There are still nearly two years left in Barack Obama's presidency, but historians looking back on his record in foreign policy will surely identify one costly error: his refusal to follow through on the implied threat when he stated that the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons would be a "red line."
He made that statement in a press conference on Monday, Aug. 20, 2012. The president was not scheduled to appear; press secretary Jay Carney said, "Looks like there's a surprise guest here."
After fielding questions on other topics (Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin, Mitt Romney's attack ads and tax returns, friendly fire deaths in Afghanistan), Obama responded to NBC's Chuck Todd's question on whether he envisioned using the U.S. military to keep Syria's chemical weapons in safekeeping.
"We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized," Obama said.
"We have communicated in no uncertain terms with every player in the region that that's a red line for us and that there would be enormous consequences if we start seeing movement on the chemical weapons front or the use of chemical weapons." After that question, the press conference was over.
This was one year and two days after Obama had said, "The time has come for President Assad to step aside." Which, of course, he didn't do and, two and a half years later, hasn't done.Read the rest of the Michael Barone op-ed HERE.
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