A seemingly deflated Jay Carney had little defense against the White House press corps’ latest questions on the administration’s Syrian policy Tuesday, with the Press Secretary only able to deflect blame on Russia for the continued presence of chemical weapons in Syria.
"Wasn’t it the President himself who, at that podium, set the ‘red line’ almost two years ago and said, ‘If they were to use these chemical weapons, it’s a red line. There would be enormous consequences’?" Fox News’ Ed Henry asked. "Where are those consequences? You said [Bashar al Assad] is turning them over, but he’s not."
Carney could only say that Assad’s regime had indeed blown multiple deadlines to turn over its chemical weapons, and the onus lay on Syria’s ally Russia to enforce any further missed deadlines.
"Well when are you going to hold them responsible when this has been going on for years?" Henry shot back. "You said the review is ongoing. If the review is always ongoing, doesn’t that suggest…there’s not an end point to this?"
Carney could not say when, if ever, the administration would hold the Assad regime accountable for its failure to meet multiple deadlines, and maintained the President is constantly reviewing his options regarding Syria.
Thus far Syria has transported only 11% of its chemical weapons stockpile out of the country.
Below is a full transcript of the exchange:
ED HENRY: But Jay, wasn't it the president himself who, at that podium, set the red line almost two years ago and said, if they were to use these chemical weapons, it's a red line -- enormous consequences? Where are those consequences? You pushed back for a time because they were -- you said they were turning over chemical weapons. It turns out Assad is not turning over most of his weapons.
MR. CARNEY: Well, Ed, you're conflating the two things --
HENRY: No, the red line on the chemical weapons. Then you said he's turning them over, but he's not.
MR. CARNEY: The president -- well, first of all, there is no question that the Assad regime has blown some deadlines on the transport and delivery of its chemical weapons supplies. The regime is still committed to ridding itself of those supplies, and the Russia is on the hook for making sure that as the regime's signficant ally, that those chemical weapons are -- and the supplies are delivered and the regime is fully rid of chemical weapons as part of that agreement.
Now, the fact is, the president said that was a red line; he threatened the use of force in response to that, and because the threat was real, we saw the Assad regime go from refusing to acknowledge it even had chemical weapons stockpiles to acknowledging that it had them and to reaching an agreement that they would give up those weapons.
And we are going to and the international community is going to hold both Syria and Russia responsible for the fulfillment of that agreement.
HENRY: (Off mic) -- hold them responsible when this has been going on for years? In answer to John's (sp) question when you said the review is ongoing, if the review is always ongoing, doesn't that suggest that you're more likely to spin your wheels, because you're just reviewing and reviewing but there's not an end point to this?
MR. CARNEY: Again, you're conflating a bunch of things, Ed. When we're talking about policy as a general matter, not just with regards to chemical weapons but as a general matter in Syria, we are constantly reviewing options that would allow us to provide more and more effective humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, that would allow us to provide more and more effective support for the opposition, and that would allow us to advance the essential cause of diplomatic negotiations that could lead to a peaceful political settlement to the conflict and a transitional government.