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Uncut: Veteran senator says Syrians may pay for lack of intervention if Pres. Assad unleashes sarin gas
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Senator nice to see you sir.
That's a very different than anything else you faced the possibility that Syria will unleash chemical weapons what we do.
Well one faint hope we have them but it still hope is that Russia.
Will intervene with the pressure aside and offer -- A place to go and do try to convince him that.
This is -- committing suicide but -- horrific.
Consequences this is when most this -- dance but -- mostly leave most lethal gas that it's ever been.
The minute and the second thing -- that to convince -- -- which I'm not sure he's convinced them.
That the repercussions of issues.
These chemical and biological weapons.
Would have an immediate and devastating response.
And -- twice -- I'm not sure that he believes us he's watched us leave Iraq in disarray.
He's watched al-Qaeda return to Iraq -- seen our consulate attacked and no one has paid a price for it.
-- the for the for the deaths of four Americans.
He's watched al-Qaeda -- return to take over Miley seen them all across North Africa.
These seeing us announcing an announcement after announcement of withdrawal from.
Afghanistan.
And -- perception throughout the Middle East that the United States is withdrawing in week and I hope he does not believe that.
Because I do believe the president United States when he citizens we will act.
And finally.
You know that the president's -- red lines but he's also thereby doing so he is giving a green light.
-- -- -- aside to do anything short of that.
But here's the problem with the we will act or even -- our presence in that or even other world leaders and there will be justice if he doesn't.
That's frankly.
It's too late.
Even -- quote we will act if he does that if the violation of Sarin gas within a minute.
Tens of thousands of people will be dead this is unlike anything else this isn't like sort of the Saber rattling and getting nuclear weapons at -- -- goes on for years and years years years.
This is he has -- capability.
He -- demonstrated that he had has killed 40000 people in almost two years and -- of his own people.
He had assembled according to our intelligence he has assembled the -- This is assembled what -- mix of weapons and they have a sixty day shelf life so I mean this -- this is a very differently Camden.
It is I mean we may hope that the Russians are going to intervene.
But they haven't done anything so far and it fact they have bought us some things in the US well and.
Fact they have supplied arms and equipment to buy shares -- they have supported him every step of the way they have.
Continued to work closely with the Iranians who have boots on the ground it and the ratings have admitted boots on the ground in.
Syria we -- we've seen over flights of our -- over Iraq.
To Syria and so the Russians have not only not.
-- neutral live in very helpful -- Russian decision -- have a port.
That they for some reason I'm not quite sure why play such great importance on their window on the Mediterranean -- And and -- I have not seen any situation where Vladimir Putin has been of assistance to us.
In any way we pass to magnate -- bills today.
Wilson the reversal of the so called Jackson vanic amendment.
Which puts penalties and severe penalties on people who abuse human rights in Russia.
Vladimir should not can be happy about this legislation.
How I noted that back in July you warned.
Everybody that this would happen to conduct foreign policy feckless -- -- the world have blood on its hands everybody.
If he unleashes a chemical weapons and we see tens of thousands of people dead or is this something we just can't police -- we can't -- the world.
And wish him to stand by and watch this.
I think we would be directly responsible.
All of those who argued against intervention warned us that if we intervene these terrible things would happen well.
We didn't intervene and all these terrible things at the consequences have been huge as -- set by.
And watch these 40000 people massacred.
So.
It it was very clear.
That there's more al-Qaeda and jihadist in Syria they -- by the -- pretty good fighters.
Some of the arms because we didn't supply -- that's come from Saudi Arabia and Carter have gone directly to that you got jihadist.
Not the people we want.
Because we didn't establish a safe zone for them to organize and and beat -- really basically have a bad guys see.
They have been disjointed and -- unable to coordinate together so all of the things.
That would they -- the critics of growth we -- -- -- seizure happened.
Now we reach the ultimate and I cannot overemphasize and you cannot either.
-- consequences of one of these attacks is is so horrendous.
I do not think.
That now that these weapons have been put together.
That we would have sufficient intelligence to know whether -- -- so hard.
Ordered their use are not in time how I wish we would but I can't say that it that we do.
Which raised another question the big deputy foreign minister of Syria has said that this is something that this is this alarm about the mixture of chemicals.
Is basically.
A pretext that the United States is used in an as an excuse for -- Is there and we we had a comment saying that we use the same argument to attack Iraq yes -- -- -- -- -- -- -- and we have had intelligence failures and before then so Halloween now when I mean.
What assurance can we get.
That our intelligence is good that's kinda -- this time I know no one who disputes -- -- -- the last time I would imagine you don't.
I was you know what I want -- -- maybe.
I I just it I think it's so much different.
Bashir.
Sam Shane wasn't on the verge of attacking.
Either his own people -- Iranians who -- Sure anybody else.
-- -- this this is one time I'm always skeptical of intelligence after all.
Back in 2007 our intelligence community said the Iranians are no longer pursuing.
Nuclear weapon -- this kid but in this case I think there is so much overwhelming including.
Human intelligence.
Human intelligence that.
That I don't think there's any this is a this is who we are on the precipice of one of the more horrendous acts for the most horrendous act certainly for the 21 century.
Well we were wrong about Iraq radiance pursuing nuclear weapons and what makes this so profoundly different is that we have -- lots of notice they've had at least to me at a minimum since July is that from what you said that that we should have been checked in on this.
And if he decides today you know to give the go sign here.
We're gonna watch tens of thousands of people die and Morgan could is gonna watch it yet.
We could I mention one other thing suppose that -- falls he leaves goes to rusher is assassinated.
You've still got now.
These stores have chemical and biological weapons all over the country.
We've got notice -- that and Israel's been worried about that made it sound like that's not that's a big surprises you -- spoken about that before yes.
And Libya would Qaddafi fail -- there was some masks.
Fire sale of these weapons where -- just came in and took them out by the truckloads and -- spread all over the region including I would be surprised.
If some are more used in the attack on.
Our consulate and then -- We can't allow that to happen with these weapons it's one thing to lose RPG's and mortars and all of those conventional weapons.
But to have these.
The chemical and biological weapons fall into the hands of al-Qaeda.
Or has not been what it has -- standing back it has -- we've their intentions towards Israel.
This is a serious crisis and we have to be prepared.
I -- -- be prepared.
To put American troops not to fight not to be on the run and fight but perhaps American troops to secure.
These weapons storage areas that we know where where they are.
-- and no one wants American boots on the ground anywhere in the Middle East anymore.
But this is a matter of securing weapons of mass destruction which we know are there and we know -- a lot of more.
And we may be -- there -- We may be -- Again and I wish.
I hope the pressure aside appreciates the fact that this time.
The -- United States is serious and he hits.
The president feels he has to act I know that every single member of congress will support.
That action I don't know how we can expect president.
The president of Syria did to sort of have some sort of change.
When you when you're we've been so evil is to kill 40000 of your people it's sort of hard to think suddenly -- a sense of self preservation -- sense of decency.
Nobody knows what buy shares thinking I have heard different versions one that he intends to die there.
Another is he has a wife and children small children eight and nine Heidi -- -- -- -- Yeah.
Another one has been that if the Russians cut off the threaten to cut off their arms supplied to them that.
That would -- -- you know.
Trying to -- these things.
Is -- mental exercise but facts on the ground right now or weapons have been assembled.
And there's this threat of them being used.
-- sir thank you.
