Isn't this the regime that has no plans to help anyone except themselves?
Spicer: Syrian chemical attack a 'consequence' of Obama 'weakness'
By Dan Merica and Eugene Scott
CNN
| 4/4/17
White
House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters Tuesday that a gas attack in a
rebel-controlled area of Syria was perpetrated by the forces tied to Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad and are a "consequence of the past
administration's weakness and irresolution."
Multiple
activist groups in Syria tell CNN that dozens of people, including children,
were killed in one of the deadliest gas attacks in years. The activists have
also blamed the attack in the rebel-held city of Khan Sheikhoun on Assad.
"Today's
chemical attack in Syria against innocent people including women and children
is reprehensible and cannot be ignored by the civilized world," Spicer
said. "These heinous actions by the Bashar al-Assad regime are a
consequence of the past administration's weakness and irresolution."
Spicer
added: "President (Barack) Obama said in 2012 he would establish a red
line against the use of chemical weapons and then did nothing. The United
States stands with our allies across the globe to condemn this intolerable act."
REGIME CHANGE?
Despite
the attack, the Trump administration has said that it is up to the people of
Syria to pick a leader and that their priority is not getting Assad out of
office.
Secretary
of State Rex Tillerson said on a trip to Turkey that the "longer-term
status of President Assad will be decided by the Syrian people."
And in
New York, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley was even stronger about the Trump
administration's decision not to push for Assad's departure.
"Our
priority is no longer to sit and focus on getting Assad out," Haley told
wire reporters last week, according to AFP.
"Do
we think he's a hindrance? Yes," she said. "Are we going to sit there
and focus on getting him out? No."
MCCAIN BLAMES OBAMA -- AND TRUMP
Republican
Sen. John McCain told CNN's Alisyn Camerota there was more than enough blame to
go around for Obama and Trump.
The Arizona
Republican compared Trump's lack of action to that of the Obama administration,
saying neither president took the situation seriously enough.
"We've
seen this movie before, when Barack Obama said they would have a red line and
they crossed it and he did nothing," he said on "New Day."
But
McCain also had scathing criticism for Trump, saying: "Bashar Assad and
his friends, the Russians, take note of what Americans say. I'm sure they took
note of what our secretary of state said just the other day that the Syrian
people would be determining their own future themselves -- one of the more
incredible statements I've ever heard."
"I'm
sure they are encouraged to know the United States is withdrawing and seeking a
new arrangement with the Russians," he added. "It is another
disgraceful chapter in American history and it was predictable."
McCain
-- a vocal critic of Trump's foreign policy -- said the commander in chief
needs to speak out against Assad and promise that his allies will pay a price
for their actions against the Syrian people.
"I
want to hear him say we're going to arm the free Syrian army," he said.
"We're going to dedicate ourselves to the removal of Bashar al-Assad.
We're going to have the Russians pay a price for their engagement. All players
here are going to have to pay a penalty and the United States of America is
going to be on the side of people who fight for freedom."
But
McCain said he sees no clear foreign policy doctrine coming from the current
administration.
"I don't see any doctrine right now. I do have
great confidence in the security team around Trump," he said. "I hope
they will develop a strategy, stand up and give Trump the advice and counsel I
believe he needs and could get from that team."
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