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:
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
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