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European nations expel Syrian ambassadors

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    Ambassador John Bolton on whether this move will put pressure on Assad

  • Duration 6:38
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I joining me now is ambassador Bolton who joins me here on set we appreciate you coming on it's sort of hard to act to follow that Kendra -- -- with the reality TV show but we're not gonna have you comment on not -- fortunately for all of us an idea.

But what we are talking about us very very alarming and very scary and and very sad stories coming out.

Of the first of all that these Syrian ambassadors are being expelled in Europe.

Anywhere between France Britain Australia Canada.

After a scary massacre.

That the United Nations is essentially saying that that that gunmen are going into homes and killing entire families exit -- -- And at at.

Close range including children.

I mean this is what it is it has reached.

Now it's appalling these pictures are horrific and the idea of this execution style killing of innocent families.

Is really beyond the pale but but just to show how difficult it is to do something effective about it.

The government of Syria is claiming they didn't do that he was the opposition and yesterday the foreign minister of Russia.

In a press conference with the British foreign secretary Moscow agreed with the Syrian version.

So this propaganda I'm I'm fully prepared to believe it was a side forces that that it.

Is something that Russia rejects and it it shows why the UN mechanism here is not gonna have any impact in Syria at all.

Pro government thugs -- being blamed for that's -- almost certainly that's the case the government's trying to pin it on the opposition because they know there are.

Terrorist elements part of the opposition forces.

But the idea that Russia would trumpet this shows the that the difficulty would have a look there are reports of Russian ships.

Over the weekend supplying the Asad regime with more weapons.

It -- did the ambassador to Germany was given 72 hours to leave Germany on Tuesday I mean the threat is real the question is what next I mean what.

What can be done in order to stop these types of killings and by by expelling these ambassador out of all of these countries in Europe.

Does that change anything.

-- it doesn't this is diplomatic symbolism is that makes the governments feel good it's not gonna change a single thing on the ground the the the -- regime is fully prepared to see its diplomats come back to Damascus that doesn't bother them at all.

I think the difficulty here is that the imparts the Obama administration.

Work through the U.

And through the Security Council through the Kofi Annan's peace mission when it was perfectly predictable months and months ago nothing was gonna happen now.

The administration is trying to -- some of the opposition leaders to see if who is trustworthy to receive US arms.

That we should have been doing that earlier in the year.

I mean had we been doing that earlier in the year could we have prevented.

These types of brutal killings well it's it's not certain this is that this situation on the ground is a case where there are certainly the regime is on except these are small villages maybe you can sort of explain to our viewers exactly where this is happening they're happening -- small villages right there there city's little towns really all across Syria where the opposition.

Has tried to concentrate in the Syrian government has been systematically shelling civilian areas.

The difficulty is that that there are elements in the opposition that given the opportunity would massacre the -- white population that supports.

The Asad regime we obviously don't want our weapons being given to people who commit the same kinds of atrocities.

And the further complication courses that are run along with Russia has been arming.

The Asad regime there are reports of Iranian revolutionary guard.

Officers on the ground almost certainly true so if we get involved we're taking on Russia and Iran as well.

A you know you bring up a really great point about the fact that Iran is supplying a lot of these weapons this isn't the first time that Iran has stepped in and supplied weapons to those who want to kill.

And innocent civilians and -- in our military for example in Iraq we have to deal with this.

What -- -- -- and what is the Obama administration.

Done to try to move forward with Iran to try to get some kind of diplomatic.

I would -- I would assume I mean it's some kind of diplomatic solution in order to try to reach out to Iran as as Obama had promised he wanted to talk.

Well he's from -- where exactly he's trying to negotiate.

With Iran over its nuclear webcam should be negotiated -- -- absolutely not an every president we'll tell you every single gave ten here.

That that's impossible it just doesn't work exactly that's part of the problem with the Obama approach though -- it's one reason why I just don't think he's up to the job of dealing with the situation in Syria I've very much worry.

That if Iran thought aside was really vulnerable and about to go they'd be prepared to trade that pawn -- in order to protect the queen of there.

They're nuclear weapons program and I worry Obama would make that trade.

So I mean at this point -- we need to be extremely cautious as to who receives weapons exactly and you just stop.

Until we figure it out I mean.

Well I think what we I think what Obama is now doing belatedly tried to -- the opposition leaders make sense but I think we should be pressuring the Russians very hard you know instead of saying to -- began give me a little space be more flexible after -- election we should be saying if you want anything from the United States in the future.

You better not only stop -- aid to the Asad regime you better help find a way to get that regime out of power that should be the test for the Russians.

How do you get the United Nations -- to come up with some sort of diplomatic solution with Russia in order to try to push Iran out of the picture I don't think -- possibly I don't think you do through the UN -- -- you bring Russia over to our side that may be -- resolutions in the Security Council some months ago the would have imposed sanctions on the Asad regime because obviously.

They're supporting that -- -- to turn that around I think the US has to apply pressure on Russia directly I think that can only come from President Obama himself.

Leave a comment and question for you coming from Brian Conway on our in New York on our our live chat today please ask ambassador Bolton why if a non accomplished little -- in the UN.

He's expected to do much now.

Well I can't answer that question because I entirely agree with the sentiment underneath -- that this was a a mission doomed to failure.

I think we should have had somebody who was more assertive in in in tried to make it clear who was responsible for these massacres.

And really I think the problem is certainly it's with the Asad regime but it's in Moscow and Tehran as well.

You know ambassador John Bolton thank you very OK but if you see you -- they had the time.

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