Reaction to Russian proposal to take hold of chemical weaponsReaction to Russian proposal to take hold of chemical weapons9/9/13 - (Fox News Full Interview With Chris Wallace) - On Monday, President Barack Obama sat down with reporters from six major networks to discuss his push for intervention into the Syrian civil war. In his interview with Fox News Channel anchor Chris Wallace, Obama embraced the solution to the crisis suggested by Secretary of State John Kerry and embraced by Russia to supervise Syrias surrendering of their chemical weapons stockpiles.Wallace began the interview by asking what Obama believes the fallout will be following a strike. Obama dismissed that question, saying that Americas military forces are aware of what Assads capabilities are.Keep in mind that even [Bashar] Assads allies recognize that he crossed the line in using chemical weapons, Obama said. There is a reason why almost the entire international community has signed a ban on chemical weapons, even during hot wars. And its because they are indiscriminate.Wallace asked if Obama was considering the rhetorical solution to the crisis offered by Sec. Kerry and taken up by Russia as a viable resolution to the crisis: Moscows supervision of Syria handing their chemical weapons to the international community.I think its fair to say that we would not be at this point without a credible threat of a military strike, but I welcome the possibility of the development, Obama said. I think we should explore and exhaust all avenues of diplomatic resolution to this, but I think its important to keep the pressure on and -- to quote or to paraphrase, at least, a former U.S. president, Ronald Reagan -- its not enough just to trust, I think were going to have to verify.So, would you delay a congressional vote until you see where this goes? Wallace asked.Theres a reason why I slowed this thing down to allow for a congressional debate, Obama replied. Weve gone through a lot of war and people are frankly suspicious of a lot of decisions.Wallace pressed Obama whether he would delay a vote. The president replied that there was no expectation that Congress would be finished with its deliberations over the next week or so.Right now, the American people are not persuaded, Obama added. Were going to have time to have a good deliberation in Congress. We will pursue this diplomatic track. I fervently hope this can be resolved in a non-military way.Obama said he discussed a diplomatic resolution with Russian President Vladimir Putin while he was in St. Petersburg last week for a G20 summit. He said that the White House will be in contact with Russian authorities and will thoroughly examine their proposal for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.Finally, Wallace asked about the collapse of public support for intervention and the likelihood that a vote in Congress authorizing force would fail. Wallace asked Obama how much blame for that situation he thinks he personally bears.Obama replied that much of the resistance to a Syrian strike results from Americas war-weariness. He said that the U.S. can seek to enforce international norms prohibiting the use of chemical weapons without America going on to own the Syrian civil war.President Obama on Monday took a sharp turn away from his red line threat to Syria on the eve of taking his case to the American people, saying in an interview with Fox News that hes open to negotiations on an alternative plan that could avert a military strike. The president was responding to a proposal, formally put forward by the Russians, to have the Assad regime turn over its chemical weapons to international control. We will pursue this diplomatic track, Obama told Fox News. I fervently hope that this can be resolved in a non-military way. The president, while saying his advisers would run to ground that proposal, indicated he still wants Congress to debate a resolution to authorize a strike against Syria. I think it is important for us not to let the pedal off the metal when it comes to making sure they understand we mean what we say, Obama said. But the presidents decision to pursue the diplomatic track is a departure from his decision more than a week ago to pursue a military strike. And it could bring the temperature down a notch in the ongoing stand-off between his administration and the Assad government. The presidents comments come after a proposal to have the Syrian government relinquish control of its stockpile quickly caught fire in the international community and in Washington. Secretary of State John Kerry touched off the discussion with an off-hand remark that Syria could only avert military action if it turned over its weapons within a week. Kerry and his aides afterward claimed the secretary was merely making a rhetorica Current News

• published: 28 Feb 2014
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