US Determined to End the Syrian Crisis
Amid speculation that the United States is turning a deaf ear on the worsening Syrian crisis, the United States of America this week reiterated its commitment to end the crisis that has been plaguing the middle eastern nation.
In his remarks in Washington DC, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that the Syrian crisis has been the central concern of the Obama Administration for the past four and a half years, and that is Syria.
In fact, Secretary Kerry reiterated that there has not been a single idea for addressing the Syrian conflict that has been discussed in public that hasn’t been the subject of intense scrutiny within the Administration.
“Whatever questions one might have about the content of our policy, there should no doubt about the effort made to consider every single option for ending this crisis.” – Secretary Kerry
How US Responds to Syrian Crisis
Secretary Kerry says the United States is considering options to respond to the crisis in Syria.
The United States originally supported the deployment of international human rights monitors to Syria.
In addition, UN Ambassador Samantha Power has led the fight in the Security Council to demand access for humanitarian relief agencies and for an investigation into war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
“It is why we have been at the forefront of every single attempt to forge a diplomatic solution from the day I know that I became Secretary of State.” – Secretary Kerry
It is also evident the support extended by the United States to the mainstream Syrian opposition groups in ways like meeting with them repeatedly, helping them in ways both public and private, and encouraging them to unify and take steps to broaden their support.
With regards to humanitarian aid, the US has contributed more than 4.5 billion in humanitarian relief and is constantly exhorting other countries to open their wallets.
In addition, the US also has announced a six-fold increase in the number of Syrian refugees that we will welcome to our shores in the United States.
In addition to all this, the United States led a successful international effort to eliminate Syria’s inventory of chemical weapons.
US Strategy
Secretary Kerry said President Obama has set three interrelated goals for the Syrian crisis.
The US is committed to the defeat and dismantlement of the Daesh terrorist organization. In October this year, President Obama directed every member of his national security team to pick up the pace and move forward with ideas for degrading and defeating Daesh more rapidly, more completely, and permanently.
Secretary Kerry said under President Obama’s leadership, the United States mobilized a 65-member coalition to take on Daesh and defeat Daesh.
Second, the US is intensifying its diplomatic effort to finally bring an end to the civil war in Syria.
And third, the US is determined to support its allies in the region, and to ensure that the instability created by the Syrian crisis does not spread further beyond its borders.
Updates on Syrian Crisis
There have been four and a half years of nonstop horror in Syria.
Sad to note, that one Syrian in twenty has been wounded or killed. One in five is a refugee and, one in two has been displaced. The average life expectancy dropped by 20 years.
The worst thing is that 80 percent of the electricity has been knocked out, plunging much of the country literally into darkness.
“And the burden of the conflict falls most heavily on the smallest shoulders.” – Secretary Kerry
Secretary Kerry highlighted that the intractable nature of the conflict in Syria is attributable to a number of factors, beginning with the Assad government.
He said four decades of dictatorial rule choked off any attempt to develop an organized political opposition. Sectarian differences that might have worked themselves out peacefully in a more open society instead festered beneath the surface.
And, the crisis worsened due to the involvement of regional actors particularly Iran and Hezbollah, which intervened on behalf of Assad, and the foreign terrorist fighters who have joined Daesh and other terrorist groups.
