USA: U.S. defense chiefs outline measures to pressure the Assad regime to end the violence in Syria and stress their opposition to military intervention in the conflict-ridden country.

Record ID: 280724

  • Title: USA: U.S. defense chiefs outline measures to pressure the Assad regime to end the violence in Syria and stress their opposition to military intervention in the conflict-ridden country.
  • Date: 20th April 2012
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (APRIL 19, 2012) (UNRESTRICTED POOL) U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY LEON PANETTA AND CHAIRMAN OF U.S. JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF GENERAL MARTIN DEMPSEY AT HEARING PANETTA, DEMPSEY SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY LEON PANETTA SAYING : "From every angle the situation in Syria is enormously complex. There is no si
  • Embargoed: 5th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAB9JMFP91XZ3WCSGWB8XNKUNV4
  • Story Text: U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, headed to Capitol Hill on Thursday (April 19) to testify on the situation in Syria. Panetta said the U.S. military was reviewing and planning for a range of additional measures to protect the Syrian people, but stressed that military intervention would do more harm than good.
    "From every angle the situation in Syria is enormously complex. There is no silver bullet." Panetta told the House Armed Services Committee. "We must also be mindful, as Secretary Clinton has noted, of the possibility that outside military intervention will make a volatile situation even worse, and place even more innocent civilians at risk."
    Panetta said that the military response in Libya could not serve as an appropriate model for dealing with President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
    "This is not Libya. In Libya, there was widespread international support in the Arab world and elsewhere, and clear Security Council authorization, for military intervention. No such consensus currently exists regarding Syria. The opposition is not as well organized and does not control territory."
    Panetta expressed confidence that Assad's days were numbered, saying pressure on his regime was being increased every day. In addition, the Syrian government was facing a broad-based insurgency that was striking back.
    "Make no mistake, one way or another, this regime ultimately will meet its end," he said.
    Thursday's hearing came as foreign ministers from Arab countries and Western powers gathered in Paris under the banner of "Friends of Syria" to discuss U.N. mediator Kofi Annan's peace plan for Syria. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also present at the meeting.
  • Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register