- Title: USA-OBAMA/RUSSIA-CHINA Obama: Russian strategy with Syria "big mistake"
- Date: 11th September 2015
- Summary: UNSPECIFIED LOCATION (FILE) (REUTERS) BANK OF COMPUTER SERVERS WIRES GOING INTO BACK OF SERVER
- Embargoed: 26th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAD9B6QR4OVVHXDPW1H07DXZ159
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday (September 11) that Russia's escalated military involvement in Syria and support President Bashar al Assad is "doomed to failure."
The U.S. and other western states believe achieving peace in Syria will require removing Assad from power. Obama said the U.S. would underscore to Russia that their military involvement could prevent the U.S. from reaching a political settlement.
"The strategy that they are pursuing right now doubling down on Assad is a big mistake," Obama said in a town hall meeting with U.S. military service members to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The president also addressed the migrant crisis that has grown out of the unrest in the Middle East.
"The United States needs to do our share and we should establish a floor of at least 10,000 refugees that we are willing to accept and to cut through some of the bureaucracy and red tape to do that," Obama said.
Obama also discussed the need for the United States to improve its response to the growing threat of cyber attacks from independent groups and nation-states like Russia and China.
"We've made very clear to the Chinese that there are certain practices that they are engaging in that we know are emanating from China and are not acceptable."
Cyber attacks are expected to figure prominently into talks during Chinese President Xí Jìnpíng's upcoming visit to the U.S. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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