his chemical weapons and the Assad regime has now admitted
that it has these weapons, and even said they'd join the Chemical
Weapons Convention, which prohibits their use.
It's too early to tell whether this offer will succeed, and any
agreement must verify that the Assad regime keeps its commitments. But
this initiative has the potential to remove the threat of chemical
weapons without the use of force.
That's why I've asked the leaders of Congress to postpone a vote to
authorize the use of force while we pursue this diplomatic path. I'm
sending Secretary of State John Kerry to meet his Russian counterpart
on Thursday, and I will continue my own discussions with President
Putin. At the same time, we'll work with two of our closest allies --
France and the United Kingdom -- to put forward a resolution at the
U.N. Security Council requiring Assad to give up his chemical weapons,
and to ultimately destroy them under international control.
Meanwhile, I've ordered our military to maintain their current posture
to keep the pressure on Assad, and to be in a position to respond if
diplomacy fails. And tonight, I give thanks again to our military and
their families for their incredible strength and sacrifices.
As we continue this debate -- in Washington, and across the country --
I need your help to make sure that everyone understands the factors at
play.
Please share this message with others to make sure they know where I
stand, and how they can stay up to date on this situation. Anyone can
find the latest information about the situation in Syria, including
video of tonight's address, here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/foreign-policy/syria
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
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