Comments to country, that the u. S. Has a National Interest in confronting syria over its use of chemical weapons. Not least of which are to stop spread of weapons of mass destruction to country hostile for United States like iran. That there will be should be need to be consequences for Syrian Regime for use of chemical weapons, and there will be consequences for International Community if there are not consequences for the regime. And that any military action by the administration against syria would be limited in scope, no boots on the ground, not iraq or afghanistan, and he want a pause in congressional action toward a resolution on syria. Neil peter barnes thank you very much. For those at home this shot might look familiar from same main hall in same level of white house president announced killing of osama bin laden, that was then a different message tonight. My fellow americans, tonight i want to talk to but syria. Why it matters. And where we go prohere. From here over past 2 years what began as a series of peaceful protests against the repressive regime of Bashar Alassad has turned into a brutal civil war. Over hundred thousand people have been killed. Millions have fled. That time americas worked with allies to provide hume support to help moderate opposition and shape a political settlement. I have resisted calls for military action, we cannot resolve someone elses civil war through force. Particularly after a decade of war in iraq and afghanistan. This situation changed though on august 21. Whether assads government gassed to death over a thousand people including hundreds of children. The ima thinkages images from the massacre are sickening, men, women, children in rows killed by poisoned gas, others foaming at the mouth, a father clutching his dead children, imlowering them to get up and walk. On that night, the world saw in gruesome detail of the terrible nature of chemical weapons, and why overwhelming majority of humanitarian has declared them off limits, a creek against humanitarian a crime against muhammad, and violation of the laws of war. This is not always the case. In worl world war i american gie among many thousand killed by deadly gases in trenches of europe, in world war ii, nazis used gas in holocaust, because the weapons can kill on a mass scale, the civilized world has spent a century working to ban them. And in 1997 the United StatesSenate Overwhelmingly approved an International Agreement. Prohibits the use of chemical weapons, now joined by 189 governments, that represent 98 of humanity. On august 21. These basic rules were violated. Along with our sense of common humanity. No one disputes that chemical weapons were used in syria. The world saw thousands of videos. Cell phone pictures, and social media accounts from the attack. Humanitarian organizations told stories of hospitals packed with people with symptoms of poison gas. Moreover, we know the assad regime was responsible. In the days leading up to august 21 we know that assads chemical weapons personnel prepared for an attack near an year where they mix sir a san gas, they distributed gas masks to their troops and fired rockets from a regime controlled area to 11 neighborhoods that regime has been trying to wipe clear of Opposition Forces. Shortly after the rockets landed the grass spread, hospitalled filled with the dies and wounded. We know senior figures in Bashar Alassads resulttary regime reviewed the results of the attack, and regime increased their shelling of same neighborhoods in the days that followed. We have studied samples of blood and hair from people at the site that tested president for sarin. That tested positive for sarin. Whether dictator commit atrocity they depend on the world to look the other way until the pictures fade. These things happen, the facts cannot be denied. The question now is what the United States of america and the International Community is prepared to do about it . Because what happened to those people, those children, is not only a violation of International Law. Also a danger to our security. Let me explain why, if we fail to act the assad regime will see no reason to stop using chemical weapons, as ban against these weapons erodes other tyrants will have no other reason to think twice about acquiring poison gas and using them. Overtime our troops would face the prospect of Chemical Warfare on the battle feel, it could be easier for terrorist organization to obtain the weapons and use them to attack civilians, if fighting spills beyond syria borders, they could threaten allieds like turkey and jordan and israel, a failure to stand against the use of chemical weapons would weaken prohibitions of other weapons of mass destruction and embolten assads allie iran. When must decide to ignore International Law, or take a more peaceful path. This is not a world we should accept. This is what is at stake. That is why after careful deliberation, i determined that it is in the National Security interest of the United States, to respond to the assad regimes use of chemical weapons through a targeted military strike. The important of this strike would be purpose would be it detour assad from using chemical weapons to degrade his regimes ability to use them and make clear to the world we will not tolerate their use. That is my judgment as commander in chief. But i am president of the worlds oldest constitutional democracy. So even though i possess authority to order mill marry military strikes, i believed it was right in absence of a director imminent threat to our security to take this debate to congresss stronger when president actions with support of congress, and america more abroad together, this is true after a decade that put more and more war making powers in hands of president , sidelines peoples representatives from the critical decisions of about what we use force. Now, i know that after the terrible toll of iraq and of afghanistan, idea of any military action no matter how limited is not going to be popular. After all, i have spent four of and a half years working to end wars, not start them, our troops are out of iraq, coming home from afghanistan, i know americans want all of us in washington, especially me to concentrate on the task of building our nation at home. Putting people back to work. Educating our kids, growing our middle class. It is no wonder then that you asking hard questions. So let me answer some of the most important questions i heard from members of congress, and that i read in letters you spend to me. Sense to me, first. Many of you have asked, will this put us on a slippery slope to another war . One man wrote that were still recovering from our involvement in iraq. Veteran, this nation is sick and tired of war. My answer is simple, i will not put american boots on the ground in syria. I will not pursue an openended action like oh, rac iraq or afg, i will not pursue a long air Campaign Like libya or kosovo, this is a targeted strike to achieve a clear objective, deterring use of chemical weapons and degrading Bashar Alassads ki capabilities other asked if it is worth acting if we don take out assad. There is no point in a pinpoint strike in syria, let me make something clear, u. S. Military does not do pin pricks. Even a limited strike will send a message to assad that 94 tor no other nation can deliver. I dont think we should remove another take dictator with fora targeted strike can make assad, think twice before using chemical weapons. Other questions involve dangers of retaliation. We dont dismiss any threats, but the assad regime does not have the ability to seriously threaten our military, any other retaliation is in line with threats that we wise every day. We face every day. Neither assad more his allies have any interest in escalation that would lead to his demise, our allie israel can defend itself with overwhelming force as well as support of the United States of america. Many of have you asked a broader question, why should we get involved at all in a place that so complicated . And whereas one person wrote, those who come after assad may be enemies of human rights. That is true. Some of assads opponents are ex extremist, al qaeda draws strength from a more chaotic syria, if people there see world doing nothing to prevent innocent civilians from being gassed to death. Majority of the syrian people, and Syrian Opposition we work with just want to live in peace. With dignity and freedom. And the day after any military action, we would redouble our efforts to achieve a political solution that strength edges those who reject forces of tyranny and extremism. Finally, many of have you asked, why not leave this to other countries or seek collusions short of solutions short of force . Several people wrote to me, we should not be the worlds policemen. I agree. And i have a deeply held preference for peaceful solutions. Over last two years my administration has tried diplomacy, and sanctions. Warnings and negotiations, but chemical weapons were still used by the assad regime. However, over last few days weve seen encouraging signs. In part because of the credible threat of u. S. Military action, as well as constructive talks i had with president putin, the russian government indicated a willingness to join with International Community in pushing assad to give up his chemical weapons. The regime has admitted it has the weapons, and said they would join the convention which prohibits their use. Too early to tell whether this offer will succeed, any agreement must verify that assad regime keeps its commitments. But there initiative has the potential to remove threat of chemical weapons without the use of force, particularly because russia is one of assads strongest also lays, i have asked leaders of congress to postpone a vote to authorize use of force while we pursue this diplomatic path. I am sending secretary of state john ker tjohn ker to reach hisn counterpart thur thursday and il continue my discussion with president putin. I have spoken with our allies fran and the united kingdom, we will wor worked for with russia. Well give you an inspectors a a u. N. Thereupon oran inspectors to report on on on their findings, ive ordered our military to maintain there are posture, to keep the pressure on assad. And to be in a position to respond if diplomacy fails, tonight i give thanks to our military and their families their for their strengthening and sacrifices, for 7 decades United States has been the anchor of global security. This is men doing more than forging International Agreement but has meant enforcing them. The burdens of leadership are often heavy but world is a better base because we have borne them, so to my friends on the right, i ask you to reconcile your commitment to americas military might with a failure to act when a cause is so just. To my friends on the left, i ask you to reconcile your belief in freedom and dignity for all people, with those images of children, going still on a cold hospital floor. For sometimes resolutions and statements of condemnation are simply not enough. I ask every member of congress, those of you watching at home, to view those videos of the attack. And then ask, what kind of world would we live in if the United States of america sees a dictator, violate International Law with poison gas, and we close to look the other way choose to look the other way . Franklin roosevelt once said your National Determination to keep free of foreign wars and foreign entanglements cannot prevent us for feeling deep concern when ideals and principles weve cherished are challenged. Our ideals and principles as well as our National Security are at stake in syria, along with our leadership of a world where we seek to ensure the worst weapons will never be used. America is not the worlds policeman. Terrible things happen across the globe. And it is beyond our means to right every wrong. But when with modest effort and risk, we can stop children from being gassed to death, and thereby make our own church safer ovesafe children safer g run, i believe we should act, that makes us different. Let us never lose sight of that truth. Thank you. God bless you, and god bless the United States of america. Amazing address. To make a pitch for getting involved in a chevron country, not so much selling reason why we should as for what it will not be, that there will be no ground troops, no openended act, no pro lodged air campaign, in syria dressing most popular criticism of the whole syria intervention. Notion that what would a military pin strike do. President saying that military does not do pin prick anything. All right we are Missouri Republican senator roger wicker with us. What do you make of what the president said . This is in our interest, and its limited nature will not mean that this is a repeat of iraq or afghanistan, not a quagmire, just a quick Surgical Strike and out of there, i guess . Well, neil, whether this address was scheduled two days ago, the president was facing an almost Impossible Task of overcoming what was going to be almost a sure defeat if the house and probably defeat of this proposal in senate on behalf of the American People, he has been given a little reprieve by the russian entree in a stated willingness of Bashar Alassad to give up his chemical weapons, that is very unlikely to happen, but it has given him time well see how he did in the court of public opinion, i remain skeptical. Neil do you think he changed any minds . Well see, he is pretty convincing, he believes in himself. I was struck he spent so much time with making the case for a military strike. He spend very little time talking about the russian possibility. Possibility of giving up chemical weapons. And i am glad he did not raise expectations there. There is a shooting war going on in syria right now. Attacks in damascus occurred today. The idea that a u. N. Team is going to go in and uncover and verify the turning over of chemical weapons during that sort of live shooting war, is very hard for me to believe. Im glad he didnt overly raise hopeful expectations. I hope that a miracle happens and Bashar Alassad gives up his chemical weapons, but this is unlikely to happen, this has given him a few extra days to mull public opinion, right now the American People are not with him on this. Neil a lot of your colleagues on the same mind, i am wondering what this accomplished and wondering where this is going . I find it interesting that you know, will market seem to be reading into this, no attack will happen. No violent hit will happen. That russians might have found a way out of this by offering this olive branch proposal to collect all of the chemical weapons from Bashar Alassad. Have an International Body monitor them, and threat averted. Is it really . Well see what market says tomorrow. I think he spend so much time making a case for Going Forward with the attack that actually markets may reaction differently. Neil you know, i you are right, argument for an attack but he spend time what the attack would not be not involve you know american boots on ground, would not be beyond what Mission Statement to get weapons knocked out, not a regime change, he spoke more about what it was not than what it was. In the end did he really move any doubting thomases . I wonder . That is one thing that republicans ask in our conference today, it seems that president wants to attack the the assads regime in just the right way, not enough to topple it, believing it would cause chaos, but enough to punish the regime, and try to make them not do this again,. I just dont think assad will give us his chemical weapons well see. And you know to extent he tried to make a case for being involved in region, you know, i am in agreement with him on that. Iran is a problem. Israel is right next door to syria. So, i think the American People are with him on this being a very volatile area of the world that it does have something to do with United States vital interest. But, as far as selling them on this plan, which the American People dont have much confidence in, i dont think he got far. Neil nothing has moved just from overnight markets and our future market. Thank you senator, i want to go through about what were seeing right now, futures trading, by far a clumsy indicator of where well go. But it does indicate that at least for moment, where markets seem to think this is going, if they were persuade enough to think that u. S. Would make progress in a strike against syria, i could bet you a barrel of oil, they would be tanking. Because that does not appear the case, on top of a tripledigit advance in our own markets today, and you know relatively sanguine markets in asia, it mas not moved. To her man cain on what herman cain on what that is telling him. The president bought time with this speech, and russians being involved trying to broker a deal with syrians, i believe that markets are saying that is not an imminent strike right now. But it could be in the future. President and his speech made it clear that number one, he asked congress to put on hold taking a vote, and he wanted to wait and see what came out of the russian negotiations with syria. But there are two areas of skepticism that i think under score what senator wick are said. That cam