By Jill Dougherty, reporting from Doha
Don't look for the United States to send weapons to Syrian rebels any time soon, Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday in a CNN interview on the last full day of his first international trip as the nation's top diplomat.
Instead, President Barack Obama's administration will continue to provide non-lethal aid while other countries arm the rebels fighting to defeat forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in the two-year conflict that has claimed nearly 70,000 lives and left many areas of Syria in ruins.
"The president always has options and always has the right to adjust a policy as he goes forward," Kerry said. "At the moment, this is the calibration the president believes is correct to try to give the opportunity for a diplomatic solution."
"But the president has made it clear, as has every other country at the table, that we will not allow President Assad to slaughter his people and to continue to rain Scuds on innocent women and children and to literally destroy his country in the effort simply to hold onto power," Kerry said.
Last week, after a meeting with Syrian opposition leaders in Rome, Kerry announced $60 million in aid to the Syrian National Council to help administer rebel-held territories and an unspecified amount of food and medical aid to rebel fighters. That's on top of $50 million in similar aid previously pledged by the United States and $385 million in humanitarian aid for Syrians displaced by the fighting.
Aid experts warn U.S. aid to Syrian rebels blurs lines
Kerry said he believes increasing international pressure on the Syrian regime was having an impact.
"You have to look at this holistically, and in the whole it is having a major impact," he said. "Now, in the next weeks and months our hope is that this ratcheting up can avoid the level of killing and provide a window of opportunity for President Assad and the Russians and Iranians and others to get a negotiation that actually saves lives and provides a transitional government."
On other issues:
Iran: Kerry said Obama continues to prefer a diplomatic solution to concerns over the Middle Eastern country's nuclear weapons. But he said Iran should be willing to prove to the world that its nuclear program is peaceful.
"There are a lot of other countries that have peaceful programs and prove it to the world. This should not be complicated," he said.
North Korea: Kerry said former basketball player Dennis Rodman's trip to North Korea wouldn't do anything to resolve the tension between Pyongyang and much of the rest of the world.
"I have great respect for Dennis Rodman as a basketball player. As a diplomat, he was a great basketball player," Kerry quipped.
Kerry said Pyongyang continues to make "belligerent and reckless moves that threaten the region, their neighbors and now, directly, the United States of America."
"It's very easy for Kim Jong Un to prove his good intent here also. Just don't fire the next missile. Don't have the next test. Just say you're ready to talk."
U.S. to give additional $60 million in aid to Syrian opposition
His appointment as secretary of state: Kerry said he didn't accept the job to be a "yes person," and doesn't think Obama wants him to be, despite Washington chatter that the second-term president is assembling a team that largely mirrors his own views. "I don't think the president appreciates just 'yes' people," Kerry said. "I think he is a man who has a very highly developed intellect and looks for answers to tough issues in a very inquisitive, Socratic way, and he looks for every point of view he can, and then he makes the tough decisions. So my job is to tell him the truth."
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Hi! I really love this blog. Tell me please – from where do you have information for ths blog?
America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty countries since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government Mohammad Mosaddegh and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America, is the only country ever, shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015. ha ha ha
How can the US put pressure on Assad without aiding the FSA defend against Assad's war planes? This is ridiculus. While the US, under President Bush, strengthened Iran by creating a void in the area, President Obama is all talk and no teeth and without any middle east policiy. By aiding the FSA, the US could have scored a political gain. However, the US wants a weak Syria and that explains why the Assad killings are being permitted to go on. Mr. Kerry, your statements do not make sense and do not convince anyone.
Mr. Kerry, you are supporting the same culture that commit September 11 crime. You visited in the middle east the only countries that its culture produced and still producing terrorists. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt brotherhood they all the same culture that feeding and growing terrorism. No matter how soft speaking their leaders, the west had supported Saudis and Sunni Wahhabi for 200 years and it is the same culture that brought terrorism to the west and dysfunctional society to its people. It boggles the mind that you align yourself with the Sunni Wahhabi against Christians, Shiaa and every peace loving people in there
The Bible warns about the revival of the Roman Empire headed by the beast 666,the antichrist,the most powerful military nation on earth,and now we are the most powerful military nation on earth.We have a Senate and a House of Representatives as did the Roman Empire,and we,our population is made up of many different nationalities as was the Roman Empire.And we are engaged in what is really a religious war as the terrorists are mainly Muslims and we are mainly Christians,and the Roman Empire became Christian under the Emperor Constantine and engaged in the Crusades,Holy Wars,to force people by wars,by the sword,to become Christians,and that Roman Empire over time fell in wars,as did the mighty British Empire and many others down through history.Wars are not Holy,Isaiah 2:4,says God ends all wars,and God doesn't end what is Holy,so wars are not Holy.And you can't have a separation of Church and State to fight wars in a nation that you claim to be under God,under God means God comes first,and the Church,says the Bible,is the Bride of Jesus,and you can't separate Jesus' Bride,the Church from the State in a nation under God if you are putting God first,as the Bible teaches that God must always come first.
just a small matter of time and we will be into it hot/heavy.........of course, we are broke, but that doesn't matter, they'll find the money for another conflict.
We already armed the rebels with quadafis old weapons. Benghazi was a gun running operation
our ambas was killed because he met with someone and he demanded them back. 45 min later after the meeting, he was under attack.......
Looks like Kerry got botox on his face ..eh. rofl
As a blood-thirsty Neocon and gutless, war-loving chickenhawk, I demand this administration DO SOMETHING!!!
Note that Kerry used the word "YET". That is, not yet.
Profits for the "defense contractors" (or should we all say, war profiteers) come above and beyond all security concerns for the US and its people. Profits still come first, even if the weapons are going to be bought by the US government to be given to a bunch of people that the US itself would label terrorists in any other scenario.
The Syrian rebels are hardly any different from Hamas or Hezbollah. The only difference is whichever sect of Islam they adhere to. (Not that it really matters, these terrorists all adhere to Islamic violence).
Yah sure Kerry, go ahead and arm these rebel terrorists as if you are not arming them already. America and their puppets Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are arming, training and sending Al-Qaeda fanatics to Syria to kill and terrorize the Syrian population and destroy Syria infrastructure Yesterday, Al-Nusra (Al-Qaeda) terrorists took over most of the city of Al-Raqa which was one of the quietest cities in Syria that did not have any protests for 2 years. These terrorists immediately stormed the city's museum and stole centuries-old contents with the help of some Turks. The true Syrians will never forget what you have done to Syria.
Hey dont blame on Turks..Majority of Turks Specially secular ones and the shii Turks support Assad...its politics and world powers designate which they cant do things about....many think this will jump to Turkey..hope never happens...
By the way most importantsecular army and navy commanders are in prisons in Turkey...and the military is in control of sunni islamist party at the moment.maybe this give you an idea of whats happening in the middle east...
Oh ! Obama ! Oh ! Kerry ! " Either you are with the terrorists, or with us " so said George W. Bush.
Long live secular Syria.
What happened to Kerry's face?
we will arm them after they topple assad
))))
Is it me or is this the most ironic?
ARM Islamic extremists in the mideast.... with American $$$, the very same Americans they are DISARMING through bans?
It's only ironic if you consider all Muslims extremist.
Hello, we have been arming the rebels for a year now. This was all over the news just six months ago.
So it's going to happen, down the road hey the AG gave weapons to the drug cartels not much difference if it's Kerry or the AG.
Iraq has enterd tthe war in Syria, we better just drop the whole thing right now Kerry
You have already given them millions!!!
GOD BLESS THE SYRIAN ARAB ARMY!
DEATH TO THE ENEMIES OF SYRIA!
DEATH TO US HEGEMONY!
So tell me Kerry,how did the filthy rebels went from so call peaceful demonstrators to knowing how to handle weapons to fight a well trained army overnight,lol.
You must think that all Americans are imbeciles.
Arming Syrian rebels is not easy like Libya. With Syrian links with Iran, there is every chance of handing over arms & its technology to Iran by Syrian rebels who are unorganized like Libya & Iraq and others. Rebels have to be well organized with secular and stable democratic norms & strong belief in human rights & equality of all genders before aid is extended to rebel forces. Egypt was an exception with brotherhood having Morsy as President & supported by Islamic fundamentalists but with its history & army loyalty to International Obligations, Morsy with education in US and belief in US values could be trusted to some extent. But Syrian Rebels have to be well organized with right base before help of armament as consequences could be hijacked and Iran military involved in their operations
I think he is lying. I think they plan on arming the rebels knowing the arms will get into the hands of the extremists. Obama and his administration have been 'reaching out' to terrorists groups since he was first elected. The USA has never been weaker or more at risk than now under his administration.
lol Washington is so off course, they want to arm terrorists now? They have been arming terrorists since the beginning of the conflict.
U got that right buddy! This administration as well as the United States has been off course since 2000. Strangely enough it has been that way since the turn of the third thousand years! Arming Arabs in any middle eastern ountry is the last act of a desperate man (Obama)!
Yes, and disarm its own citizens.
Kerry seems like a nice guy, but he doesn't look healthy. I don't think our health care system would help him because they are so messed up that they can't.
Did not the U.S. arm the Tailiban at one time? How did that turn out?
its a common misconception by uneducated liberals that the USA armed the taliban.
it gets repeated so often liberals think its a fact.
no the USA did not ever arm the taliban. the taliban were created by pakistan in the 1990's long after the soviet invasion of afghanistan.
liberal open a book
The Taliban was a construct of the CIA and was armed by the CIA….Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher
It seemed like a great idea, back in the ’80s to– embolden– and train and equip– Taliban, mujahidin, jihadists against the Soviet Union, which had invaded Afghanistan. And with our help, and with the Pakistani support– this group– including, at that time, Bin Laden, defeated the Soviet Union. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Oct. 7th, 2009.
Looks like you could crack some books open yourself...
the taliban did not even exist in the 1980's
so you are wrong.
the taliban were crreated by pakistan. it only takes a little research to find this out.
From 1995-2001, the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence[15] and military[16] are widely alleged by the international community to have provided support to the Taliban.
as you can see the taliban did not exist until way after 1990. there were soviets in afghanistan at that time.
The Taliban (Pashto: طالبان ṭālibān "students"), alternative spelling Taleban,[7] is an Islamic fundamentalist political movement in Afghanistan. It spread into Afghanistan and formed a government, ruling as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from September 1996
it also seem hilldog maybe should crack open a book or two.
Actually, the U.S IS supplying Syrian rebels with weapons...
/watch?v=NFQM6KCp6yA
Yeah, actually that's not true. Those havent been manufactured or sold by the US for a while now. More likely some country we sold them to earlier (saudia arabia, Turkey) is doing it now. Dont be an ijiit
Maybe once we will remember history of arming rebels against a dictating government. Like when they come back and attack us later using our own money, weapons, and training against us. Lets remember 911 and who attacked us and we have been fighting against well over a decade.
Al Qaeda is good when they are fighting Assad, but why is it again that I have to be groped at the Airport?
An iReport posting:
You Cut Special Ed!?!
By joshuans | Posted March 3, 2013 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I am an elementary special education teacher in Baton Rouge, LA.
According to the National Education Association (NEA), Louisiana will lose an estimated 9.6 million dollars in special education grants affecting 3,640 students while cutting 151 jobs.
Special education teachers and support staff are already stretched far to thin to absorb 151 job losses. And our students' academic performance cannot afford to lose the approximately 6,000 hours that these staff member spend with students, per week.
Cut an F-35, save thousands of teachers. We actually work.
------------------------------–
Guns & Money for Syrian rebels, but cut education funding.
Here's an idea, let's stay out of Syria and stop trying to force regime changes. Let's take of our own business here at home.
We need to control Syria. If we don't, New Zealand will step in and conquer the entire Middle East.
There is no need to give more weapons to FSA terrorists: they still have got aplenty from what they have received while in Libya.
Assad and Islamist are fighting each other ( 2 enemies of US and Israel) Iran is spending money trying to Arm Assad. All these weapons and more are being used to kill common enemies of Israel and US. Why would we want to end this war? We need not to spend any money or send any troops while they destroy each other. This is just like Iran – Iraq war in the 80s. We can just sit back and watch the whole thing. We will send the opposition a bit of weapons if we see them getting weak.
The lessons learned by the U.S. in China when supporting the KMT should never be forgotten when the idea of shipping arms to foreign fighters comes up for consideration. You don't want to ship tens or hundreds of thousands of tons of ammunition, artillery, rifles, etc. to the people/team/organization you want to support until you can have some reasonable assurance that large portions of those resources aren't likely to be abandoned or literally handed over to the enemy. Reports indicate that there may be a rather hefty contingent of Salafists/jihadists counting themselves as freedom fighters in Syria today, with reports of infighting among the various groups of freedom fighters, and arms shipments might be the most sought-after and coveted prize for some of these groups and they might bend all of their will and effort towards stealing, seizing, or otherwise acquiring them somehow to shore up their power prospects in the post-conflict environment. Imagine for a second that you are the French foreign minister, the comte de Vergennes, and you've been asked whether it would be wise to send 30 ships filled with artillery, rifles, and ammunition to help the "American" cause against the British, but instead of one relatively cohesive Army you have eight or nine different "American" armies each of them fighting within their ranks and fighting each other more than the British. What do you tell your king?
King Louis: "Vergennes, should we send the shipment to America?"
Vergennes: "Upon reflection I believe it would be cheaper to ship them directly to England."
Yeah, because blowback never happens...Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran...
What in the hell is wrong with these damned politicians once they actually get into office?! Many of our own people right here in America are hurting financially and we are going to send millions of dollars to assist yet another group of islamic radicals?! I'm not a brilliant politician who gets to do nothing but sit around and study these issues all the time, I'm just an active duty Soldier who is directly effected by their brilliant decisions, but this doesn't take a lot of study to see that it is rediculously STUPID!!! At this point I am convinced that enough members of the democrat AND republican parties are trying to destroy their own people that it is now painfully obvious. If we can't make them understand what we want through fair elections and the rule of law...what else is there? That's right, I said it.
I wouldn't say that the lack of help for people in this country is the government's problem. Our help to our own citizens is given through social programs and taxes. The people of this country continue to demand ever lower taxes, no matter the impact on our social nets or services. So, to me, the question is what is wrong with the people of this country?
Social programs are destroying this country. Tax and spend....giving away a living to people not willing to earn their own is called socialism. I earned everything I've got and I'm tired of standing by giving even part of it to someone who won't try hard enough to earn their own. Let the Syrians earn their freedom....many Americans died fighting so they we may enjoy our freedom we have today. The word "earn' has fallen from our language and it's all about giving more and more....NO more!
Carol, that's a bummer about Syria's social problems. But it is NONE of our bussiness.
I don't know what any of that has to do with Syria. Stop trying to distract people with pointless arguments.
CH, I agree. We are overly obsessed with the Middle East. It has SOME stategic interest, but only to the level of oil. Full geographic control of the middle east it not necessary for national interests or security.
CNN: No reports or stories @ Kerry and Biden's recent remarks concerning Iran. The statements were profound to the point of Biden and Kerry threatening military action on Iran.
Kerrys face lift looks awful...
Kerry face looks awful...FTFY
DON'T GIVE THEM ANYTHING. IDIOTS IN WASHINGTON!
They truly are idiots. You can't control or rebuild a country unless you FULLY conquer it at ALL cost to the inhabitants.. This is a fact. We can defend our allie countries, but as far as Syria, we either decide to quickiy and FULLY conquer it at all cost to all of their inhabitants or stay out.
Perhaps Mr. Kerry should ask the GOPT what actions we should take in Syria. Then record their response and then use it against them because eventually they'll criticize any domestic or foreign policy implemented by the Obama administration that they initially support or propose. Stinking shameless deceitful worthless right wing bigoted racists.
Kerry is not capable to do the job.
We need a hard core person like Hillary Clinton to replace him.
abm, I think you might be right about Kerry.
This presidency think he can buy respect from those in the Middle East, but they are laughing all the way to the arms dealer. We give money, they buy guns and bombs and then use them on the civilians to get thier way and build up anti-American feelings. We are trying to solve their problems with pay-offs and wasting the money we need here.
A four word phrase our political leaders seem to have forgotten:
"It's not our business!"
....stop giving our money to extremists. They're just going to line up to the be the people we have to battle 10 years from now. The world's a rough place, let natural selection sort it out.
Hilarious....[[Iran: Kerry said Obama continues to prefer a diplomatic solution to concerns over the Middle Eastern country's nuclear weapons. But he said Iran should be willing to prove to the world that its nuclear program is peaceful.]] – - – - – The democrats are like kids playing dressup when mommy is gone. Absolutely nothing gets done, except the house gets wrecked. When mommy gets home (Republicans gain presidency), then the work of actually doing something begins all over again. I'm 56 years old and seen it now as a pattern.
Nobody is stopping you from taking up arms and joining the Syrian rebels..no reason for the rest of us to.
@paper trail or should I call you paperweight???
Like Obama got Osama? Like Obama got Ghadaffi? Like Obama got Alwaki??? Like Obama got dozens of al Qaeda operatives??? Like Obama helping to bring democracy to Egypy, Libya and South Sudan and during the Libyan conflict, getting the job done without lost of life and with just a fraction of what the GOP spent in Iraq and Afghan? Seems like when mommy's away, this President gets a whole lot done inspite of the division and roadblocks on capitol hill.
I can't stop laughing hard enough to type a response to that blabbering.....hahahahahahahahahahaha
We are going to give money to terrorists (the Syrian opposition) to fight terrorists (Assad regime), and money to prop up the Egyptian regime (Muslim Brotherhood), but force US Federal employees to take up to a 20% cut in pay over the next 6 months? This is not leadership Mr President. You proved in your first term that paying other countries to like us doesn't work. Stop campaigning and start working to fix the problems in America.
Armed rebels fighting their government in Syria = Good
Armed rebels fighting for their liberty in America= Bad
Unfortunately, its never as simple as that...
Yes, actually, it IS that simple.
Perhaps the "Good Sect'y of State" can bundle up all the firearms that undoubtedly be confiscated from law-abiding taxpayers here in the U.S. in the next 6-months or so, and ship them over to help the Sirian Opposition.
Arming the rest of the world (F-16's to Egypt. "Aid" to the Syrian Rebels), why not. Pres. Obama, his Administration and the Anti-Gun Crowd here in the States have not qualms or hesitation in their efforts to disarm the American Public.
Sounds like a "plan" to me.
Let's see........Egypt first installment (250,000,000) +(20 F16 planes)+ (200 Abrams tanks) Etc, Etc......Syria ($50,000,000)+ ($60,000,000) Yemen ??? Libya ??????. Therein lies a major contribution to the much feared and threatened sequester. Deal with it stop the fear mongering and by the way, the election is over, you won.
America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty countries since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government Mohammad Mosaddegh and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America, is the only country ever, shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.
I believe the Russians shot down a civilian air liner at one point. Try to get ALL the facts before your brain is engaged. Idiot.
....and you want to know why the rest of the world hates us? The morons in Washington make us all look like idiots and we, the people are the hated
Hey Mohammad my friend : It's me Muhammad! You chose John Smith to post? I chose James Smith! It is really really funny because it's true!
"Don't look for the United States to send weapons to Syrian rebels any time soon, Secretary of State John Kerry said" because They did already but it didn’t work. Shame on US government and shame on any country supports terrorists to kill innocents and destroy hospitals, schools, parks, post offices and etc etc…..
Sham on US government to have budget cut here in the US in the same time donate $60M to Islamic terrorists (Al-Qaida and Islamic brother hood militia) recently and $250M before to fight the Syrian army who is protecting civilians from all religions (Christians, Muslims and Syrian Jews). Syrian Army is not loyal to President Bashar al-Assad but to all Syrians who are not radicals. I think US government (Dem and Rep) forgot our victims in 9/11. This is shame.
Go Bashar and Go Syrian Army God be with u kill as much as u can of those terrorists so we live in peace here in US. This is the real war against terror.
because there's not enough weapons in the area ?
the syrian Gov't is horrid no doubt but the rebels are largely muslim extremists, how did it work out when we armed them in afghanistan to fight the USSR?
can we please focus on the USA............. please?
we have our own problems
Uhh, the US shouldn't aid them period.
Ugh. This is going to turn out just like it did with the Contras.
sooooo.....
We are giving more and more money to Islamic countries, while ours slowly crumbles away. Good plan Washington.
I'm so confused by our foreign policy these days. We are drone bombing people in Yemen for rebellious activity while supporting them in Libya and Syria. We speak out against Islamic extremism and preach tolerance in Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, but support fundamentalist governments in these "Arab Spring" nations.
The USA has been in the Middle East since the mid 1920s trying to rule this part of the world. Remember pres. Reagan and all the nations he attacked? Lebanon was one of them. Then they killed our Marines and Reagan had enough sense to leave. Remember Libya? The counties in Cental America?
Then Reagan attacked Granada a few month later. We won that war! Yea.
Yet? Yet?!!? Nyet! Never! We need to get out of the Middle East and stop intervening. All we are doing is helping to build Islamic theocracies. And the oil? We will be energy independent in 10-15 years anyway.
Keep in mind Yet doesn't mean they are going to do it. Relax a bit.
Bet the house that they are already doing it.
No plan yet??? HAHAHAHAHAHAH Sure.
Typical liberal pansies. Either arm the rebels to get rid of Assad or arm Assad to get rid of the Islamist rebels. But DO SOMETHING!
Do something? Why does the United States have to do anything? This is a civil war between a secular dictator and Islamic terrorists. If you feel something should be done, then why dont you go over to Syria and volunteer your time and money. We should not be involved and especially should not be supporting Al Qaida terrorists who if win, will turn thier guns on us.
Pretty much. The secular dictator would have put this insurgency down already if it wasn't for outside influence. Afterall, his father had the same problem.
"...Roland, the headless Thompson gunner..." comes to mind.
How we do nothing, and let them handle their own country. I know, that's a novel concept.
YET !!??!!! Why are we even entertaining that idea? From other stories. We are weighing sending non-lethal aid. Food, medicine, un-armed "advisors"? The food and medicine can be intercepted and.. who knows who will really benefit from it. We are puking money to people in a region of the world whose populations, for generations, have been actively planning attacks against the U.S. or have supported either with cash or political protection those that have planned attacks against the U.S.
Good plan. When they inevitably turn on us, they cannot attack us with nonlethal aid.
Yep, and lets ignore the fact that every dollar we hand them in "nonlethal" aid frees up a dollar that they would have spent on food/medicine/etc... so they can spend it on weapons and ammo.
Come on, give them some nice surface to air missiles. Afterall, Al Queda MUST be getting low from the afgan war against the soviets, so we should make sure our foe-to-be is rearmed with some nice stuff