State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Tuesday that she would not rule out any policy options in response to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS), including taking action against them in Syria.
AP reporter Matt Lee quoted Secretary John Kerry's statement on the beheading of American journalist James Foley by ISIL terrorists, in which Kerry said, "Make no mistake: we will continue to confront ISIL wherever it tries to spread its despicable hatred."
"Does that include Syria?" Lee asked Harf.
"Well, he meant what he said in his statement," Harf said.
"I’m not going to specifically rule anything in or out from this podium in terms of policy options," Harf told reporters. "What I will say generically is that the United States reserves the right to hold people accountable when they harm Americans."
She declined to speculate on any specific options, repeating, "I’m not ruling anything in or out."
