READOUT: NSA ADVISOR RICE'S MEETING WITH SYRIAN OPPOSITION PRESIDENT JARBA

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY 

May 13, 2014

Readout of National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice's Meeting with Syrian Opposition Coalition President Ahmad Jarba

This afternoon, President Obama joined National Security Advisor Susan Rice’s meeting with Syrian Opposition Coalition President Ahmad Jarba and the Coalition delegation.  President Obama and Ambassador Rice reaffirmed that Bashar al-Assad has lost all legitimacy to rule Syria and has no place in Syria’s future.  Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a political solution to the conflict that includes a transition to a new governing authority.  President Obama welcomed the Coalition’s leadership and constructive approach to dialogue, and encouraged the Coalition to further its vision for an inclusive government that represents all of the people of Syria.  President Jarba thanked President Obama for U.S. non-lethal assistance, which totals $287 million and supports the Coalition, local communities inside Syria, and the moderate armed opposition.  He also thanked the United States for being the largest donor of humanitarian assistance.  The $1.7 billion committed by the United States goes to those in need inside of Syria and in neighboring countries.

The President and Ambassador Rice condemned the Assad regime’s deliberate targeting of Syrian civilians through aerial bombardments—including the use of barrel bombs—and the denial of food and humanitarian assistance to civilians located in areas under siege by the regime.  They emphasized the responsibility of the Syrian regime to provide rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian assistance.  The delegations also discussed the risks posed by growing extremism in Syria and agreed on the need to counter terrorist groups on all sides of the conflict.

President Obama and Ambassador Rice emphasized the illegitimacy of the regime’s plans to hold elections and underscored that the United States stands with the moderate opposition and the Syrian people in their efforts to end the conflict and facilitate a political transition.

PRESIDENT OBAMA LOOKS TO A SYRIA AFTER ASSAD

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Obama Says U.S. Working Toward Post-Assad Syria
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2013 - President Barack Obama said today the United States has both a moral obligation and a national security interest in "ending the slaughter in Syria," but cannot act or build consensus based on perceptions.

During a joint White House press conference with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, Obama said the two leaders discussed Syria "where both our nations are working to strengthen the opposition and plan for a Syria without Bashar Assad."

The United States also is obliged to ensure that a post-Assad Syria is stable, with a government that represents all its people and doesn't create chaos for its neighbors, he added.

"That's why for the last two years we have been active in trying to ensure that Bashar Assad exits the stage and that we can begin a political transition process," Obama said. "That's the reason why we have invested so much in humanitarian aid. That's the reason why we are so invested in helping the opposition, why we've mobilized the international community, to isolate Syria. That's why we are now providing non-lethal assistance to the opposition. And that's why we're going to continue to do the work that we need to do."

Assessing costs and benefits of action in Syria shows "there'd be severe costs in doing nothing," Obama said.

"That's why we're not doing nothing," he added. "That's why we are actively invested in the process."

U.S. leaders are working "to hasten the day when we can see a better situation in Syria," he said. "We've been doing that all along and we'll continue to do that.

While many people would understandably prefer an easy answer to the dilemma Syria poses, Obama said, "That's not the situation there."

He added his job as president and commander in chief is to measure "our very real and legitimate humanitarian and national security interests in Syria" against "my bottom line, which is what's in the best interests of America's security."

His decisions can't be based on hope, Obama said, but "on hard-headed analysis in terms of what will actually make us safer and stabilize the region."

The president acknowledged there is evidence of the use of sarin gas, a nerve agent, inside Syria, but added he can't organize international coalitions around perceived information.

"We want to make sure that we have the best analysis possible," he said. "We want to make sure that we are acting deliberately."

U.S. ANNOUNCES NEW $123 MILLION IN NON-LETHAL ASSISTANCE TO SYRIAN PEOPLE

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Secretary Kerry Announces Doubling of U.S. Non-lethal Assistance to the Syrian Opposition and New Humanitarian Aid for the Syrian Crisis

Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
April 20, 2013

Following his meetings with Syrian Coalition President al-Khatib, members of the Coalition’s leadership, and international partners supporting the Syrian opposition, Secretary of State John Kerry announced the United States’ intention to double non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition, as well as provide additional humanitarian aid to Syrians in need.

The new non-lethal assistance underscores the United States’ firm support for a political solution to the crisis in Syria and for the opposition’s advancement of an inclusive, tolerant vision for a post-Assad Syria. The United States will work with the Syrian Coalition and other opposition representatives to determine how the new $123 million in non-lethal assistance can best support their efforts to meet the needs of the Syrian people and lead the way to a political transition that will bring an end to this conflict, and build the inclusive, democratic Syria that its people deserve. This new pledge brings our total non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition and civil society groups to $250 million.

The United States will also use a portion of this non-lethal assistance to implement President Obama’s directive to provide an expanded range of support to the Supreme Military Council (SMC). We intend to expand this new support beyond military food rations and medical kits to include other types of non-lethal supplies, which would be determined in collaboration with SMC leadership.

Secretary Kerry urged international partners gathered in Istanbul, as well as all Friends of the Syrian People, to make similar pledges of assistance to the Coalition and the Supreme Military Council with the goal of reaching $1 billion in total international support for the opposition.

In recognition of the devastating humanitarian situation as a result of the crisis in Syria, Secretary Kerry also announced nearly $25 million in additional food assistance for the Syrian people. This aid will provide 25,500 metric tons of wheat – providing four months’ supply of flour to over one million people – as well as food rations for those inside Syria and refugees in Jordan affected by the violence. The United Nations World Food Program will begin distributing the wheat to those in need in all 14 Syrian governorates as quickly as possible. The United States is the largest donor of food assistance both within Syria and for refugees in the affected neighboring countries and is providing a total of over $409 million in humanitarian assistance for the Syrian crisis.