President Barack Obama acknowledged Wednesday that he would not deploy a game-changing force in Syria to end the brutal fighting since U.S. national security was not at stake.
Obama’s comments came at a town hall conversation hosted by CNN, at a military base in Fort Lee, Virginia.
“There are going to be challenges around the world that happen that don't directly touch on our security,” the American leader said. “It's in these situations where you have to make judgments about what is best for the national security interests of the United States, even though what you see is heartbreaking.”
Since Sept. 19, when the Syrian regime ended a weeklong cease-fire brokered by the U.S. and Russia, almost 500 civilians have been killed and hundreds injured in attacks on the war-battered Aleppo.
Obama reiterated that inserting a large number of U.S. forces would neither be in the interest of the U.S. nor of those on the ground but acknowledged that his country’s use of force could stop the five-year civil war.
“In Syria, there is not a scenario in which -- absent us deploying large numbers of troops -- we can stop a civil war in which both sides are deeply dug in,” he said.
Obama’s critics have suggested that had he decided early enough to support the moderate Syrian opposition, the Assad regime might have been toppled long before the war turned into a dire humanitarian crisis.
Addressing the criticism, Obama said that as Assad was supported by Russia and Iran, the U.S. would have to deploy large numbers of troops and take a risk of confrontation with Russia.
He also said that the use of military force would have been a violation of international law as the Assad regime was not a direct threat to the U.S.
Obama’s administration has hardened its tone against Russia.
State Secretary Kerry told his counterpart the U.S. would suspend all engagement with Russia on Syria talks if Moscow does not immediately stop assaults on Aleppo, said State Department spokesman John Kirby Wednesday, adding Moscow was responsible for the violence raging in Aleppo.