Strategic and international studies. Welcome as well to our viewers online. Kertser. Jacob its a project that we seek to leverage the expertise of our scholar and programs to shine a light in the humanitarian issues and offer policy solutions. Boyfriend we begin id like to direct everyone to our emergency exits and encourage you to turn your phones to mute. I want to acknowledge before we begin the partnership that our program has with the u. S. Agency for International Development of fornl Disaster Assistance whose support alouis to put events such as todays discussion. We have a short time today. All of us have aware of the immense suffering taking place right now. Familiar apply and individuals have been forced in multiple displacements. Targeted attacks on innocent civilians and on hospital and clinics all of which challenges are notions of shared humanity. The violence this past weekend only increase the urgency of finding solution first the humanitarian challenges faced by civilian population of syria. I have to say that while were very grateful to our speaker today for joining us and for hosting and for having this event today, i find it deeply distressing and disappointing that after so many years we continue to be hosting events on the same topic highlights the same challenges and we continue to find ourselves asking what we can do and what can be done. So without any further ado, i would like to turn it over to one of our regular partners in the humanitarian strength. He is the director of the middle sis. Program here at c and hell introduce our speaker. [applause] thank you very much, jake. Thank you for the support of these kinds of programs. The horrors of idlib are plain for those who wish to know them. Almost a Million People many are children are stranded and trapped between armies in the province has been doubling its population as syrians sought refuge from fighting. Now, three million syrians are huddled there suffering from cold and lacking water, sanitation and medical care. This has been occurring outside of the public lair not because its unnoble but because the public is uninterested. Seized by coronavirus an president ial campaign, a shaky economy and rising populist sentiment in europe, the United States an elsewhere, the crisis gets little attention. Thats what brings us here. A were here to speak to forceful humanitarian Whose Organization has been doing tremendous work to try leave some of the suffering in idlib. David millban is c. E. O. Of the International Rescue company oversees the assistance programs in over 20 u. S. Cities. Under his leadership, the irc has expanded the ability to rapidly respond to humanitarian crisis and to meet the needs of an unprecedented number of people uprooted by conflict, war and disaster. The organization is implementing a global strategy to bring out clear outcomes, strong evidence and Systemic Research to the humanitarian programs through Collaborative Partnerships through the public and private sectors. Before he began this important work, he did other important work from 2007 to 2010, he was the foreign secretary of the united kingdom. He graduated from oxford in 1987 with a first class honors degree in p. Pemplet, philosophy, politics and economics. Got a masters in science from m. I. T. Which he attend as a kennedy scholar. His relationships have earned him a reputation as one of the ablest, most creative Public Servant of our time and as an effected and passionate advocate poor rled worlds people, im pleased to introduce to you mr. David millban. Thank you very much, john. Thank you, jake. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Ambassadors, excellencies. Our hank you to usid partner, the office of foreign Disaster Assistance gives foreign aid a good name. Its a flexible entrepreneur committed partner of ours. And its a nice link that theyre also partners of yours. Timing of that the this event is very, very good for all of the wrong reasons. The situation today in northwest syria is beyond desperate, as i note from our own staff on the ground, life never mind livelihood is daily in doubt. And as jake referred to, the turkey, russia, syria clashes should underline all of us that the wider diplomatic vacuum notable for the absence of coordinated european engagement, notable im sorry to say for the absence of the United States is a real and present danger not just to humanitarian need, but also to wider regional stability. My purpose in making this speech today is in part to bring the hue narne reality of italy to washington to speak up for our staff and for the people who they serve in the hope that theres still room for humanity and principle in the corridors of power here. There are a few countries with the capacity to shift the dianoetic in syria and the u. S. Is one of them. So i hope there is resonance in what i describe today as well as brainstorming amongst all of us here in the conversation after my speech about what to do about it. But as well as bringing idlib to washington today, i want to make a wider argument. And this is the wider argument that im going to try to make. Its that the war in syria is not just a disaster. Its an argument that the war in syria will dangerously become a by word, a precedent for a new normal of brutal, divisive, contagious conflict, impunity on the battlefield, storm og diplomacy, the u. N. Pulled from pillar to post, the aid system inadequate, neighboring states creeking under the strain of refugees, western policy befuddled by a mixture of dysfunction, division and denial. Thats the reality of the syria story over the nine years that jake referred to, and the danger s that it becomes copied elsewhere. Heres what im going to do today. First, summarize the Current Situation across syria starting there. Explain how we see syria as a warning for the changing nature of conflict around the world today. Third, set out some shortterm imperatives for how to save lives today, and fourth, draw some wider lessons for humanitarians and diplomats. I think we all know that the say all the on id, lib is intended by the Syrian Government to represent the grim cly mass of the long nineyear war civil war. 900,000 civil vans have fled in december with another 400,000 still at risk for joining them. The longest displacement since the war started nine years ago. So yes, there have been considerations about syria and debates about syria over nine years, but this is the largest displacement reflecting some of the most viralent fighting. Every single day, another 11,000 civilians join those on the run. Amongst those forced to flee are 100 of our staff who attempt to preserve their own work as well as their own families as they do so. Over 80 of those on the run are women and children. Over 80 of r women and children many are out in the cold braving freezing rain and snow which is led to the deaths of about seven children in the last month. Deaths from freezing itself. Attacks on Health Facilities represent some of the most egregious war crimes and are taking place despite you when security resolutions. Alone,past three weeks your organizations that we work with have had to suspend operations in a number of Health Facilities and relocate an entire fleet of ambulances because they were being attacked. Or than 80 facilities in Idlib Province have now been closed. It is also the case that the situation has deteriorated so far that all of the u. S. Based ngos have come together in the humanitarian alliance to launch only the second ever joint appeal in our history to raise funds for deployment inside idl ib. The fact that the exodus from idlib is the greatest since the word began is a testimony to the fighting there. There are risks in other parts of the country as well. In the northeast, 70,000 people have been displaced and is still recovering from the turkish offensive. Just last month, a u. S. Convoy exchanged fire with a progovernment militia while driving through a check point. Meanwhile, the Islamic State has been damaged but not vanquished. All the group is not as deadly as in the past, it remains a persistent threat carrying out ied attacks east of the euphrates and temporarily captioning villages and bombing facilities west of the river. In areas previously of opposition control which have since been retaken by the syrian military, we know from our own staff that the end of formal fighting has not led to an end of the violence or an improvement in the civilian populations humanitarian situation. Charles lister of the middle east institute counts more than 350 attacks in the past 12 months in the southwest of the country where the civil war began including an attack last month that killed to oxfam workers. The situation resembled a frozen conflict rather than an emergent piece. Outside of syria, the situation of the syrians that fled the border should not be forgotten. Belowrians in jordan live the poverty line. Half of the 500,000 syrian refugee children in lebanon are still out of school nine years into the war. It is worth noting and im sorry to say this is a foreigner in america as a foreigner in america, i live and work here and have huge respect for the country but this is probably the most stunning statistic of those i will give you. It relates to the continued shame for the last that this country has made it so difficult for syrian families to find refuge here. Remember the statistics. Million refugees in syria. 655,000 in jordan. Just 5 just 563 syrians were let into the United States last fiscal year and only 320, not 320,000, but 320 are on track to enter this fiscal year. That is what the reduction has meant for syrians hope thing to find hoping to find safety here. The Syrian Government has made no secret of the fact that those syrians that have fled are not welcome back. Has levied a wide range of criminal charges against returning refugees meaning many risk imprisonment and torture if they try to return. They have also used the infamous preventing refugees from having a place to come home to. Finally, the conduct of the war will make reconstruction attempts almost impossible. Aref the syrian population currently served by Water Treatment plants. One in three schools have been damaged or destroyed. , that willecadelong affect future generations as well as the current one. The broader point though is really important. Idlib andhe in this is the third thing i want to talk about. This is systematic of a wide age of impunity. Of theer consequence conflict are symptoms of the other a Church Failure of diplomacy and the abandonment of the International Community of syrian civilians but it foreshadows a darker trend towards impunity. A disregard for the role of International Law and an equally grave deficit of International Diplomacy which allows the suffering of civilians to continue unabated. The brutal siege tactics, the objection ofhe journalists, the recruitment of child soldiers and public beheadings in town squares are bad enough but accountability has so far been all but nonexistent. The majority of the blame lies with the allies syrian, russian, and forces. Of the roughly 300 syrian 93 lian deaths this year, have been caused by the Syrian Government or their allies. Or its allies. Those countries have spurred a race to the bottom and it gives me no pleasure to play not that in the effort to take back a town from the Islamic State, the u. S. Operation destroyed more than 11,000 buildings and the city taking no responsibility for their reconstruction. This can only undermine calls for restraint by Russian Forces idlib. This foreshadows a dangerous trend where the laws of war so carefully built up after the Second World War become optional. And i think it is important to understand what the drivers are of this age of impunity and i would put you that there are four. First, war is now increasingly distinction between civilians and soldiers is eroded. The war in syria has displaced more than 11 Million People. Heres an interesting thing, according to stephen from carnegie, since 1945 an afpblg of five people were displaced for every one person killed in conflict. Is 251. 51 ratio the battlefield is increasingly crowded filled with nonstate actors like extremist groups anduding the Islamic State the u. S. Backed syrian backed forces from turkey and the u. S. To russia and iran. The involvement of so many groups, more than 100 in syria have fractured the battlefield geographically but also hierarchically given the often unclear chain of command within each of these groups. Thehermore, and here is point it is not just i will get on to the point. Third point. The large presence of foreign militaries has made the war far deadlier for civilians due to the increased firepower they bring. As demonstrated by the widespread russian airstrikes. The issue is not just the imbalance of Foreign Forces in syria, it is the mere presence of them. Nowotal, 70 countries contribute troops to fight in other countries. The syria phenomenon does not is increasingly common elsewhere. Somalia, iraq,t molly, and elsewhere. And the fourth driver of this age of impunity needs to be talked about. It is an obvious point dramatized in the title of this years munich security conference. Westlessness. It takes a german speaker to find a way of encapsulating the trauma or the dysfunction of western policy. Westlessness. The absence of the west in the syrian endgame is not only a military question. Syria is very low on the western diplomatic priority list and Foreign Policy is very low on the political priority list. Entanglement of largely outweighs commitments to all of the suffering. And the roots of this absence are the failures in iraq and afghanistan, the lingering effects of the financial crisis. When liberal democratic countries committed to democracy areose that regard given free reign. Although syria is the poster child for the age of impunity come if you look at civilian thehs come if you look at killing of aid workers come if you look at a range of indicators of children caught up in conflict, syria is part of a trend. To the concluding or the prescriptive part of my remarks. I want to talk about short term relief in idlib and then i want to come to the wider lessons. The immediate need in syria is a ceasefire, and increased unimpeded civilian access to needs. This there is no chance of this happening and little plate for people calling for it without a strategic decision in washington and european capitals that syria matters enough to require all of the costs that come with engagement of any kind. Since im running a humanitarian ngo, i have to steer away from the military side of these questions other than saying that all military decisions should be theirwith a view toward humanitarian consequences. Even sure of the military questions, one is sure that engagement is right, there are ways to increase the cost on those perpetrating crimes of the battlefield. Of u. N. Ple, instead Member States and officials expecting each other to address the crisis, both need to step up. I have suggested secretarygeneral gutierrez implore shuttle diplomacy. The Security Council itself in my real should be meeting in theiew should be meeting at ministerial level. A ministerial session should be convened in which the commission of inquiry race members and requires them to account for the human rights abuses and war crimes taking place in syria. That needs there needs to be engagement by western powers. A meeting was planned, it seems to be off now, between chancellor merkel, president macron, and president erdogan. It seems to be a bilateral now with president cliputin. Where is the u. S. In that story . Aid,enewal of crossborder it is essential. For aid wereoints closed in january and without action come another to will be closed in july. The humanitarian crisis could deteriorate much further. Accountability for crimes committed following up on each of the reports that contain such chilling footage. It is surprising to see that there are no eu sanctions on russia for their actions in syria. Accountability needs to start with the report of the board of inquiry into attacks on civilian infrastructure in syria due to report next week. The inquiry is a litmus test for meaningful accountability and we should all just a report accordingly. Namenquiry should perpetrators and its findings must be made public. Finally, the multilateral framework for political talks ist had been elbowed aside essential. Have provenants unwilling or unable to improve civilian protection, reduce attacks on aid workers, or improve the humanitarian situation in the country. The fact that there is something called a u. N. Process should should not fool anyone. And there want to be a solution until that changes. In addition to the shortterm measures, my daytoday concern. I think it is incumbent upon me to discuss a far more thorough going set of issues raised by the conflict in syria. As well as the dangers it or tens for the global system. That it isay important to have some humility in this task. Hindsight is 2020 and there has never been a more clear or path. Some things are obvious. And was pointed out by many people at the time i said assad must go is not a strategy. And neither is keep the oil. Red lines are not read unless they are enforced. Counterterrorism is a bandaid and not a solution. , otherhings though lessons are more complicated and therefor more difficult. For the benefit of the discussion, i want to highlight four lessons that i think are serious because syria does not represent an outlier. But a trend. The first is the lesson that International Humanitarian law will become optional unless it receives a surge of support. I want to quote from a russian writer on this. At the uns General Assembly last year she rightly said attacks on International Law are looming large. Many will see some irony in this even the situation in syria. He called out what he sees as an american philosophy i do as i please. It is precisely the problem. But to state the obvious is not. Onfined to the u. S. I want to remind you that International Humanitarian law was designed by the lessons from history. Judge the do not military mission. They demand that it be pursued with necessity, proportionality, and distinction. When appropriately applied, the walls of war limit harm occurring to civilians. And offers new soldiers a roadmap. Law is underional siege. Its defense needs a threepronged effort from Civil Society, for a from us, in the absence of government leadership. We need to strengthen the ability of people on the ground we neednd accord to use the laws that exist to push back against the perpetrators. Not just the International Criminal court. It means examples like the german ngo, the constitutional and civilian rights that has filed a civilian suit on the principle of universal jurisdiction. Third, countries that support humanitarian law should use the economic tools at their proposal. To target those responsible for violations. The second lesson of syria is that we need the independent prince independent, principled, and loud voice of the u. N. More than ever. Reportingon breaches, instances of human rights, thoroughly reviewing the phone the work of u. N. Staffers on ground around the world it was brave. But the gridlock at the Security Council and need to gain support of National Governments in countries where the u. N. Works threatens the freedom of the u. N. , its agencies and officials to speak out. This needs to be of widespread concern. The ability to speak truth to power is one of the u. N. s great strengths. When high commissioner of human rights condemned what happened myanmar what happened in myanmar in 2017 as quote, a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, his words revere beer ated around the world. To whom the truth needs to be spoken are the people whose funds pay the bills and control aagenda as. It is said that the u. N. Is only as strong in principle as its Member States especially the permanent members on the Security Council. But the charter gives independent backing to u. S. Officials. On the issues of Climate Change and the independent work of u. N. Bodies has been vital in building what is necessary to urge the world to act. I would act in peace and security we cannot afford the power of the u. N. To bear witness to be compromised. The third lesson concerns the danger that military power renders diplomacy irrelevant. In syria, russia and iran have shown how hard power still matters. How many times diplomats say there is no military situation and remains the case that it can subjugate populations and win wars. The government is willing to kill its own people challenges diplomacy as well as law. And here, i think for an american audience, it is important to draw the contrast between northeast syria and northwest syria. It is striking and sfructtive. In the former, in the northeast, there is a tenuous balance of power sustained by American Military decisions and some scope for power sharing. In the northwest, there is no similar balance, no constraint on the use of russian and iranian power and turkey has proven both unable to turn to aggression and willing to emphasize to the protection of its military efforts. I think all of us have far more serious thinking to do what is meant by a quote, unquote political solution. The truth of the last nine years, people want to see what a transition from and not a transition to. We have to think much harder about what conditions are possible to bring about a political solution and the consequences for diplomacy when those conditions are not present. When the presence of troops are not sufficient to fix the solutions, their absence can make political reconciliation impossible and representing an agency that works in all of the worlds conflict zones. The fourth and final lesson of syria the regime of refugee support has never been more needed. This needs another lecture. First, countries like lebanon, turkey and jordan have been sheltering refugees but the borne has been. Hosting refugees is a Global Public good and needs to be supported by the international system. And we need to go further. Second, refugees been assumed to be in greater need than those internally displaced. One lesson of syria, this assumption does not always hold true. The internally displaced are more at risk than their relatives who made it out of the country. Third, the loss of the u. S. As a champion of Refugee Rights is echoing. The resettlement numbers will never match those in lebanon and jordan. The value of a Resettlement Program is high. And its absence has made it harder for refugeehosting governments to step up to their legal obligations. The west can make no claim to help refugees when they refuse to take them in and then expect host governments to pick up the tab. This leaves the headlines. Turkey, using refugees has desperate leverage against europe and europe, not really knowing how to react. The boomer and effect of neglecting refugee support now comes home to roost. Europe needs to be more on the alert but galvanized into action to prevent another refugee crisis in europe. Let me finish on the following note. There is no doubt that about the scale of the syria fatigue that is felt outside the country. You referred to the difficulty of getting attention. My point would be, what right do we have to be fatigued compared to the people who are inside syria . Those Million People displaced over the last three months have in many cases been displaced, two, three or four times before. The population of the province has been doubled by influx by those displaced elsewhere in syria. If we know anything, its this. What starts in syria does not end in syria. That should worry us all. And this issue belongs at the top of the agenda of policy makers as well as hurens. Syrias trauma represents many of the sins of commission but also since of omission. This is what we must seek to put right unless this decade buns one of impunity. Thank you very much indeed. [applause] david, thank you for that very powerful talk. It gave us a lot to talk about. I was struck by that phrase that you used, the age of impunity. And there are arguments that some make that we need to recognize. That it is conquering the last remaining corners of the country and we have to deal from that reality especially because there is no diplomacy that is going to change that reality. How as a humanitarian who in many ways has had to work with repressive governments all the time, how should we think about the rehabilitation of the assad regime, the Assad Government and what message that sends about impunity for actions Going Forward . Is that a reward to assad . If you are a humanitarian organization or a humanitarian aid worker, you dont take sides. You are on the side of the people in need. As it happens, we worked in syria before 2011. We were there from 2003 to 2010 and the reasons we were asked to leave were never made clear and we hold to the principle that we do not judge the merits of the side that we are working on. However, secondly, we do have to speak to reality and 7 million of syrias remaining 16 million population are living outside of government control. They are living in the northeast of the country. Now heres the thing about the bottom barredment that is happening at the moment, the military action. No one can show that it is advancing the military goal that is being set. Russia set the military goal. President assad has signed up to it which is to remove those in governments of that territory, a group affiliated and various others. The bombing that is happening at the moment is killing civilians, its not removing terrorist groups or other nonstate actors. And we have to speak to that reality. We are bearing witness to that reality every day. Thirdly and finally, you referred to the rehabilitation of the assad regime. I would argue that any government has in its own hands to rehabilitate itself through its actions. It is not the role of outsiders to do that. And the point about accountability for war crimes, it doesnt lapse. It is absolutely essential that if the message does not go out that crimes or people will be held accountable for their crimes, then you are encouraging war. That is why i think it is important that Civil Society plays the kind of role that i alluded to in my talk. It is not about denying the reality on the ground. It is not taking sides in the dispute. Recognizing that if then thes not upheld, law is not credible. How would you make the case to the American Public that is fatigued by almost 20 years of war in the middle east, that they should care about International Humanitarian law . That it affects things here, in addition to things there . I think there are two parts to that. I dont think we should stop the i dont think we should dock the moral argument. I think it is really important speaking to any audience, not running away from the moral argument. I am happy to make the argument to any american audience that the freezing to death of children under trees in italy is a moral outrage that they should be outraged as human beings. The fact that those children are freezing to death because they have been bombarded from their homes by their own government, i think is double the case. However, anyone who tries to only sit on the moral high ground is doomed to failure. I would also say that it is essential, i think that is something you mention, that we should make the strategic geopolitical interest based argument, as well as the moral humanitarian argument. The geopolitical argument is that American Interests are engaged. They are engaged in the following ways. One, america has interest in the middle east and what is happening in syria will not end. Syria will destabilize those allies. Second, the russian reentry into the middle east is a very significant geopolitical change, and if america wants to be playing a role in the middle east, it is going to show how it is going to be done. Thirdly, americas role in the global system, and American Interest in the global system, are not just those that are demonstrated by those that are giving, they are demonstrated by taking. America has been able to benefit from the rule of International Law around the world, and it loses when those laws are undermined. Fourth and final point. Im happy to be a brit who refers to himself as a european. I still believe that america has a strong interest in its democratic allies in europe being sustained in their strength and their stability. There is no question that already with the dangers that pose from migration flows from libya. Which is something very much on european policymakers minds. They also have to be concerned about a further unplanned, unregulated, disorganized flow of people from the middle east as well. For that reason i would say there is an American Interest in that. In a world where 100 and 13 countries 113 countries have laws against freedom, it is important that the u. S. And europe stand together. You dont have to tell me that is the best i can do. Let me ask you a british question. It is notable that britain does not really have, is not at the forefront of diplomacy on this issue. As a britain desperate town, briton, is there anyway way that britain might demonstrate the role of upholding a moral structure that the United States i would hope so. It grieves me that i could make a speech about then on again off again meeting. I have heard no clamor over the last week of people saying no. There is just a real absence there. It is striking to me that a country which is still a member of the Security Council, whose diplomats make strong statements at the Security Council, has not politically wants to engage in this geopolitical question. I dont want to over claim for what the u. K. Can do. I am deeply concerned that an era of brexit will be an era of british isolation, and modestly i would suggest that it is not good for the waterworld either. One work one more question before we go to the audience. The u. S. And its allies have been pretty adamant that there will not be of assistance to syria until there is a political settlement. Is that sustainable . Does there come a point where the world should relax for the good of the people who you rightly described will be suffering . I held a very strong view that if you are a civilian in a government controlled area or in syria, you have rights to aid in the same way that if you are a civilian in a rebel held area you have that right. Remember, when you say the u. N. Is delivering aid inside Government Health areas of syria, that is being paid for by american and european taxpayers. You are right that reconstruction aid is being withheld, but humanitarian aid is not being withheld. And i would argue strongly against humanitarian aid being withheld. One of the levers that does exist is put by european polls more strongly, is that is a card that cant just be given away. I dont think that is trading away the lives of syrians. If you are living in a government controlled area and your government is not meeting your needs, and you are getting u. N. Eight, you should be saying thank you to the u. S. And European Countries who are the main funders of those programs. I think the reconstruction of the country is a broader political construct where you can expect the allies of that country to be engaged, not just those who have raised profound questions about its actions. We have time for a few questions. Actions. We have time for a few questions. Wait for the microphone if you would. I have never been hindered by not having a microphone. Thank you for an exemplary talk, and one that hits beautifully all the high points. I am aware at this time of another train wreck in the offing. That is the strike of coronavirus on populations like refugees in africa and other places where, there is no Health System, or where the Health System is very deeply undermined. This morning i heard experts repeat the view that between 40 and 70 of the worlds population in one way or another will experience this. It isnt something that the refugees are likely to escape. This is clearly something that involves people all around the refugee areas. Has there been any thinking about this, and any way to prepare for it . Secondly, is there any longshot here where the devastation of perhaps 10 mortality in this kind of situation could lead to some kind of cease fire . We have seen this in other humanitarian tragedies in the past, short term sometimes, sometimes longterm. Sometimes leading to peace conversations. It is just an idea at this point, but no tragedy i think in one way or another should be allowed to happen without thinking through the full range, would love to hear your comments. If you really want to know the way out of the syria mess, you should listen to him. On coronavirus, two things. First of all, by a stroke of luck, the places where we do most of our work across accurate africa and the middle east, have been relatively speaking spared so far. Secondly, things could easily go very bad indeed, very quickly. If you think about the rate of spread in where there are advanced Health Systems, where there is advanced public health, where it is easy to access hygiene measures, just think of the speed of spread amongst populations where those things dont exist. Whether is it Republic Health infrastructure. Where the idea of a quarantine is absurd in any kind of Mass Movement of people, whether ipps or refugees. Here it is worth going back to that statistic. One in every one of five people on the planet has been displaced by war and conflict at the moment. Maybe 60 of them are in urban areas. So you are absolutely right to draw attention to it. We are certainly scrambling to figure out the impact on our own stock, the impact on our own program. To the extent that our staff get it. That raises an outbreak fear of an outbreak among our clients. If you want to get more depressed, you just think of the spread of coronavirus in the populations that we help. That is certainly a real clear and present danger. If not this episode, then perhaps in the second half of the year. Compared to many countries in the middle east has a very Robust Public Health service. I run which has been devastated, is not among the most decrepit. Iran which has been devastated. Hand over here . Good to see you again. Thank you for your comments. Id like to go back to your point on technology, you have the reputation of being very creative with use of technology. Im just wondering if you have been out to Silicon Valley to challenge them to do more. Have they come up with good ways to deliver for example . I am very impressed with the amount of video footage in syria as compared with libya 10 years ago. Have they helped deliver the needs . Yes and no. I have been to davos. We have also done work with partners in Silicon Valley and elsewhere rid a shining example of what we have been able to do is an information platform for refugees called signpost. The outside contribution that american word and deeds can have on this. I think your reflection on nine years of banging your head against the wall is sobering, that is why i think we have to find different ways, different spokespeople, everett arguments to make the case. I do think that america suffers when a war like that in syria takes the turn that it has. That is a sobering observation. I think you have given us some tools to think through the future of this idea, the age of impunity is an idea that we should be turning over as we think about how we get into the next phase. Not only in this conflict, but in resolving this conflict by dealing with the extraordinarily real and pressing humanitarian needs that you accurately describe. Please join me in thanking him. [applause] heres a look at our live coverage tuesday. On cspan, the house is back at 10 00 eastern for general speeches followed by legislative business at noon. Members are considering four an from the house for four in committee. In the evening, our campaign 2020 coverage includes the results of super tuesday which has the remaining democratic president ial candidates competing for pledge delegates in 14 states and one u. S. Territory. That gets underway at 7 00 p. M. Eastern. On cspan2, the senate is working on the Geothermal Research and development bill. Eastern,3, at 10 00 , thec Health OfficialsNational Institutes of health and the fda testify on capitol hill about the coronavirus outbreak and the federal response. During this election season, the candidates beyond the talking points are only revealed over time. Everywhere,nnot be there is cspan. Our campaign 2020 programming differs from all other political coverage for one simple reason. It is cspan. We have brought you your unfiltered view of government every day since 1979 and this year, we are bringing you an unfiltered view of those seeking to run. Government. In other words, your future. For this election season, go deep, direct, and unfiltered. See theger biggest picture for yourself with cspan, 2020. Brought to as a Public Service from your television provider. Now, or from the campaign trail with President Trump holding a rally in charlotte, North Carolina as part of his reelection campaign. He spoke to supporters about the economy, the never wing yield of democratic president ial candidates, and the federal response to the co