Questioned on Syria, Congressman Ryan proved again that he simply cannot articulate what Mitt Romney would do as president. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have failed to articulate anything they would do differently than the Obama administration. If Romney and Ryan want to arm the Syrian opposition directly, they should say that and be clear with the American people. Romney and Ryan’s bluster aside, President Obama has been clear that Bashar al-Assad has lost all legitimacy and must go. The Obama Administration is working with our partners in the region to end the violence, strengthen the opposition, and support the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people.
ROMNEY HAS FAILED TO OUTLINE A COHERENT STRATEGY FOR SYRIA
Boston Globe Headline: “Romney’s Stance On Syria A Work In Progress.” [Boston Globe, 6/19/12]
Boston Globe: “Last November, Mitt Romney Rejected Calls For The United States To Back A No-Flyzone And Havens To Help Rebels In Syria… He Now Says Syrians Are Facing A ‘Military Onslaught’ From Their Government, Calls On The United States To Facilitate Arming The Rebels, And Blasts What He Calls President Obama’s Failure To Act.” [Boston Globe, 6/19/12]
Associated Press: Romney’s “Vague Prescriptions” For What He Would Do Differently In Syria Have Opened Him To Criticism From The Obama Campaign That He Is Weighing In From The Sidelines With “Nothing But Tough Talk.” “Romney has seized on the crackdown in Syria as an opportunity to dent Obama's foreign policy credentials, painting him as weak and indecisive in the face of more than a year of violence. But Romney's vague prescriptions for what he would do differently have opened him to criticism from the Obama campaign that he is weighing in from the sidelines with ‘nothing but tough talk’ while the president does the real work of managing the crisis.” [Associated Press, 5/31/12]
American Enterprise Institute Analyst Michael Rubin: “Romney’s [Syria] Policy Is Simply Probably Going To Be To Do The Opposite Of Whatever Obama Is Doing. This Election Isn’t About Foreign Policy, And Romney Is Going To Be A Foreign-Policy Opportunist — Not Leading, But Sniping From Behind.” [Hill, 5/30/12]
On A Romney Campaign Conference Call, Surrogates Offered “Few Specifics” As To What Romney Would Do Differently From President Obama In Syria. “While Biden spoke of an overarching foreign policy philosophy, Romney’s surrogates during a Thursday conference call before the vice president’s speech tended to focus on a few issues, albeit with few specifics. Without detailing a specific new plan for U.S. engagement in Syria, Romney’s campaign surrogates blasted the administration’s involvement there and accused Obama of deferring to the Russians. … But when faced with questions about what specifically Romney would do differently in Syria, the surrogates offered few specifics.” [Politico, 4/26/12]
PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS CALLED FOR THE ASSAD TO STEP ASIDE, HAS MOVED TO ISOLATE THE REGIME, AND IS SUPPORTING THE LEGITIMATE ASPIRATIONS OF THE SYRIAN PEOPLE
President Obama Strongly Condemned The Syrian Regime’s Assault And Called On President Assad To Step Aside. “I strongly condemn the Syrian government’s unspeakable assault against the people of Homs and I offer my deepest sympathy to those who have lost loved ones. Assad must halt his campaign of killing and crimes against his own people now. He must step aside and allow a democratic transition to proceed immediately… The United States and our international partners support the Syrian people in achieving their aspirations and will continue to assist the Syrian people toward that goal.” [Statement by the President on Syria, 2/4/12]
The Obama Administration’s Sanctions On Syria Have Undermined The Syrian Regime And Are Depleting Its Treasury. “At the same time, Mr. Tabler [Fellow at the Washington Institute For Near East Policy] said, Mr. Assad’s control has been undermined by American and other sanctions, and the Syrian treasury is dwindling. Given the sanctions on Iran, which have handed Iranians their own economic crisis, the leaders in Tehran are unlikely to provide significant financial aid to Mr. Assad.” [New York Times, 1/31/12]
The Obama Administration Has Been Involved In The “Friends Of Syria” Group To Bolster The Syrian Opposition. “Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chaired a meeting Friday of foreign ministers backing the Syrian opposition… She spoke at a meeting of foreign ministers from countries that are part of the so-called ‘Friends of Syria’ group, which met with nine Syrian opposition leaders. Some of the members help arm Syrian rebels. Others, such as the United States, are restricting their aid to non-lethal assistance.” [VOA, 9/28/12]
The Obama Administration Has Provided Almost $45 Million In Non-Lethal Aid And Over $130 Million In Humanitarian Assistance To Support The Syrian Opposition. “Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is pledging millions more dollars in American assistance to the Syrian opposition as the U.S. and its allies explore new ways to help those seeking to oust President Bashar Assad. Clinton announced Friday that the Obama administration would provide the political opposition with an additional $15 million on non-lethal aid as well as $30 million in humanitarian support. The US has provided more than $130 million in humanitarian aid and almost $45 million in non-lethal aid to the rebels.” [AP, 9/28/12]
The Obama Administration Worked With Our Partners And Allies To Forcefully Condemn Syria President Assad Through The United Nations And Call For His Resignation. “In a powerful rebuke to Syria’s government, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to approve a resolution that condemned President Bashar al-Assad’s unbridled crackdown on an 11-month-old uprising and called for his resignation under an Arab League peace proposal to resolve the conflict…’Today, the U.N. General Assembly sent a clear message to the people of Syria: The world is with you,’ the United States ambassador to the United Nations, Susan E. Rice, said in a statement. ‘Bashar al-Assad has never been more isolated.’” [New York Times, 2/16/12]