Hillary introduces this chapter with a June 2012 meeting called by
Special Envoy Kofi Annan to try to recruit international political
backing for his plan for peaceful transition in Syria. Protests had
been going on for a year-and-a-half and had been met with brutal
assaults by government forces.
June 30, 2012 by
still4hill
July 1, 2012
********************************************************
The
Syrian revolution had begun in early 2011 as peaceful protests inspired
by those in Tunisia and Egypt and had evolved into a civil war as rebel
groups first took up arms to defend themselves and then resolved to
overthrow Bashar Al-Assad.
Hillary explains that she recommended
Robert Ford to serve as ambassador to Syria and that he was just settled
in when the protests escalated in March.
She provides some
background as to who Assad is, how he came to power and why Russia
stalwartly backed up Assad's regime. She delves into the sects in this
very diverse country. Sunnis were overwhelmingly (about 70%) the
majority population. Assad's Alawites, the ruling class and a small
minority (about 12%) , are a Shite sect. About 10% were Druze - a
Christian branch with Shite, and other, roots.
March 27, 2011 by
still4hill |
QUESTION:
First, as we look at the Broader Middle East, we look at Syria – deadly
protests because of a government crackdown that have been occurring
over the past few days. Is it the position of the government that we
would like to see the Asad regime fall?
SECRETARY CLINTON:
What we have said is what we’ve said throughout this extraordinary
period of transformation in North Africa and the Middle East. We want to
see no violence, we want to see peaceful protest that enables people to
express their universal human rights, and we want to see economic and
political reform. That’s what we’ve called on in Syria, that’s what
we’ve called on other governments across the region to do.
March 27, 2011 by
still4hill
QUESTION: Good morning again. And we are joined in the studio by the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense.
Madam
Secretary, let me start with you. Tens of thousands of people have
turned out protesting in Syria, which has been under the iron grip of
the Asad for so many years now, one of the most repressive regimes in
the world, I suppose. And when the demonstrators turned out, the regime
opened fire and killed a number of civilians. Can we expect the United
States to enter the conflict in the way we have entered the conflict in
Libya?
SECRETARY CLINTON: No. Each of these
situations is unique, Bob. Certainly, we deplore the violence in Syria.
We call, as we have on all of these governments during this period of
the Arab Awakening, as some have called it, to be responding to their
people’s needs, not to engage in violence, permit peaceful protests, and
begin a process of economic and political reform.
The situation
in Libya, which engendered so much concern from around the international
community, had a leader who used military force against the protestors
from one end of his country to the other, who publically said things
like, “We’ll show no mercy. We’ll go house to house.” And the
international community moved with great speed, in part because there’s a
history here. This is someone who has behaved in a way that caused
grave concern in the past 40 plus years in the Arab world, the African
world, Europe, and the United States.
QUESTION:
But, I mean, how can that be worse than what has happened in Syria over
the years, where Bashar Asad’s father killed 25,000 people at a lick? I
mean, they open fire with live ammunition on these civilians. Why is
that different from Libya?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I –
QUESTION: This is a friend of Iran, an enemy of Israel.
SECRETARY CLINTON:
Well, if there were a coalition of the international community, if
there were the passage of Security Council resolution, if there were a
call by the Arab League, if there was a condemnation that was universal –
but that is not going to happen, because I don’t think that it’s yet
clear what will occur, what will unfold.
There’s a different
leader in Syria now. Many of the members of Congress of both parties who
have gone to Syria in recent months have said they believe he’s a
reformer. What’s been happening there the last few weeks is deeply
concerning, but there’s a difference between calling out aircraft and
indiscriminately strafing and bombing your own cities and then police
actions, which, frankly, have exceeded the use of force that any of us
would want to see.
April 13, 2011 by
still4hill
And
as President Obama has said, we strongly condemn the violence committed
against peaceful protesters by the Syrian Government over the past few
weeks. President Asad and the Syrian Government must respect the rights
of the Syrian people, who are demanding the freedoms that they have long
been denied.
April 30, 2011 by
still4hill
Today
the UN Human Rights Council took urgent action to shine a light on the
deteriorating human rights situation in Syria and condemn the continued
human rights abuses by the Syrian government. Today’s resolution –
passed with an overwhelming majority by members from all regions of the
globe – unequivocally indicates that the use of force by the Syrian
government to quell peaceful political demonstrators is unacceptable.
The international community has spoken and expressed its outrage at the
violence used by the Syrian government to deny its population their
universal human rights, including the freedoms of expression and
assembly...
The findings of this Special Session further reinforce
the crucial need for Council members to reject Syria’s hypocritical
candidacy for membership on the Human Rights Council. No country engaged
in such horrific and ongoing human rights abuses should be considered
for membership on this important body.
May 6, 2011 by
still4hill
The
Syrian people, like people everywhere, have the inherent right to
exercise their universal freedoms, including peaceful assembly,
expression, and speech. The Syrian Government must respond to the Syrian
people’s call for change. It must realize that violence and
intimidation will not answer their call.
The Syrian Government’s
actions are neither those of a responsible government nor a credible
member of the international community. We will continue to hold to
account senior Syrian officials and others responsible for the
reprehensible human rights abuses against the Syrian people. We welcome
the European Union’s decision to join us in these efforts with similar
steps. We will also continue to work both unilaterally and with our
international partners to determine the most effective next steps if the
Syrian Government chooses not to abandon its current path.
June 4, 2011 by
still4hill
Two
weeks ago, the White House released the International Strategy for
Cyberspace, which noted that “States should not arbitrarily deprive or
disrupt individuals’ access to the Internet or other networked
technologies.” We condemn such shutdowns in the strongest terms.
The
Syrian government has a history of restricting the Internet in an
attempt to prevent the Syrian people from accessing and sharing
information. The Syrian government must understand that attempting to
silence its population cannot prevent the transition currently taking
place.
June 9, 2011 by
still4hill
Today
in Vienna, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of
Governors adopted a resolution, co-sponsored by fourteen nations,
finding Syria in noncompliance with its international nuclear
obligations. This is an important step given the troubling findings in
the IAEA’s latest report — including Syria’s demonstrated refusal to
cooperate with the IAEA investigation and its attempts to construct a
secret nuclear reactor with the assistance of North Korea. We fully
welcome the IAEA’s actions today to address this issue with the
seriousness it deserves.
June 14, 2011 by
still4hill
...
today in Syria, Iran is supporting the Asad regime’s vicious assaults
on peaceful protesters and military actions against its own cities. The
world was shocked by images of a 13-year-old Syrian boy, tortured and
mutilated by Syrian security forces. It reminded us of a young Iranian
woman, killed in the street two years ago for all to see.
June 17, 2011 by
still4hill
In an op-ed in the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper,
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemns the violent
crackdown in Syria and calls for a transition to democracy. The full
text of the Secretary’s op-ed follows.
“There Is No Going Back in Syria”
By Hillary Clinton
As
the violent crackdown in Syria continues, President Assad has shown
that he is more interested in his own power than his people.
August 1, 2011 by
still4hill
The
Syrian regime’s violent assault on civilians continued today, even as
Ramadan began, highlighting again the brutality and viciousness of the
Assad regime. Yesterday, President Obama said that President Assad has
shown that he is incapable and unwilling to respond to the legitimate
grievances of the Syrian people. Today, as the campaign of violence
continues, President Assad is further ensuring that he and his regime
will be left in the past, and that the Syrian people themselves will be
the ones to determine its future.
August 2, 2011 by
still4hill |
Our
view remains that strong action by the Security Council on the
targeting of innocent civilians in Syria is long overdue. Some members
of the Security Council continue to oppose any action that would call on
President Assad to stop the killing, and we urge them to reconsider
their positions.
August 18, 2011 by
still4hill
We
are heartened that, later today, the UN Security Council will meet
again to discuss this ongoing threat to international peace and
stability. We are also working to schedule a special session of the
United Nations Human Rights Council that will examine the regime’s
widespread abuses. Earlier this week, I explained how the United States
has been engaged in a relentless and systematic effort with the
international community, pursuing a set of actions and statements that
make crystal clear where we all stand, and generating broader and deeper
pressure on the Asad regime.
August 23, 2011 by
still4hill
I
congratulate the Human Rights Council for its work to create an
international independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate the
deteriorating human rights situation in Syria and to make clear the
world’s concern for the Syrian people.
In October
2011, the Russian-Chinese coalition in the Security Council first
exerted veto power against what Hillary terms a modest resolution
condemning Assad's human rights abuses and supporting peaceful protests.
The Arab League demanded a cease-fire. When the attacks on rebels continued, Syria was suspended from the league.
November 12, 2011 by
still4hill
In December, the Arab League sent monitors in.
December 6, 2011 by
still4hill
...
let me begin by saying that it’s an honor to meet with all of you, the
president and senior members of the Syrian National Council. I look
forward to our discussion and hearing from each of you. I am
particularly interested in the work you are doing about how a democratic
transition would proceed. Fred Hof, my special coordinator, has told me
that you’ve put a lot of work into that paper, and there are many very
constructive ideas in it, because obviously, a democratic transition
includes more than removing the Asad regime. It means setting Syria on
the path of the rule of law and protecting the universal rights of all
citizens regardless of sect or ethnicity or gender.
Second, we
will discuss the work that the Council is doing to ensure that their
plan is to reach out to all minorities, to counter the regime’s
divide-and-conquer approach, which pits ethnic and religious groups
against one another. The Syrian opposition, as represented here,
recognizes that Syria’s minorities have legitimate questions and
concerns about their future, and that they need to be assured that Syria
will be better off under a regime of tolerance and freedom that
provides opportunity and respect and dignity on the basis of the consent
rather than on the whims of a dictator.
Frustrated, in late January the Arab League withdrew the monitors and asked the Security Council to step in.
January 30, 2012 by
still4hill
Hillary attended a special session of the Security Council.
January 31, 2012 by
still4hill
So
why is the Arab League here before this Security Council? Because they
are seeking the support of the international community for a
negotiated, peaceful political solution to this crisis and a
responsible, democratic transition in Syria. And we all have a choice: Stand with the people of Syria and the region or become complicit in the continuing violence there...
Now,
I know that some members here may be concerned that the Security
Council could be headed toward another Libya. That is a false analogy.
Syria is a unique situation that requires its own approach, tailored to
the specific circumstances occurring there.
January 31, 2012 by
still4hill
While
this Munich Conference was going on there was a surge in violence in
Syria as regime forces attacked the city of Homs. While Hillary was in
Europe, the Security Council voted and Russia and China blocked the
resolution.
February 4, 2012 by
still4hill
Robert
Ford was an intrepid ambassador amid chaos and routinely faced down
danger in order to maintain friendly ties with the Syrian people.
February 10, 2012 by
still4hill
February 20, 2012 by
still4hill
I
think, like the UN General Assembly resolution that passed
overwhelmingly last week, the upcoming meeting will demonstrate that
Assad’s regime is increasingly isolated and that the brave Syrian people
need our support and solidarity. Their suffering has to be addressed,
so we have to focus on humanitarian issues and think of the best ways to
deliver the necessary humanitarian aid. We have to work toward an
inclusive, democratic process to lead a transition. Every group of
Syrians needs to feel that they are represented, that their interests
will be respected. We have to prepare for the likelihood that the Syrian
regime is going to be under increasing pressure, which will create
perhaps more space for all of us to push hard on a transition. And we
will intensify our diplomatic outreach to those countries that are still
supporting the Assad regime.
This is a challenging process, but
mostly for the people of Syria, who every day are living with the
results of this brutal crackdown that they are suffering under. So I
don’t want to get ahead of the meeting that will be a very large
gathering that will demonstrate, once again, the international unity in
the face of the Assad regime. We’ll send a clear message to Russia,
China, and others, who are still unsure about how to handle the
increasing violence, but are, up until now, unfortunately, making the
wrong choices. And I think we’ll have more to say as we go through this
week and after the meeting.
February 24, 2012 by
still4hill
... we are firmly committed to the sovereignty, independence, national unity, and territorial integrity of Syria.
In
support of these principles, this group should take concrete action
along three lines: provide emergency humanitarian relief, ratchet up
pressure on the regime, and prepare for a democratic transition.
February 24, 2012 by
still4hill
March 12, 2012 by
still4hill
Five
weeks ago, this council was unable to stand united against the horrific
campaign of violence that has shocked the conscience of the world, one
that continues unabated as we meet. We were blocked from even condemning
the violence and endorsing a peaceful plan developed by Syria’s own
neighbors.
Now the United States believes firmly in the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of all member-states, but we do
not believe that sovereignty demands that this council stand silent when
governments massacre their own people, threatening regional peace and
security in the process. And we reject any equivalence between
premeditated murders by a government’s military machine and the actions
of civilians under siege driven to self-defense. How cynical that even
as Assad was receiving former Secretary General Kofi Annan, the Syrian
army was conducting a fresh assault on Idlib and continuing its
aggression in Hama, Homs, and Rastan.
March 12, 2012 by
still4hill
Now
is the time for all nations, even those who have previously blocked our
efforts, to stand behind the humanitarian and political approach
spelled out by the Arab League. We should say with one voice as an
international community that the killing of innocent Syrians must stop,
and a political transition begin.
April 2, 2012 by
still4hill
April 1, 2012 by
still4hill
April 19, 2012 by
still4hill
I think we are all here out of a sense of great frustration and outrage
over what we see occurring in Syria. We also are hopeful that, despite
the evidence thus far, the mission of Kofi Annan can begin to take root,
starting with monitors being sent, but remembering that it’s a
six-point plan and that it’s not a menu of options. It has to be a
complete acceptance by the Syrian government of all six points.
May 26, 2012 by
still4hill
We
stand in solidarity with the Syrian people and the peaceful marchers in
cities across Syria who have taken to the streets to denounce the
massacre in Haoula.
May 25, 2012 by
still4hill
May 31, 2012 by
still4hill
June 6, 2012 by
still4hill
Sanctions
are having an impact: businesses and organizations are cutting their
ties with the regime, senior officials responsible for human rights
violations have had their funds frozen and their travel curtailed, and
we are disrupting the ability of the regime to receive weapons and other
supplies. These sanctions are specifically pointed at members of the
regime and its war machine; they do not target the Syrian people and do
not apply to supplies of critical goods. It is the regime that is
causing Syrians to suffer from economic hardship, to deprive them of
fuel, cooking oil, and other essentials.
I
spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu yesterday to convey our
grave concern about the downing of a Turkish F-4 fighter jet by Syrian
forces on June 22. I also told him that our thoughts and prayers are
with the missing pilots and their loved ones... The United States
condemns this brazen and unacceptable act in the strongest possible
terms. It is yet another reflection of the Syrian authorities’ callous
disregard for international norms, human life, and peace and security.
We
did not receive any transcripts of the public portion of this summit
nor any video. Hillary notes that the public portion is scripted and
can be boring. The action starts when the cameras leave. That is what
happened at this summit. They left the ceremonial hall for a conference
chamber - each party plus a single aide with Ban Ki-Moon and Kofi
Annan heading a long rectangular table. Hillary reports high emotions
and even table-pounding (!) that eventually settled into a face-off
between her and Lavrov which, she says, was where it was always headed.
Finally it all boiled down to wordsmithing. (Doesn't everything?)
An agreement was crafted and everyone signed. Then it was time to face the press who picked up the wrong message.
June 30, 2012 by
still4hill
Kofi
Annan called this meeting to mobilize the political will needed to
implement his six-point plan. And after a long day of intense
discussions, the next steps are clear...
No one has any illusions
about the difficulties ahead. We are dealing with not only a murderous
regime in a combustible region, but the potential for that region to be
gravely affected by the continuance of this violence. But the stakes of
inaction by the international community are just too high...
Kofi Annan has offered a plan to avoid that path, and we should spare no effort to support him....
QUESTION:
Madam Secretary – I don’t know – I’ll just speak really loudly. Oh,
it’s working? Okay. Listen, for all intents and purposes, it looks like
the Russians have won here. There is no exclusionary language in the document that has been agreed to, whereas the draft contained language that would exclude people deemed to be bad for the transition. This speaks only of mutual consent,
which would seem to give both sides – the Assad government and the
opposition – veto power, which seems to be a recipe for continued
stalemate.
Can you address why you think this calls for – in your
own words, what you said, lays the way – paves the way for a post-Assad
future, when in fact, it doesn’t require him to leave and leaves open –
and it leaves the open – it leaves open the – leaves the question open
entirely? Thank you.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I
disagree with your premise, obviously, because as I’ve made clear all
week, we supported the Joint Special Envoy’s original text, but we
agreed to some changes that we did not believe affected the substance,
because frankly, we read the results to be the same. Assad will still have to go. He will never pass the mutual consent test,
given the blood on his hands. I think you already heard Kofi Annan
basically say the very same thing. The text also makes clear that the
power to govern is vested fully in the transitional governing body,
which strips him and his regime of all authority if he and they refuse
to step down and leave.
Now, every day that has gone by without
unity on the Security Council and among the states gathered here has
been a day that has given comfort to Assad and his cronies and
supporters. What we have done here is to strip away the fiction that he and those with blood on their hands can stay in power. The plan calls for the Assad regime to give way to a new transitional governing body that will have full governance powers.
July 13, 2012 by
still4hill
I
was deeply saddened and outraged to learn of reports of yet another
massacre committed by the Syrian regime that has claimed the lives of
over 200 men, women, and children in the village of Traymseh...
As
long as the Assad regime continues to wage war against the Syrian
people, the international community must keep increasing the pressure on
the regime to halt the violence and allow for a political solution to
go forward. The Security Council should put its full weight behind the
Annan plan for an immediate ceasefire and a political transition and
make clear to the Syrian regime that there will be consequences for
non-compliance. History will judge this Council.
July 6, 2012 by
still4hill
What
was accomplished in Geneva by the action group was, for the very first
time, to enlist not only all five permanent members of the Security
Council including Russia and China, but also important leaders in the
region and in the Arab League in support of such a transition. The issue
now is to determine how best to put into action what was accomplished
there and is continuing here...
Under the Geneva communique, the
opposition is for the first time put on an even basis with the
government. They are given equal power in constituting the transition
governing entity that will have, as we just heard, full executive
authority. That could not have been imagined three months ago, let alone
a year ago.
So although none of us here is satisfied or
comfortable with what is still going on inside of Syria, because it is
against every norm of international law and human decency for a
government to be murdering its own people, there has been in the last
several months, starting in Tunisia, a steady, inexorable march toward
ending this regime. What we need to do is to follow through on what each
of us can contribute to the end of the Assad regime and the beginning
of a new day for Syria.
July 6, 2012 by
still4hill
Then,
of course, sadly, came this. Poor Kofi Annan was like Sysphus pushing
that infernal rock uphill. Hillary assured him that he had done his
best.
August 2, 2012 by
still4hill
He
worked tirelessly to try to build consensus in the international
community, end the bloodshed, and usher in a government that would meet
the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. Unfortunately, the
Security Council was blocked from giving him key tools to advance his
efforts.
August 11, 2012 by
still4hill
August 11, 2012 by
still4hill
Hillary
and David Petraeus worked on a plan to arm a very small very
well-vetted segment of the rebel population with very specific goals on
paper. The president rejected the plan that Hillary called the least
bad option among many even worse alternatives. (Reminding me of Ben
Affleck in 'Argo" saying his bad movie was the best bad idea that they
had.) Hillary did not like losing the debate but felt she had been
given a fair hearing.
August 17, 2012 by
still4hill
Brahimi resigned the post in May of this year.
Staffan de Mistura replaced him.
September 26, 2012 by
still4hill
Unfortunately,
in Syria, Bashar al-Assad clings to power, and his campaign of
brutality has sparked a humanitarian crisis. The United States has
committed more than $100 million to help the Syrian people. And we
continue to insist that the violence must end and a political transition
without Assad must move forward.
The Arab League suspended Syria
from its activities and has strongly condemned the Assad regime’s brutal
violence against its own people. And the Arab League created a plan for
peaceful political transition that was endorsed by an overwhelming
majority in the General Assembly resolution that launched Arab League-UN
mediation efforts, led first by Kofi Annan and now by Lakhdar Brahimi.
Yet the atrocities mount while the Security Council remains paralyzed.
September 28, 2012 by
still4hill
Now,
it is no secret that our attempts to move forward at the UN Security
Council have been blocked repeatedly. On Tuesday, I met with Joint
Special Representative Brahimi to discuss alternative strategies, and I
look forward to hearing all of your views today. But the United States
is not waiting. We are taking new steps to meet the growing humanitarian
needs of the Syrian people, to support the opposition as it moves
toward an inclusive, democratic transition, and to further pressure and
isolate the regime.
December 4, 2012 by
still4hill
December 5, 2012 by
still4hill
January 31, 2013 by
still4hill
In
Syria, the Assad regime continues to slaughter its people and incite
intercommunal conflict. Iran is pursuing its nuclear ambitions and
sponsoring violent extremists across the globe. And we continue to face
real terrorist threats from Yemen and North Africa.
So I will not
stand here and pretend that the United States has all the solutions to
these problems. We do not. But we are clear about the future we seek for
the region and its peoples. We want to see a region at peace with
itself and the world – where people live in dignity, not dictatorships,
where entrepreneurship thrives, not extremism. And there is no doubt
that getting to that future will be difficult and will require every
single tool in our toolkit.
As Hillary is closing out
this chapter you get the impression you are seeing Yogi Berra's "deja
vue all over again." A year ago, she relates, in August 2013 we were
all horrified to see evidence of Assad having used chemical weapons on
civilian populations and air strikes were an option President Obama was
strongly considering but wanted Congressional approval.
Congress
was in recess (like now) and Hillary figured out a clever way to get a
vote of approval. Since that idea worked so well, POTUS wanted Hillary's
input going forward as she is
immensely creative (my words).
As
it happened she was due at the White House shortly and did lend her
unfailingly wise advice. Although the event was about wildlife
trafficking, Hillary spoke about Syria as well. Unlike the State
Department, the White House was not so generous in sharing transcripts
so I never did find one from this event, but the video is here.
September 9, 2013 by
still4hill
Chemical
weapons destruction did commence and has been successful. But by
February of this year, Hillary reports, CIA Director Brennan warned
about Al Qaeda's ability to recruit and to use Syria as a launching pad
for attacks - perhaps even on the homeland - on us.
Hillary's prediction at the point when she was writing this was that the danger would only grow (obviously it has).
What more can any of us say?
__________________________________________________________
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