Obama: Options remain open in Syria crisis
- 11 years ago
Standing side by side with Turkish Prime Minister Tayipp Erdogan U.S. President Barack Obama acknowledged that there was some evidence that chemical weapons had been used in Syria but those findings need to be fully confirmed.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, SAYING:
"I preserve the options of taking additional steps, both diplomatic and military, because those chemical weapons inside Syria also threaten our security over the long term as well as our allies and friends and neighbors."
He also made it clear that the US would not go it alone.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, SAYING:
"It's not going to be something that the US will do by itself. And I don't think anybody in the region including the Prime Minister would think that US unilateral actions in and of themselves would bring about a better outcome inside Syria."
He said the sooner Syrian President Bashar al-Assad leaves the better.
(SOUNDBITE) (English)
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, SAYING:
"I preserve the options of taking additional steps, both diplomatic and military, because those chemical weapons inside Syria also threaten our security over the long term as well as our allies and friends and neighbors."
He also made it clear that the US would not go it alone.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, SAYING:
"It's not going to be something that the US will do by itself. And I don't think anybody in the region including the Prime Minister would think that US unilateral actions in and of themselves would bring about a better outcome inside Syria."
He said the sooner Syrian President Bashar al-Assad leaves the better.
(SOUNDBITE) (English)