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Posts Tagged ‘Syria Action Group’

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.

Hillary Clinton: Press Conference Following Syria Action Group Meeting

Hillary Clinton: Interviews from Geneva

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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.

Secretaries Clinton and Gates on Meet The Press

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.

Secretaries Clinton and Gates on Face The Nation

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.

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at the U.S.-Islamic World Forum

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.

Hillary Clinton to Human Rights Council: Reject Syria’s Candidacy

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.

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks on the Violence in Syria

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.

Hillary Clinton on the Shutdown of the Internet in Syria

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.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: IAEA Resolution on Syria

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.

Secretary Clinton’s Statement: Repression in Iran and Syria

… 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.

Secretary Clinton Supports Syrian People in Op-Ed

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.

Secretary Clinton’s Statement on Continuing Violence in Syria

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.

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks After Meeting With Syrian Activists

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.

Video: Secretary Clinton’s Statement on Syria

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.

Hillary Clinton’s Statement on The Human Rights Council’s Special Session on Syria & State Department Update on Libya

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.

Hillary Clinton: Arab League Suspends Syria

In December, the Arab League sent monitors in.

Secretary Clinton’s Meeting with Syrian National Council

… 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.

Secretary Clinton: Escalation of Regime Violence in Syria

Hillary attended a special session of the Security Council.

Secretary Clinton at the U.N. Security Council

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.

Hillary Clinton: Remarks to the Press at the U.N.

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.

Secretary Clinton at the Munich Security Conference

Robert Ford was an intrepid ambassador amid chaos and routinely faced down danger in order to maintain friendly ties with the Syrian people.

Ambassador Ford Carries Forth In Absentia

Hillary Clinton: Press Availability After G-20 Los Cabos

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.

Hillary Clinton at Friends of Syria in Tunisia

… 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.

Hillary Clinton’s Press Availability on Friends of Syria

Hillary Clinton at the U.N. Security Council

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.

Hillary Clinton’s Presser at the U.N.

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.

Secretary Clinton: Intervention to the Friends of the Syrian People

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks Following Meeting with Syrian National Council

 

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at the Ad Hoc Ministerial on Syria

  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.

Clinton Condemns Haoula Massacre in Strongest Possible Terms

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.

Syria Violence Could Have Domino Effect In Lebanon, Clinton Warns

Video: Secretary Clinton Remarks on Syria

Hillary Clinton: Friends of the Syrian People

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.

Hillary Clinton Condemns Syrian Downing of Turkish F-4 in the Strongest Possible Terms

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.

Hillary Clinton: Press Conference Following Syria Action Group Meeting

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.

Hillary Clinton: Saddened and Outraged by Massacre in Traymseh

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.

Hillary Clinton at the Friends of the Syrian People Ministerial Meeting

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.

Hillary Clinton’s Press Conference Following the Friends of the Syrian People Meeting

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.

Hillary Clinton on the Resignation of Kofi Annan as Joint Special Envoy for Syria

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.

 

In Turkey Hillary Clinton Talks No Fly Zones Over Syria

Hillary Clinton’s Remarks On Syria With Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu

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.

Hillary Clinton on the Appointment of Lakhdar Brahimi to Replace Kofi Annan

Hillary Clinton at the U.N. Security Council Session On Peace And Security in the Middle East

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.

 

Hillary Clinton at the Ad Hoc Friends of the Syrian People Ministerial

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.

 

Hillary Clinton’s Remarks on Syria

Hillary Clinton’s Last Press Availability From NATO HQ As SOS

American Leadership: Hillary Clinton’s Final Address as Secretary of State

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.

Hillary Clinton’s Remarks at the White House on Syria and the Security Dangers of Wildlife Trafficking

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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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Hillary Clinton’s ‘Hard Choices’ Retrospective: Introduction

Access other chapters of this retrospective here >>>>

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Some in the media apparently think it is incumbent upon Hillary Clinton to speak out on Syria despite the fact that she is no longer a government official.  As she wraps up her well-deserved vacation and gets back on her schedule of speaking appearances, including the upcoming Clinton Global Initiative, it is perhaps a good time to look back at some of what she said while she served as Secretary of State beginning with this op-ed reposted in full.

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
June 17, 2011

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.

The world has joined Syrians in mourning the deaths of many innocent people, including a 13-year old boy who was brutally tortured and mutilated. Approximately thirteen hundred Syrians have been killed since protests began. Many thousands more have been jailed and abused. Syrian security forces have surrounded communities and cut off electricity, communications and the Internet. Economic activity has slowed, the country is increasingly isolated and its citizens are growing more frustrated every day.

In his May 19 speech, President Obama echoed demonstrators’ basic and legitimate demands: the Assad government must stop shooting demonstrators, allow peaceful protest, release political prisoners, stop unjust arrests, give access to human rights monitors, and start an inclusive dialogue to advance a democratic transition. President Assad, he said, could either lead that transition or get out of the way.

It is increasingly clear that President Assad has made his choice. But while continued brutality may allow him to delay the change that is underway in Syria, it will not reverse it.

As Syria’s neighbors and the international community respond to this crisis, we should be guided by the answers to several key questions: Why has it erupted? What does the crackdown reveal about President Assad and his regime? And where does Syria go from here?

First, there should be no doubt about the nature of the protests in Syria.

Like Tunisians, Egyptians, Libyans and others across the Middle East and North Africa, the Syrian people are demanding their long-denied universal rights and rejecting a government that rules through fear, squanders their talents through corruption, and denies them the dignity of having a voice in their own future. They are organizing themselves, including the local coordinating committees, and they are refusing to back down even in the face of revolting violence.

If President Assad believes that the protests are the work of foreign instigators – as his government has claimed – he is wrong. It is true that some Syrian soldiers have been killed, and we regret the loss of those lives too. But the vast majority of casualties have been unarmed civilians. By continuing to ban foreign journalists and observers, the regime seeks to hide these facts.

Second, President Assad is showing his true colors by embracing the repressive tactics of his ally Iran and putting Syria onto the path of a pariah state.

By following Iran’s lead, President Assad is placing himself and his regime on the wrong side of history. He will learn that legitimacy flows from the consent of the people and cannot be forged through bullets and billyclubs.

President Assad’s violent crackdown has shattered his claims to be a reformer. For years, he has offered pledges and promises, but all that matters are his actions. A speech, no matter how dutifully applauded by regime apologists, will not change the reality that the Syrian people, despite being told they live in a republic, have never had the opportunity to freely elect their leaders. These citizens want to see a real transition to democracy and a government that honors their universal rights and aspirations.

If President Assad believes he can act with impunity because the international community hopes for his cooperation on other issues, he is wrong about this as well. He and his regime are certainly not indispensable.

A Syria that is unified, pluralistic, and democratic could play a positive and leading role in the region, but under President Assad the country is increasingly becoming a source of instability. The refugees streaming into Turkey and Lebanon, and the tensions being stoked on the Golan, should dispel the notion that the regime is a bulwark of regional stability that must be protected.

Finally, the answer to the most important question of all – what does this mean for Syria’s future? – is increasingly clear: There is no going back.

Syrians have recognized the violence as a sign of weakness from a regime that rules by coercion, not consent. They have overcome their fears and have shaken the foundations of this authoritarian system.

Syria is headed toward a new political order — and the Syrian people should be the ones to shape it. They should insist on accountability, but resist any temptation to exact revenge or reprisals that might split the country, and instead join together to build a democratic, peaceful and tolerant Syria.

Considering the answers to all these questions, the United States chooses to stand with the Syrian people and their universal rights. We condemn the Assad regime’s disregard for the will of its citizens and Iran’s insidious interference.

The United States has already imposed sanctions on senior Syrian officials, including President Assad. We are carefully targeting leaders of the crackdown, not the Syrian people. We welcomed the decisions by the European Union to impose its own sanctions and by the UN Human Rights Council to launch an investigation into abuses. The United States will continue coordinating closely with our partners in the region and around world to increase pressure on and further isolate the Assad regime.

The Syrian people will not cease their demands for dignity and a future free from intimidation and fear. They deserve a government that respects its people, works to build a more stable and prosperous country, and doesn’t have to rely on repression at home and antagonism abroad to maintain its grip on power. They deserve a nation that is unified, democratic and a force for stability and progress. That would be good for Syria, good for the region and good for the world.

http://aawsat.com/leader.asp?section=3&article=627159&issueno=11890

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Below are links to a compendium of her remarks on the deteriorating situation as she met with a variety of action groups on Syria.  This is,  by no means,  a comprehensive collection since she also gave a great many interviews and press briefings following bilaterals over the past two years where she addressed the issues at hand and sought solutions that would permit democracy to take hold.

Hillary Clinton to Human Rights Council: Reject Syria’s Candidacy

April 30, 2011

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks on the Violence in Syria

May 6, 2011

Secretary Clinton’s Statement: Repression in Iran and Syria

June 14, 2011

Secretary Clinton’s Statement on Continuing Violence in Syria

August 1, 2011

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks After Meeting With Syrian Activists

August 2, 2011

Video: Secretary Clinton’s Statement on Syria

August 18, 2011

Hillary Clinton’s Statement on The Human Rights Council’s Special Session on Syria & State Department Update on Libya

August 23, 2011

Hillary Clinton in the D.R. Part II: Remarks at Pathways to Prosperity, on UNESCO, and on Syria

October 7, 2011

Hillary Clinton: Arab League Suspends Syria

November 12, 2011

Secretary Clinton’s Meeting with Syrian National Council

December 6, 2011

Secretary Clinton: Escalation of Regime Violence in Syria

January 30, 2012

Hillary Clinton at Friends of Syria in Tunisia: Remarks and Pictures

February 24, 2012

Hillary Clinton’s Press Availability on Friends of Syria

February 24, 2012

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks Following Meeting with Syrian National Council

April 1, 2012

Secretary Clinton: Intervention to the Friends of the Syrian People

April 2, 2012

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at the Ad Hoc Ministerial on Syria

April 19, 2012

Syria Violence Could Have Domino Effect In Lebanon, Clinton Warns

May 25, 2012

Clinton Condemns Haoula Massacre in Strongest Possible Terms

May 26, 2012

Video: Secretary Clinton Remarks on Syria

May 31, 2012

Hillary Clinton: Friends of the Syrian People

June 6, 2012

Hillary Clinton: Press Conference Following Syria Action Group Meeting

June 30, 2012

Hillary Clinton at the Friends of the Syrian People Ministerial Meeting

July 6, 2012

Hillary Clinton’s Press Conference Following the Friends of the Syrian People Meeting

July 6, 2012

Hillary Clinton: Saddened and Outraged by Massacre in Traymseh

July 13, 2012

Hillary Clinton on the Resignation of Kofi Annan as Joint Special Envoy for Syria

August 2, 2012

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I must interrupt here to correct a rewrite of history.  A few days ago, on CNN, Fouad Ajami said that Hillary Clinton “stopping off to cut a rug” in South Africa on her way to a meeting in Turkey about Syria was bad optics.  His story is upside down.   Hillary had long been scheduled to stop in South Africa and attend a conference there.  Here is her original itinerary which was supposed to be for an 11-day trip – her farewell tour of Africa as Secretary of State.

Hillary Clinton’s Itinerary in Africa

July 30, 2012

Well, the Africa trip is official, and we can see why it took awhile for the State Department to post the itinerary – it’s another long one, and arranging it must have been very complex since it does not coincide with earlier reports.  More than a week,  it’s another killer – six countries/11 days.  Ghana and Nigeria are not mentioned, but Kenya and South Sudan are.  I think I speak for everyone here in wishing her a safe and successful trip and hoping she manages to sneak in a little vacation time when she gets back home.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Travel to Africa

Press Statement

Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
July 30, 2012

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Africa July 31 through August 10, 2012. During this trip, the Secretary will emphasize U.S. policy commitments outlined in the Presidential Policy Directive – to strengthen democratic institutions, spur economic growth, advance peace and security as well as promote opportunity and development for all citizens

The Secretary’s first stop will be Senegal, where she will meet President Sall and other national leaders and deliver a speech applauding the resilience of Senegal’s democratic institutions and highlighting America’s approach to partnership.

Next, Secretary Clinton travels to South Sudan where she meets with President Kiir to reaffirm U.S. support and to encourage progress in negotiations with Sudan to reach agreement on issues related to security, oil and citizenship.

In Uganda, the Secretary meets with President Museveni to encourage strengthening of democratic institutions and human rights, while also reinforcing Uganda as a key U.S. partner in promoting regional security, particularly in regard to Somalia and in regional efforts to counter the Lord’s Resistance Army. She will also highlight U.S. support in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The Secretary will then travel to Kenya where she plans to meet President Kibaki, Prime Minister Odinga, and other government officials to emphasize her support for transparent, credible, nonviolent national elections in 2013. To underscore U.S. support for completing the political transition in Somalia by August 20th, Secretary Clinton will also meet with President Sheikh Sharif and other signatories to the Roadmap to End the Transition.

The Secretary continues her trip in Malawi, visiting President Banda to discuss economic and political governance and reform.

In South Africa, Secretary Clinton will pay her respects to ex-President Mandela, and to participate in the U.S.-South Africa Strategic Dialogue focusing on the partnership between our two countries in addressing issues of mutual concern and our shared challenges on the African and world stage. Secretary Clinton will be accompanied by a U.S. business delegation.

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While the trip was in progress, additional stops were scheduled.  Many countries wanted Hillary to stop during this tour.  Some were added late, e.g. Nigeria, because security issues needed to be resolved and Ghana for the sadly unpredictable funeral of the late John Atta Mills.   Turkey was also added because the meeting was scheduled after she was already on tour.

Professor Ajami, we do not appreciate men with white whiskers trying to rewrite history.  She did not “stop by” South Africa on her way to Turkey.  South Africa was long-scheduled, Turkey was tacked on when the meeting was scheduled.  If FM Mashabane wanted to throw a farewell party for her friend and partner with whom she had worked for four years,  you, Professor Ajami,  should be grateful that someone in our government understood that the next battleground with China is Africa,  that the battlefield is economic,  and that Hillary Clinton made strong friends there, often while putting herself in grave personal danger.   Your smirky, snarky, and untrue comment is shameful, insulting, and disgusting.

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Confirmed: Hillary Clinton’s Africa Itinerary Extended

August 5, 2012

U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) reacts during here visit to Malawi August 5, 2012. Clinton paid a lightning visit to Malawi on Sunday to congratulate its new president, Joyce Banda, one of only two female heads of state in Africa, for pulling her impoverished country back from the economic brink after a political crisis. REUTERS/Eldson Chagara (MALAWI – Tags: SOCIETY POLITICS)

The rumor mill has been whizzing out of control all weekend with stories of additional countries to be added to the already packed schedule for this trip.  Originally arranged as an 11-day trip,  the addition of  Turkey next Saturday for talks on Syria extends that by at least one day.  Within the African leg of the trip, Voice of America reports the inclusion of Ghana, Nigeria, and Benin.  The first was expected since the purpose is to attend the funeral of  Ghana’s late President John Atta Mills who passed away unexpectedly on July 24.  Sources for that early story appeared credible.  The Nigerian leg was announced by local sources last night.  Benin comes as a complete surprise since neither very early reports nor the buzzing rumor mill had ever mentioned a stop there.  VOA reports:

Clinton is due to fly to South Africa Sunday, and later on to Nigeria, Ghana and Benin.

In Ghana, she is expected to attend the state funeral of the country’s late president John Atta Mills.

In Turkey Hillary Clinton Talks No Fly Zones Over Syria

August 11, 2012

Hillary Clinton’s Remarks On Syria With Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu

August 11, 2012

Hillary Clinton on the Appointment of Lakhdar Brahimi to Replace Kofi Annan

August 17, 2012

Hillary Clinton at the Ad Hoc Friends of the Syrian People Ministerial

September 28, 2012

Video: Hillary Clinton’s Remarks on Syria

December 4, 2012

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It was during this final trip as Secretary of State that she fell so ill that she fainted and sustained a concussion.  Later tests detected a blood clot, and she could not return to her duties until January when she did her best to wrap up her stay at the State Department and put the transition into place for Secretary Kerry’s assumption of command.

So for those who would have Hillary Clinton comment at this critical time on a crucial issue, let you be reminded that neither have Bill Clinton nor George W. Bush commented on Syria for excellent reasons.  They are no longer in office and do not have access to the latest intel.  Neither does Hillary Clinton.  The situation is in the hands of the present, second Obama administration.  Live with the history you were so instrumental in making.

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Updated to add:  Of course, as soon as I had this all put together, she decided to come out and say something anyway.   Then again, what would anyone expect her to say?

(CNN) – Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backs President Barack Obama’s proposal to take military action in Syria, an aide told CNN’s Jessica Yellin on Tuesday.

“Secretary Clinton supports the President’s effort to enlist the Congress in pursuing a strong and targeted response to the Assad regime’s horrific use of chemical weapons,” the aide said.

Read more >>>>

Actually, CNN got this wrong.  She did not back the military action.  She backed taking it to Congress.

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Press Availability Following the Meeting of the Action Group on Syria

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Palais de Nations
Geneva, Switzerland
June 30, 2012

SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon. As you’ve just heard from Special Envoy Annan, today the international community came together to endorse a plan for a democratic transition in Syria that aims to end the violence and pave the way for a post-Assad unity government.

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.

First, we all agreed to support Kofi Annan’s principles and guidelines for a Syrian-led transition, including the goal of a democratic, pluralistic Syria that upholds the rule of law and respects the universal rights of all people and all communities, regardless of ethnicity, sect, or gender; maintaining the integrity of the Syrian state and its institutions; the formation of a transitional governing body exercising full executive powers, which would be broadly inclusive and chosen by mutual consent; and an inclusive and transparent Syrian-led process to review the constitution and prepare for free and multiparty elections. These are principles that have formed the basis for successful democratic transitions all over the world, and they offer the best chance for restoring peace and meeting the needs and aspirations of the Syrian people.

Second, the United States and others will carry this plan to the Friends of the Syrian People in Paris next week and seek to build even greater international consensus and momentum. As long as Assad continues to wage war against the Syrian people – and he himself now calls this a war – the international community must keep ratcheting up the pressure on the regime to halt the violence and do more to provide humanitarian assistance to civilians in need. The United States is stepping up our own efforts to get food, medicine, and emergency relief to areas hardest hit by the regime’s violence. And in Paris, we will press for more coordinated international action and aid.

Third, in the session today, I called on every nation to use all possible leverage to pressure both the regime and the opposition to accept and support the Annan plan. Those states that carry influence with the Syrian Government should insist that Assad halt the violence, accept the transition principles, and comply with his obligations under the plan. And we will do our part. At the conference hosted by the Arab League in Cairo next week, we will engage a broad cross-section of the Syrian opposition and urge them to unify around the Joint Special Envoy’s principles and to seek buy-in from every part of the Syrian community.

We recognize that Syrian dissidents and activists are working under the most difficult circumstances, as shells rain down on their homes and helicopters strafe their streets. They will be aided by a clear vision that demonstrates to all Syrians that there is a credible alternative to the Assad regime that will end the violence, protect their rights, and advance their aspirations.

Finally, we will accelerate our work in the Security Council in New York on a resolution that would reaffirm Annan’s six-point plan and the guidelines and principles adopted today, which obligates the regime to stop its attacks and pull back its troops, and impose real and immediate consequences for noncompliance, including sanctions, as the Joint Special Envoy has requested.

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. If Syria spirals further into civil war, not only will more civilians die, not only will more refugees stream across the borders, but instability will most certainly spill into neighboring states.

Kofi Annan has offered a plan to avoid that path, and we should spare no effort to support him. The United States will not waiver in our conviction that the future of Syria belongs to the Syrian people. They deserve our support and the support of every nation, so we will press ahead, building on what was accomplished today, pursuing every diplomatic avenue, and playing a leadership role in resolving this crisis that has gone on too long.

Thank you very much.

MS. NULAND: We only have time for two today. We’ll start with AP, Matt Lee, please.

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.

Now, in deciding to accept the minor textual changes, we and our partners made absolutely clear to Russia and China that it is now incumbent upon them to show Assad the writing on the wall. I do not believe that anyone in the Assad regime ever thought we could come out with a unified statement today expressing not only the concerns but a path forward that would include Russia and China. And he needs to hear loudly and clearly that his days are numbered.

Russia and China have also pledged to start helping Kofi Annan find a way forward and work to use their leverage in order to establish the transitional governing body. We, of course, will do our part as well, because this transitional governing body will only succeed if it is composed of men and women who are beyond reproach.

The plan we have endorsed gives the Syrian people a real roadmap out of the violence and the increasing sectarian destruction of parts of their country. And I think it is absolutely important to note that more than 700 people lost their lives across Syria this week. That’s more than 100 a day, about the number we have in this room, and Damascus itself is now ringed with violence. And we believe that the plan will gain the support of many other countries and expect to see that occur at the Friends of the Syrian People meeting in Paris on Friday.

I guess I would repeat and associate myself with Kofi’s remarks. He has been working very hard to create the conditions for mediation. There was not unity in the international community as represented by the permanent members of the Security Council about what road he was supposed to be traveling as he tried to mediate and negotiate among and between the regime and the opposition. Now there is. I think that is an important step forward and a boost for his efforts to try to bring an end to the violence and bring about a transition that will protect and benefit the Syrian people.

MS. NULAND: Last one today, Noureddine Fridhi from Al Arabiya, please.

QUESTION: Madam Secretary, Noureddine Fridhi from Al Arabiya News Channel. Is there a timetable for the implementation of this roadmap? And what will be the reaction of the Action Group, of this group, if this roadmap will have the same outcome as the six-point plan? Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, our responsibility now is to everything we can, which we have pledged to do, to see that this roadmap is implemented. That means using all the leverage at our disposal. Some of us have leverage with certain parties and others with additional parties. We think it’s important that both the regime and the opposition be sent a very clear message that those who support them expect them to cooperate with Kofi Annan’s efforts. And we will do all that we can, and I’m confident that the other members of the Action Group will as well.

We also have work to continue doing in New York. We should endorse this plan in the Security Council. We should endorse it with real consequences, including Chapter 7 sanctions if it is not implemented. We all accepted the fact that Kofi Anna will be coming to report and to make clear what is happening on the ground, who is cooperating and who is not. And I think we have to give this plan a chance to actually work.

As I said in my statement, I am by no means naive. I am very clear-eyed about how difficult this is. I also know from following and working on conflicts around the world that it’s, unfortunately, a necessary process to keep raising the pressure in order to change the internal dynamics within groups that are committed to fighting until they decide, either personally or collectively, that there’s more to lose than gain by continuing the violence.

So what we are doing with this plan is creating some new factors and even realities that we then have to continue to push on to try to get the results that we are all seeking. Diplomacy is not easy. It doesn’t come with some automatic guarantee. But I think the Action Group has given the Special Envoy a vote of confidence and a roadmap that now we’re going to support him in doing his utmost to try to get implemented.

Thank you.

MS. NULAND: Thank you all very much.

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