hillary clinton announces she's going to run for president? i'm not sure what the answer is. it's curtly better than nothing and certainly more than anyone else has. you don't see in the republican side against the more aggressive people running for president, people like ted cruise or marco rubio or rand paul, the level of organized effort to say, how do we channel whatever it is yes and exist for a potential candidacies into the practical political experience you can get participating in a midterm that can then quickly be turned and channeled towards the presidential campaign. >> host: one more call. sheldon, washington d.c., independent line. >> caller: mr. halperin, i enjoyed meeting you. and the women who called imitating that a black man had a right to vote to a woman spoke. she was incorrect about 70

years. the ratification of the 15th amendment was 1870 and the ratification of the 19th amendment was 1920. moving right along, do you think if the benghazi fiat though, has been central indiscretion and three, samantha powell doing the samantha powell comment during the 2004 election as a monster? what's the difference that this is applicable to obamacare and what hillary clinton health care plan would have been if it had had to voracious? thank you very much. >> guest: thank you for the math. yes, yes and no.

those plants introduced on market competition and government subsidies into trying to get more people covered. president clinton and first lady clinton's plan was not quite as expensive or as ambitious, and it didn't have the mandate this plan had. health care is complicated. there's lots of other differences. lots of other similarities. but those are the main ones. >> host: political analysis for "time" magazine and msnbc as well. he is mark halperin. thank you first time today. >> guest: thank you, pedro. great to beyond and thank you for c-span. >> the violation which cannot be accepted or legitimized by the international community. the prime minister also answer questions on mental health care, unemployment figures and childcare policy. this is 30 minute. >> questions to the prime minister of iraq's

[shouting] >> number one, sir. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i'm sure the whole house would like to join and contribute to donate to you. alongside a record of ministerial parliamentary and public service, he was also a great writer, great tires, great campaigner no matter whether you agreed with his views are not. he will be missed by both sides of this house at the right honorable member for leeds central and other members of his family at this time. i'm sure the hospitals to join and pay tribute to the winter paralympic team following the great success at the so she special congratulations to kenny gallagher who won her first-ever gold idol at the winter paralympics and jay hetherington, was their most successful winter paralympic format most.

mr. speaker this morning i had meetings with colleagues another's in addition i shall have further such meetings later today. >> mr. speaker, i'm sure the remarks made by the prime minister today and also the remarks on graduating the paralympics team. of course the paralympics started. [laughter] mr. speaker, today unemployment has fallen 63 has been. [shouting] this has been added and in such an analysis where we have seen growth in the private sector continue. does my right honorable friend agree with me that we must sustain this group by continuing to topple the deficit, support industry and continue with our long-term economic growth?

[shouting] >> my right old friend is absolutely right about buckingham linked with the paralympic games and the flame from manderville that came to number 10 downing street recently. she's absolutely right about this unemployment figures. they showed clinically not. they showed unemployment coming down at a record number of people and work in our country. a record number of women at work in our country and youth unemployment coming down, too. what is particularly remarkable over the last quarter as private sector employment has gone up by 118,000. public-sector unemployment has gone down by just 13,000. said 10 times more jobs created in the private sector. the important thing is what this means for britain's families. it means for millions of people are paid back at the chance to work him a chance at dignity, of stability and security and i hope it will be welcomed across the house.

[shouting] >> mr. speaker, let me begin by paying tribute to tony byrne. the death represents a loss of an iconic figure of our age. he will be remembered as a champion of the power and a great parliamentarian who defended the rights of backbenchers in the house again the executives, which after a government he came from. he spoke his mind and he spoke of values and what he stood for and i think that's why he won respect from all members of this house. all of our condolences go to his children, stephen, hillary, melissa echo joshua and his wider family. in a different way, they take forward as a father, socialists and always someone of great decency. mr. speaker, i also want to join the prime minister in paying tribute to the winter paralympic team for their great success and

76. special regulations to kelley gallagher n. jay reverend. this weekend we saw a referendum in crimea that took place in the russian ukraine. does the prime minister agreed with the referendum was illegal, illegitimate and in direct violation of the terms of the ukrainian constitution? is the also share my deep concern the ukrainian service was shot and killed at a military base in crimea yesterday? >> the right honorable gentleman is absolutely correct the referendum in the crimea is illegitimate and illegal. it was patched together in 10 days and hot at the point of a russian collection. it cannot be accepted or legitimized by the international community. we should be absolutely clear about what is happening here. this is the annexation effectively a one country's territory by another country and we must be clear that her interests, which is a rules-based international system for countries obey the rules.

if we turn away from the crisis and don't act, we will pay a high price in the longer term. we should be clear this referendum is illegitimate. we must be clear the consequences will follow at work with our european partners in the united states for his strong consistent and robust risk odds. >> i think the prime minister for that answer. i like to ask about the weekend coming up here the white house indicated it will be expanded on the whole house will support the idea of the list of ukrainian and russian officials travel ban will also be extended to the youth council meeting tomorrow. can i also tell of the circumstances in which will be supporting also sanctions on the russian federation? >> as we discussed previously in the house, the european union set up very clear triggers. we said if the russians did not take part in a contact group at the ukrainian government to take forward discussions, then assets

and travel ban should follow. those have been put in place at the foreign affairs council monday and further action on the front should be taken at the european council of ministers, which all take part in on thursday. i also think we should be responding to the fact that this annexation was that if there was further action to destabilize the ukraine and this annexation is that action, further consequences need to follow. we need to set that up on thursday in concert with our european partners and at the same time, put down a clear warning that if there was further destabilization, for instance, going into the eastern ukraine in any way, then we would move to a position of the sorts of economic sanctions discussed in the house last week. >> from the side of the house you have our support on the toughest possible diplomatic and economic measures against the russian federation given the totally legitimate actions

they've taken. i also welcome the announcement yesterday that the g-7 allies will gather next week. mr. speaker, it seems inconceivable that they could remain in the g8. does the prime minister now agreed this meeting of the g8 should go further and explicitly decide to suspend russia and the group of g8 of the economy quite >> i was one of the first people to say is that capable for the g8 to go ahead as planned. one of the first countries to suspend all preparations and i strongly support the g-7 meeting of countries that will take place on monday. i think it's important we move together with our allies and partners and i think we should be discussing whether or not to expel russia permanently from the g8 is further steps are taken. that's the meeting on monday and not the right way to proceed. >> dr. julian hoffert. >> thank you, mr. speaker. tony benn was a great man. it's my pleasure to work with one of his sons.

mr. speaker, the threshold of 10,000 pounds so far has 2.7 qualified people paid any income taxes. is the prime minister please in the clear election objection today and extend policy? [shouting] the honorable gentleman who brings the house together in his usual way -- [laughter] what i am sure we can agree on is that it has been an excellent move by a conservative chancellor in a coalition government to make sure the first 10,000 pounds of income you earn you don't pay tax on and that benefits people earning although it up to 100,000 pounds. that is work so far over 700,000 pounds to a typical income tax payout and it's highly worthwhile and i look forward to hearing what the chancellor has to say. >> is the right honorable gentleman aware that this week i have received from the

palestinian friends an e-mail which tells me the israelis have assassinated a friend in his house and another honorable friend has been shot dead by the army, so we have spent our time from one funeral to another. the right honorable gentleman was in israel last week, did he raise with netanyahu, the constant stream of killing of innocent palestinians by the israelis on what is going to do about it? >> i didn't raise that specific case in which the right honorable gentleman quite rightly raises in this house today, but i did raise with the israeli prime minister the importance of how the israelis behave in the west bank and elsewhere. i raised the issue of settlements, which i believe is unacceptable and needs to stop. but i was also strongly supporting the israeli prime minister and the palestinian president in their efforts to find peace. there is a prospect an

opportunity now because the americans are leading a set of talks that could lead to a framework document being agreed and it's in everyone's interest that all the pressure we can both participants to take her to get on with these negotiations, which would mean so much i believe to ordinary israelis and palestinians and indeed the rest of us. >> andre stephenson. [shouting] >> thank you, mr. speaker. unemployment has now fallen -- house by resurgence in british manufacturing. compared to the 1.8 million manufacturing jobs lost under the previous labor government, what are prime minister agree with me that our long-term economic plan in delivering in the north of england? [shouting] >> my honorable friend makes an important point, which is we want to have a balanced recovery. we want to see growth and employment across the country. it's worth noting since 2010 to

80% of the rest of private sector employment has taken place outside london. the unemployment rate in the northwest, where my honorable member, the unemployment rate is lower than it is in london. we are beginning to see a balanced recovery, but will do everything we can, backing industry to make sure that continues. >> thank you, mr. speaker. from an asthma state drug event in the 60s and 70s. the potency is 18 times of the morning-after pill and the result thousands and thousands of babies born with deformities. there has never been a public inquiry or compensation with the prime minister met with in my underrepresented association for this? >> i'm very happy to look at the case the honorable lady mentions. clearly this is an important issue. anyone who's had a disabled

child knows the enormous challenges that brings and i'm happy to look at the key she raises in get back to her about it. >> sir alan hazell. [shouting] >> will my right honorable friend of knowledge that the benefits of economic recovery and make it juicy our strong tempered by uncomfortable pressures on development and inadequate rail infrastructure and notwithstanding these matters to be dealt with quickly, is it not increasingly clear that there's a need to do more to stem the continuing flow of population to the southeast by imaginative measures, which will spread the benefits of recovery throughout all quiet >> i think my honorable friend makes an point. we want to balance recovery, long-term economic plan is working. an important part of that long-term economic fantasy infrastructure, best known for making. hst was important in rebalancing between north and south. but let's be clear, we spent

three times more another transport schemes in the next parliament as we are on hs two. bristol, nottingham, sheffield of liverpool and manchester. all of these things make a difference in the whole part of our plan. >> ed miliband. >> the deep concerns about mental health services. members across the house has spoken up reedley on the subject, including the impact on those who experience mental health problems of families and country. as the prime minister agrees me that not supposed to have equal priority? >> let me agree about the debate that took place in this house about mental health, where i read the debate of honorable members took some very bold steps in their own lives and i thought that was an incredibly bright thing to do.

whether spent parity of esteem of other forms of health care, yet it showed them is legislated to make that the case. >> thank you for that. not ask about specific which suggests we are moving away from that equal footing we both want to see. mental health share, the nhs budget is volunteer services for children and young people being squeezed. fewer mental health fairs and more young people are treated in the adult psychiatric wards. we know it's not just individual can learn, but bigger cost of the future. to the public agree these things really shouldn't be happening? >> taking the big picture in health spending, we decided to increase health spending rather than reduce health spending of 12.7 across this parliament. we've also put in place proper waiting times and disciplines for things like mental health hairpiece that weren't there before. of course they're still further to go.

we need commissioners to focus on the importance of mental health services. but the priority is fair. we need to respond. >> mr. speaker, the problem is the mental health budget has fallen for the first time in a decade. it isn't getting the health spending and use. >> i would urge them to look at specific savories. we need to ensure the consensus clearly in enough houses reflect it in the daily decisions made up and down the country about mental health and the health service. now while the prime minister agree to enshrine equality for mental health in the nhs constitution in order to send a message to decision-makers about the clarity of mental health deserves and to ensure it does affected by mental health problems get better access for the treatment and care they need? >> the rental gentleman raises an important point of the same for mental health and law, but what we see underground. first of all, we've performed millions pound into the talking

therapies, which are very important in terms of mental health revision. mental health provision is referenced clearly in the mandate given to an existing list, which in many ways is the absolute key document in terms of the health service, but his right to say in the way the service works are still a culture change in favor of mental health and mental health problems that we see change and put in place. on that, your party support. >> thank you ministers weaker. many entrepreneurs that personal incomes below the current welfare cap. but that in mind what with my right honorable friend look at doing more for small businesses of reducing the burden of regulation, blubbering tax and increasing threshold as well as offering extra assistance to help them take on more apprentices? >> my right honorable friend makes an ardent point which is the key part of our long-term economic plan is to help small

businesses take more people on. key to that is employment allowance of the national insurance contributions that will come in his april, which is a cut of 2000 pounds. it's important we all encourage small businesses to take up this money and also therefore to take on more people. the same time as that, also abolishing contributions for the under 21 through april 2015th of companies including the constituency can start planning to take on more people. >> thank you, mr. speaker. last week the deputy prime minister wrongly told the houston child care childcare costs and england were coming down, while they continue to go up in wales. the house of commons says that's not the case. this week, the deputy prime minister is offering a pre-election bribe on child care, which won't come into effect until september, 2013. will the prime minister get a

grip on this policy? help hard-working families now in this parliament relief childcare costs because the cost of living there facing today. >> i'm afraid to say the honorable member is wrong on both counts. actually, we are seizing and cost pressures and england on child care costs. but i'm afraid in wales they're still going up. you might want to talk to the national assembly government about that. the point the deputy prime minister and i were making yesterday as we want to help hard-working families with high care costs. from 2015, every child you have because they've up to 2000 pounds on your childcare costs. it's an interesting, mr. speaker, we can now hear the labor party opposed this move. clearly they don't welcome it. you can have a very clear choice in the election of hugo for parties on the side of the house

committee that can help your childcare in a key vote labor, you get nothing. [shouting] is not what the prime minister's would have been praising conservative councilman who has frozen the sanctions six to eight years. we help hard-working people and stop the free labor party going up this year. >> my honorable friend is absolutely right. we should do everything we can to help hard-working people meet their budget to meet their needs. that is why councils providing a huge amount of. the government is doing its part by raising the parcel of land, doing everything we can to help hard-working people get on with their lives. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the prime minister assured me on the 27th of november the government has accepted people who need an extra bedroom from the bedroom tax. does he think it's right my constituents who have to pay the tax of the assist ability living

allowance should have to pay it because he lives in tori crawford? >> what i said to the house is absolutely correct and i'm happy to repeat that again today. it's also discretionary housing payment that are there for local councils but also to difficult cases and i recommend he takes that up at the council. >> thank you, mr. speaker. russia is not just expanding into the crimea, but also ships, submarines and aircraft are increasingly appearing off our shores. bearing in mind that we've got great news on the economy and bearing in mind that the ministry sent back last year, as impossible as suggested by the house of commons defense committee that we could have a new maritime aircraft before the next ses are? [shouting] >> what i say to my honorable friend is first of all we are only able to have these sorts of

discussions and consideration because we've sorted out the defense budget, got rid of the enormous deficit limit and we have a successful and growing economy. in terms of maritime patrol, we are currently using the aircraft and of course the seeker merlin lynx helicopters as well as ships and submarines. we work very close partnership with our nato allies, but the ministry of defense. >> are 2014 tax traces of the trade minister. this is a great labor campaign. i have enumerated tax increases we had to put in place an order to deal with the deficit. just to remind people, was that he was right to do with the deficit with 80% spending reduction and 20% tax increases.

there's a problem in the labor campaign. when the spokesman with us would you change any of these, the answer was no. [shouting] [inaudible] campaign -- but that was a bit of a turkey. [shouting] >> thank you, mr. speaker. i welcome the prime minister's health for those hit by flooding, but i'm told it's only areas affected as december. i read part teachers be having its worst ever last september will he visit the area and expand health for the businesses still suffering? >> i absolutely understand the honorable gentleman's concern because if you search that took place across these i left the tavern was one of the worst floods in the area for a long time. what is key is to approve the

seawall from future flooding. i understand it is working with partners thursday 30 million-pound investment going ahead across reclaimers suppose, which will protect something like 1000 homes. obviously there may be whelmed more that we need to do and i'm happy to discuss with him. >> mary clinton. >> in 2010, the deficit would be eliminated by 2015. >> we cut the deficit and we have cut the deficit. we are getting britain back to work. everyone in the private sector government she asked what went wrong i can give it to one word. labor. [shouting] >> mr. speaker, could we bring with it 100 skilled new jobs?

the jobs are in the pipeline. when it gets in the midlands, which is the heart, will my right honorable friend commend our last counsel for helping to deliver long-term economic plan and make it the place of the midlands to do business? [cheers and [shouting] >> i'm always delighted to pay homage to the field. very happy to come back and do that. it's important what he says about manufacturing revival because we really can't see it now with the land rover, and also what he says about bmw as well. what we now see is the british made engine and that is great news for what we want to see, which is more jobs making things, more jobs exported things in the manufacturing revival in the u.k.

>> mr. speaker, and i speak to myself and the people of richfield to join with the tribute in the family? to speak of total events of the privileged background and it spoke of his life of the working people. at the cost of living crisis, which fallen by 600 cup of people queued up three bags just why you bring back the back door. >> can i join the honorable lady in the constituency mp. he was incredibly busy, but never forgot about his constituents and was also good with a friendly, helpful word for a new back bench from whatever side of the house you happen to be on. many members rightly experienced that from him. the most important thing is getting people back to work.

the fact we've now seen 1.7 elliott private sector jobs is the best way of helping people sustainably out of poverty. as they come out of poverty, they will see a higher minimum wage in the ability to earn more money before they pay taxes at all. those are the government's priorities. that is a long-term plan and that is why you're going to hear about it. >> can i join my honorable friend and paying tribute to tony blair -- and his high regard for my constituents come even though they may not agree with his views. is he aware, however, the figures show unemployment has fallen by 27% since the last election? does he agree this is further proof that the chancellor would absolutely right to ignore his critics off the set and stick to his guns?

[shouting] women into work about young people into work, about falls in long-term unemployment but it is also the largest annual fall in the claimant account, number of people claiming unemployment benefits is the largest fall since february of 1998. this is really important point about getting people back to work and giving people a chance of a job with dignity and security in their lives. that is what our economic plan is all about. >> mr. speaker, at the weekend a young woman from my sit whensy, sophie jones died of cervical cancer leaving her family and friends unable to understand why she did not get the smear test she asked for. will the prime minister send his sympathies to her friends and family and will he work with me to make sure once we understand what went wrong we have the right policies in place to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else? >> i think the honorable lady is absolutely right to mace this

case. many read in the papers in the weekend. seems absolutely tragic case. we've made huge breakthroughs in this country under governments of both parties in terms of screening programs that are available and public health information is available but something seems to have gone wrong in this case. i'm happy to look into this and write to her and seek any views she has about it too. >> mr. david ward. >> thank you, mr. speaker. today's unemployment figures show a reduction in -- 14, which i concede is better than an crease of 14 but very disappointing nevertheless, and leaves us highest still in the country. i recently visited a training provider in bradford said there were 600 apprenticeship vacancies in bradford. is the prime minister confident we're actually doing enough to insure that young people in particular are aware of apprenticeships but also prepared to take those apprenticeships on? >> i think the honorable

gentleman, my honourable friend makes a very important point, pockets of quite high unemployment right next to areas that have a lot of apprenticeships or jobs available. i think there are two things we have to get right hire. one we have to make sure more of our young people are leaving school with the key qualifications including english and math are absolutely vital to take on an apprenticeship. we need to stress those subjects are vocational subjects at the heart of education. the second we need to do more to explain to young people in school what is available in terms of apprenticeships an training and that is exactly what our national career service is going to do. . .

>> not only is the prime minister of touch but only stands up for his own privileged few. >> 1230 and 29 seconds, and not as single labor mp mentioning the unemployment figures. let me -- let me answer. let me answer the hon. gentleman very directly. under our plan everyone in the nhl is would get at least a 1 percent pay raise. this is something that i was told was supported by the labor party. this is what the leader of the labor party said. we are talking actually about a pay increase limited to 1%. i said, this liberal party is going to face up to those difficult choices we have to make. make. how long did that one last? confronted by trade union campaign, he demonsttes ce he demonstrates his complete weakness and i'm fitness for office.

>> -- unfitness. thank you, mr. speaker. arenas report and the female -- suggested in the population has been reduced in the uk by 4500. as a proud british asian father to two daughters, can ask my right honorable friend to call for into this most appalling practice? this was a taboo subject must in quite clearly not just in the uk but in the world as a whole. whole. >> my friend is right about this. it is a simply appalling practice. i think there are areas like this, like female genital mutilation, like forced marriage where we need to be clear about our values and the messages we send and that these practices are unacceptable to the government has made clear abortion on the grounds of gender alone is illegal. the chief medical officer wrote to all doctors last year reminding them of their responsibility, i'm beating with the chief medical officer and i

will raise this issue with her and i think it's right my friend to run >> 150 people have died since the start of protests and syria against the government three years ago. next the main negotiator with syria's opposition discusses the international response. this is an hour and 15 minutes. >> freedom does not come free of charge. we are facing the most brutal regime in syria, a regime with experience, 30 years managing civil war in lebanon, 15 years managing terrorism activities. we are facing this regime which is armed to the seas with allies

backing him one under% with weapons, money, and even militia manpower on the ground. we are fortunate to have our own people who are ready to sacrifice their lives and to sacrifice the life of their families and to give what they can to the success of the revolution. while our allies, is very clear to all of you, have limitation of support to us. so the support has limits. arms supply, limit on political reform. really this is helping the syrian people.

part of the failure was due to us as syrian people. we have been used to this regime for 50 years. we never had democracy in syria for 50 years. we never had real tries of revolutions before. and actually people went to the street with their own, you know, life to put for their freedom, and the regime was not hesitant to use extreme violence against the people. this made that journey a long journey and painful journey, but now we are celebrating the third year of revolution, meaning the people of syria have made their decision to continue until they win back their freedom. our duty now to look back and

see where we made mistakes, what went wrong, how we can improve the situation. then point to the problems and say, yes, we have problems. these are the problems. this is what we have to do in order to solve them. for the first almost two years of revolution we had no political help, no political outlook for the revolution itself. on the military side we have factions. we have people defending their own houses, their own towns, but we did not have any strategic plan. for our allies there were dealing with factions. they never dealt with the coalition or with the free syrian army as one unit. they go and give help to this guy in a moss or this guy and so on. so all of these resulted in

weakness of the performance of the revolution itself. six months i'd go, we sat down and realized ways that we make mistakes. where should we go? now we can reorganize. and we took the steps to correcting things and putting things in order. we started, many of you thought many things as bad things if you look at it previously, but down the road he will see things will improve. as you know, there were many changes on the political field, many changes in the military side also. some of it recently, you have seen it. you have seen a new military leader coming to the front to take their position and to carry from the previous military leaders. you saw a decision was made for going to geneva which was not an

easy decision which we have to discuss and fight for it and convince our friends in the coalition to go along with the. we expected the decision of our friends within the coalition to resign as they stated, but then down the road when they saw the we did the right decision is the data come back and join us to work together. so we're doing our best to collect. in the same way to have a better command and control of the military field, this, we need to improve the work of the performance of the military. also take of from excuses from our friends who are not supplying stay specific cars

because they say what guarantee we have, control you have. can you guarantee that these weapons will not go to extremist groups? so they need to c.s. first being responsible ourselves. we are being responsible for ourselves, then we can ask and tell them this is what -- this is a system we have. this is the control which we have. whether they use it as an excuse are not we will see in the future, but these steps, we need them as serious regardless of our friends and have the activists. second question, i have to be honest, nobody knows. but it is our duty to maximize our performance. he will not leave free of charge

we're not dreaming that we go to geneva and sit on the table. okay. he will discuss with you. this is the power. it is not like that. we need to create political pressure, serious political pressures, manpower and mainly through two main backers of the regime, one which is russia and iran. if you put them in order is number one ally is a wrong. it is the main supporter of the regime. second place comes russia. this is one side. second side is military. if you don't see that there is a real threat we will not move. you have to create political pressure or military pressure or a combination of both. what we can promise, we can promise to reform to our capability, the united

commandery go all into achieving our aims. the rest will depend on what conditions will be created in the future. third question regarding a third round as you know, geneva, the last question, they proposed an agenda for discussion which has four items. the first item in proposed was putting an end to violence and counter-terrorism. second item was about the political power transition and making the tgv which is the transitional governing body. third was about state institution between continuity and change. and for the bunt public dialogue

and national reconciliation. both parties agreed on the agenda. there were some comments which we worked out. but their regime, things that they want to discuss the major item which means they squeezed out about talking about putting an end to violence and counter-terrorism after we finished completely the subject then move into the second item which is the transition. for us our argument was you cannot discuss the first item first alone by itself because even if you discuss it you will reach a point in order to resolve this, you have to establish. because we don't have any condescending description, both of us.

for them they consider us as terrorists. for them we consider them very using state terrorism. they consider them as being their allies and they're fighting for their benefit. so there is no way to reach mutual. and it is clearly the security council resolution 2,000 the international conference negotiating starting with political transition and the establishment. and within geneva communicated self. if you read the terms of it you will find the item talking about violence in order to put an end

to violence which means pcp has to be a condition achieved before any process to put an end to violence. and it is not about -- we are hungry. you want to replace the regime. it is about practicality and having a successful negotiating strategy. the regime, no way to discuss this. we insisted, no, we have to discuss this. he says we agree. i propose we discuss both of them in parallel which means we have a session today on subject one. nextel a second subject. being positive, we agreed to compromise. he said now i cannot call for a

third session. our back and report to the security council. rethink their strategy and i will contact you again. yesterday there were meeting for the past year days for security council his support was very clear. in his meetings very clear. pinpointing the the government delegation is the one refusing to discuss these items he as for

the security council to issue a statement or take action and his support. the english, british representatives and other statements. which goes for support and the syrian government to accept what his proposals. unfortunately russia blocked issuing a statement. and here we're talking about the statement. no action. the press statement, what can you expect that any type of action. so the question, now, where he wants to go. we had a meeting with mr. de. he was straightforward.

for the continuity of the process, ready to put all for success, but he cannot continue unless the government agrees on discussing both subjects at the same time. he feels that iran is the main power player. decided he would go to then come back on the 19th with the hope that the run and play a positive role and press on the syrian government with russia, both of them. so there is no answer and tell maybe 20 or the end of this want to know that you will be successful and not. >> we have time for one more question.

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> yes. thank you. so your question, two parts. we don't represent anyone. my answer, clearly your wrong. first when we were in geneva there were with us, fractions

and the main factions of the free syrian army. we did not announce this from the start because we knew their regime may result in saying these guys a perilous. so we decided to keep them hidden in the back. committee of men, leaders of the free syrian army and also we have representatives of other political forces within the delegation community efficient delegation and the kinsella abortion committees who are managing in preparing for the negotiation. you are wrong because we are -- there is continuous communication and continuous coordination between the higher

military council and the of the coalition itself. if you have in the last month within two weeks i think, there were some new changes on all orders issued by the ira military council. they change there. they made a very promising plan for restructuring the free syrian army, restructuring the command center and operations center. now you have leaders in the syrian army ml on the ground living inside syria. let heads of the snc, the heads of operation for the military and he is fighting daily against

the regime who lost his son fighting. he is an ex syrian army general which means he knows about military operations. from the syrian army and also he's a commander on the ground the free syrian army and kicked him out. these guys, we met with them. we saw other plans. we know they're doing things right and correct we should support them in order for them to restructure and have organized military operations in syria, not to go back to the way that it was managed in

chaotically, unorganized way and and coordinated by. >> said like to add one thing about the represented in this. modestly we can say you can't talk about your presented in this without having elections. and as the founding member of the coalition i could say that it came after a series to create the body embody the principles and fight for its zedillo. think you could ask them to the circumstances that we live under mccain plan every represent syria or the ground or all of it. but i think as founding members we try very hard.

the coalition which is the syrian national council in various formations which is by itself a coalition of political groups and activists. the new addition to those groups was creating the local council in every town. in the suburbs of damascus, both places conducted elections which are very, very inclusive wondered very difficult circumstances, as you know. then there were the political figures forced to leave syria. some of the more active. and the piece will dominion know, activists were part of it as well as the three syrian army . the politically and militarily active groups on the ground. we're going to present everybody on the ground away to continue

to improve their representative nature. i think what is important is for those of you who are active, the coalition is doing a good job. embodying the idea of the revolution and fighting for them this is the point. the delegation went to geneva i think there were very clear about upholding. that's why in see the last part of the feedback. wanted to push syria on a path of political transition that leaves no room. and that think those of the kind that we need. the coalition that international recognition which need to uphold because that gives us some support. there is not going to be a political solution in syria. and in forced political solution. the chemical weapons may have to be enforced. that's so we have to tip the balance militarily on the ground and call upon our friends and supporters worldwide to increase their support and apply

pressure, including in this country. you are doing in this country, you must pressure the white house to stand up to its responsibility in protecting enforcing that humanitarian and political solutions. as the way to do it. the democratic elections. >> a round of applause. [applause] thank you for coming and joining us today. there are also other members that are your. so now you know there faces. you will see them around. that going to be very happy. you can approach impersonally. continue the conversation. of course you will be happy to. okay. they're going to be moving on to our next panel. next panel for experts, if we can get mr. hooper, dr. heinemann and mr. tabor to please join us appear.

>> i am going to start the introductions from my left. i'm mad doctor heinemann. this panel actually it's an honor to have them here with us. these are, you know, from the policy community and what we call the friends of the people. they have been the friends since the beginning of the revolution. so it is to my left -- [applause] thank you. i first met dr. aiden and in berlin. he was involved initially in the day after project. he served as the vice-president of applied research a conflict of the u.s. institute to my political scientist to

specializes in comparative politics and the political economy of the middle east with a particular focus on syria. his interest includes out there terrene government, economic development, social policy, political and economic reform. we also have to his left mr. jim cooper, of former u.s. diplomat, the managing director for plpg, the public interest international law and policy group. he is a former director for the washington office of the icc and he directed the icy g's program. he has been extremely engaged on syria and the has also done some market rising. at the end of the table is mr. andrew stabler. and i like andrew because he says it like this. [laughter] gap. he is a senior fellow.

he had unparalleled access. so he has a pre revolution experience with syria. and he has leveraged his contact with the syrian opposition, i think, to offer a unique vision. and i'm going to be brief, but the reason i like engaging his panel of experts that -- experts is because sometimes i feel like syrian americans have conversations among star sells, and it is hard to see it from the outside. well, this is a well-informed group, and they will share with us how they see it from the inside. we are going to begin with mr. hooper presenting first. then dr. heinemann. thank you. >> could i ask everyone to stand please from moment of silence? and respect for the suffering that the syrian people learned

during in this terrible war thank you very much. on behalf of the three of us steve, andrew and i, we would all like to thank the coalition for democratic syria for arranging this and for inviting us to speak to you. you have all seen this democratic cause and this movement through, i think, some very dark days in serious current history. and i have all lot of respect for what you have gone through, what you are going through, and what you and your relatives and friends in syria will continue to go through and tell this war is over.

on the basis of what -- if i could say something, i was -- this was not planned, but it is a result of the questions and answers, if i may. and i will make this brief. it is an unpaid announcement as well, shall we sing. i was at geneva. and i genuinely assure you that your negotiators negotiated with honor, with dignity, with respect for the goals of the revolution and with a toughness and the wisdom that i think should make you proud. if you were there i think the major prop. [applause]

no one in the world seriously doubts that russian president will succeed with his seizure of ukrainian territory, may. no one in the world seriously believes that president barack obama will act decisively against president bush far al-assad of syria come what may. this is not a non sequitur and thereby hangs a tale. in the ukrainian crisis he saw an opportunity and seized it. in this serious crisis when as sought used chemical weapons against his own people president obama saw his responsibility and french. in the age of proven the belief in russian power, purpose, and resolve is secure and growing. in the age of obama, a man who i

voted for twice, i should say, the belief and american power, purpose, and resolves fragile. there are two sides of the same coin, each presenting a challenge to american leaders and both working in parallel to undermine american interest in europe and the middle east. once again their global chessboard is back in play. this presents opera channel is real. very important of which introduced. the beginning of policy-making wisdom is to link the crisis in the ukraine to the crisis and syria. because the west lacks the means to challenge him militarily along the expanding russian periphery it does not mean that the u.s. lacks the means to challenge and elsewhere. there by inflicting serious damage on russian interest and sending a firm message about the price russia will pay for its

aggression in europe and support of the sons brutality in syria. the feeding al-assad militarily and politically would cast a large shadow over his. syria is the jewel of russia's middle east crown and has been since moscow's close relationship with egypt was appended during this about era. the essonnes are the strongest allies and russia in the region and now as a result of the revolution the most vulnerable. by defeating a sought in syria and the u.s. can and both large-scale killing by the regime and drive up the cost considerably in the russian calculus by ukraine. defeating a sought would demonstrate to the world that the russian arms used by their syrian allies were not a match for u.s. arms and political will further undermining moscow's global standing. moreover, in a direct proposed for the seizure of the black sea

port and crimean and ending russian influence in syria would remove russian access from their small mediterranean port at tatoos. and i urge you not to be shy in emphasizing this point in your advocacy once you leave -- well you were in town and once you leave your. the downfall would also strike at the centerpiece of the russians syrian and iranian hezbollah alliance and not inconsiderable achievement and of itself. an alliance congealed in victory and founders in the feet. the u.s. still has allies left among the syrian opposition and could have many more. so is it possible for the u.s. to embark on a policy of arms and strike. arm the opposition free syrian army to the feet as of forces and they stressed anti a son gian the groups on the ground while the u.s. levels the

playing field by striking syrian military targets from the air rather than sending in ground troops. no one is advocating the u.s. replay of iraq and syria. a strategic prize a useful beginning monday for the administration to negotiate a strategic understanding with the opposition including commitments about the syrian russian relationship in a post al-assad syria. setting back by defeating his left -- less difficult. bordered by three close u.s. allies. turkey with its nato bases, jordan and israel. the mediterranean is an american lake patrol by the sixth fleet bringing u.s. forces to bear. you came -- ukraine prisons far

more difficult challenges and higher risks of escalation and as forceful u.s. allies. i egg knowledge that less difficult than a cent is not the same thing as easy. the rise of our countrymen and women in the military will be on a line. retaliation is to be expected in ways not entirely predictable. they will be financial and other costs. and he himself might not sit on his hands watching his ally go down to defeat. the mantle of is not easily earned by an american presence. but that is also -- [applause]

as another liberal democratic president said in 1962 about a softer projection of american power, we do these things not because they're easy but because they are. that is what americans do. it is with the syrian people have already undertaken against assad. it is late to but not too late to act resolutely in syria. the rationale for doing so which has been there since assad declared war on his countrymen, used data weapons against them and generated a massive humanitarian crisis, even more compelling for geostrategic reasons than him the allies seizure of crimea. putin will still have crimea, but he will no longer have syria. and he will be put on notice that if he contemplates further aggression for destabilizing europe and the west has a range of damaging option is to employ.

and the syrian people will be rid of the assad, free to confront challenges of a post assad syria. thank you. [applause] >> at the end when the panel, all of them have made there presentations. thank you. >> my thanks as well to all of the sponsors of this meeting for giving me the opportunity to talk with you this afternoon. i want to echo one of the observations that was made at the start. this sacrifice and the commitment of the syrian people over the past three years has been nothing short of exceptional and its really is an honor for us to have the chance to me with you can to give you some sense of us of the elements of u.s. policy. we are to be here with you and we appreciate the opportunity

you have given us to do so. thank you. [applause] i am going to focus on the policy of the obama administration toward syria. i suspect -- good question. very good question. the question was, do they have one. i suspect that within this from there are some of you are low the frustrated with how the white house has handled the obama administration. all of you. i suspect -- well, you see, and they say that the syrians have hard time reaching agreement. not true. not true. i suspect there are some of you may be more than frustrated, upset, angry about how the obama administration is analysts' policy. i want to confess to you, i don't know if this offers you very much consolation, but you're not alone. for those of us to follow the serious crisis closely, for those of us to watch out the obama administration is managing

its handling of the serious crisis, one of the most extraordinary puzzles and challenges that we deal with concerns the incredible risk aversion of the obama administration with respect to its think is of assyria and even more so it's incredible reluctance to change course even after it has pursued for three years a policy that has failed. the white house knows that the serious policy has failed. the president himself. in fact more than that the white house analysis that their policies have not been able to prevent every single outcome that they hoped would not occur from happening.

every single one of the eyes happened. radicalization, the transformation of syria into a home for extremists reason as ability and spillover of conflict and to everyone of serious neighboring states. the possibility that because syria could if the conflict continues produced balkanization the most devastating humanitarian humanitarian crisis of the world has seen. a statement from antonio gutierrez, the u.n. high commissioner for refugees. you might think, you might think that given this failure to act

in the possibility. but this is not happening. in the question is why has this happened? the earlier question is whether in fact there are additional steps that the white house can take that might give it up a stronger possibility of achieving some of the objectives . added the administration explain its analyst chain stores? we hear about the risks associated with military intervention. mentioned some of those. very disingenuous. president obama, ambassador power, national secretary rise several use of race. they're distorting the debate. it emphasizes.

there are many good options. the obama administration might not the will to do very much that would have a positive impact on the course of the syrian conflict. deputy national security adviser ben roads made what i took to be quite an extraordinary statement about the limits of u.s. policy. did not have the tools to deal with the kind of complex crises like syria. the u.s. does not have the tools. is that true? is it really the case? one of the questions i asked my hair that is why not. this is an administration that has been in power now for a number of years. they have had some time what i would like to suggest is that even if we concede to the white

house that military options are risky. even if we concede to the white house that the americans did not want direct military intervention in syria, even if we can see that the military has an impulse control problem and even providing small amounts of aid would inevitably lead to a cascade of intervention in my spin out of control, even if we concede all these points i would like to suggest that there is in fact a broader range of options available to the white house that it could deploy if it wished to do so. what i would like to suggest in particular is that it is time for the white house to play what i would call the sovereignty card, the sovereignty card. and i want to say just a bit about what i mean by that and then say why think it could make an important difference. as you know, the white house said that the regime of assad is

a legitimate. the fact is that the u.s. continues to recognize the sovereignty of the assad regime. and it has, in fact, defined as a red line the idea that it might withdraw its recognition of the sovereignty of the assad regime. you might not be aware, but the activities of the u.s. state department in syria are constrained with a respect to engaging with military actors. why? because legal advisers and the white house have concluded that it is against american law for the u.s. to support anyone advocates the overthrow of the assad regime. this is the extent to which the u.s. continues to recognize the sovereignty of the assad regime. and they're concerned about playing the sovereignty card withdrawing its recognition of sovereignty partly reflects some

of the issues that were discussed your moment ago. uncertainty about the opposition more than that it reflects their concern that if they were to withdraw their recognition of the sovereignty of the assad regime and set a terrible presence. deserve that kind of support from the u.s. and which one did not. but what i would like to suggest is that this concern about the president is unrealistic a very significant positive impact, both on the confidence of the regime, shaking the confidence and shaking the confidence of the russian allies as well in a way that would affect the strategic calculus of the regime and, perhaps, bring you closer

for an opportunity for meaningful negotiation the single most important justification they use for their support. it is seen as legalizing and legitimating almost any action that the assad regime takes. and the continued recognition of the assad regime sovereignty by the u.s. and the west is seen as signalling very clearly that whenever the stated objectives of the white house might be with respect to syria, at the end of the day it is simply unwilling to take steps that would fundamentally challenge the position of the assad regime. i would argue that there is a great deal to be gained by making clear to the assad regime, making clear to its supporters that sovereignty is not a blank check. that it does not automatically confer legality of legitimacy on any action undertaken by a head

of state, in particular when as actions include crimes against humanity and violations of international human rights law. i would argue as well the playing the sovereignty card does not require immediate and complete recognition of the legitimacy or sovereignty of the opposition. it is entirely possible for the u.s. administration to extend conditional and partial recognition to the entrance of government in particular. that is a move that would not only boost the credibility of the interim government but would give it access to international resources and support that are essential to meet basic concerns about governance in the areas outside of regime control. where there is no overriding authority at the moment. i also happen to think that as the u.s. continues in the wake of the failure of geneva to struggle for ways to find

leverage over the assad regime, to affect its contents, to affect its strategic oculus, to perhaps create some meaningful incentives for the regime to negotiate that playing the sovereignty card could have significant consequences. a clear signal from the u.s. that it is prepared to withdraw its recognition of the regime's sovereign status could be a very powerful tool. i also want add one last know before i close. this is exactly the moment to be pushing this point for all of you. as you hold your meetings with officials and policymakers in washington over the coming few days. our colleagues in france and incredible advocates on behalf of syria, people like mustafa and ahmet have achieved an extra in their success. on friday -- [applause] on friday to very influential

congressmen put forward a resolution, house resolution 520 which among other things calls on the obama administration to withdraw its recognition of the assad resumes sovereignty. [applause] and so we have an opportunity now, all of us have an opportunity now to use this as a means for pushing back against the argument that there are no good options, for pushing back against the argument that the only options are military actions and for putting pressure on the white house to take a step that could, in my view, have a very significant,

positive impact on the trajectory of the syrian conflict. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, dr. aiden. >> it is great to go last because especially with too really well accomplished people like jim and steve who i have come to know over the course of the conflict, i know steve going back a number of years. it has been about six years since i had to leave syria, five and a half, something like that. i know most of you know this. i actually had to leave syria. i used to work for one of the charities. i knew peshawar. and the reason why i had to leave was because the magazine

that we helped found began to write about the opposition in syria. it was a very sensitive subject. i have already been writing about the behind-the-scenes. it was very interesting to me how sensitive the regime really was about any kind of the santa. and it is now very clear to us what end is the assad regime will go to to enforce there rule over syria. in addition be no mistake about that. the absolute brutal violence which has led to a horrific death toll, millions displaced and the largest humanitarian catastrophe in a generation, it's hard to stomach a something bad dream about. it's something that bothers me very deeply. and now also wants to -- for as much as i think steve is

criticism in particular a president obama's policy and white house policy is merited on a number of levels, many in government support your cost. you should know that. i think you know it and work with many of them. there are many parts of the bureaucracy. also i think it's important to note that there have been some pretty strong rejection's even of the messages that are coming out of government. a couple of weeks ago a senior official was on meet the press sense of what is going on in syria is not a genocide. there has been a strong push back from comments issued yesterday. i would encourage you to read those. increasingly voices are recognizing a level of destruction in syria, not just the physical destruction, but the human destruction. and they are only now beginning to come to grips with the difficult it will be fixed.

the accomplishments of a coalition in geneva i described as a tactical diplomatic victory i think they were. they did an admirable job. in the united states government worked very closely with the coalition as part of that process. unfortunately on the other side from the assad regime side they attended the talks but did not give way at least as of now on a transitional governing body in side of the country. we have discussed that in depth. what president assad has in mind is what i would describe as some of my more recent writings as a forced solution. for president assad a transition in syria is his third reelection as president of the country. now as someone who has personally witnessed a number of elections in syria i can't

really point out to you my level of disgust at this approach. but let me assure you, is one that he is trying to sell comanche could successfully sell to the international community in the coming time. want to make no mistake about it the last election of course as we know he won by a laughable 97 percent of the votes. almost orwellian. i read about this in my book because it was such a specter. i had never really seen a forceful to that degree. i still remember visiting a polling station. there were some lebanese in their voting. i knew there were lebanese. they had a lebanese accent. and then the young woman who was running the polling station encourage me to vote as well. i'm not syrian. i'm american. she said, well, you can vote. it's okay. it's no problem.

she took out of pan am pictor thumb of blood and voted. i have pictures of this. i was just stunned. it is something that sits with me. it was also my birthday. it really was not the first time i thought, okay, i have to get out of syria. it certainly showed me that all the hopes that we have for real changes cereal or not going happen. and that's why the solution he has in mind, you seen the comments of the last few days and government officials will not lead to a transition in syria. this is why i totally agree. it will just perpetuate the conflict at least for another seven years. i think it will lead to the fact of. the question is for you i have run out of recommendations for the u.s. government because i've made some many of them over the

last three years. i don't know what else to say. it has been exhausting to watch. i think what i can offer to you really honestly at this point is to give you a little bit of advice and syria. a lot of this is up to you. all of your friends that you have gained here in washington and elsewhere not only in the west but also in the middle east as well, one bit of advice to you and say to strengthen your position would be for you to consolidate. and realize this is a general comments. and i also realize it is very easy to sit up here and talk to you and say, hey, you know, you guys should all come to gather. i really think you should. what i mean by that is i expected large swaths of syrian opposition to come together, armed groups and the civilian groups in the face of a horrible bloodshed. that actually has not happened. there have been attempts, there

has been some groups, but it largely has not happened. we have to be honest about that. the specter of bloodshed, that you from the field of battle often brings people to gather. there is another thing that also brings people together, the specter of defeat. i think that's what you're looking at. by the way, defeat or victory these days is not clear. i'll like all of a sudden his forces will be running all over the country again. ..

>> no one gives you power. you have to take it. [applause] no one is going to come to your rescue. you have to come and rest yourselves. you are perfectly capable of doing so. and that starts with consolidating but it doesn't end there. and i think the you will find in doing that and working together

and working against this solution, i think that you have the chance to be victorious in syria and bring about that negotiating solution that we all need. in the immediate term, the audience is for this group is to fight and i understand that endives order. i think pressuring the president in every way is the way to make him make choices. no one has to choose or change unless they happier. at the same time i would urge you in part of this effort to combat extremism in all its forms. there is a very active effort under way in the region with western country and it's not going to away anytime soon. i realize the bashar al-assad regime works with and we are

eliminating overtime and i think you know that from the level of applause that we just received. in terms of change with president obama and i also believe that only changes once they happier. what is something that will make him change due to domestic consideration. outlining some very heavy international considerations as

well and you're going to have to look at what causes change and i think that real change is hard and a combination of very small things. it doesn't get concerned about domestic affairs. we know that we have to accept him for who he is. he has major problems on health care. and he also has growing problems of the international realm as well. so the combination of many things including what is going on in the ukraine and tipping the balance and we have the midterm elections and the democratic party is very worried about losing the senate and i would urge you to look at that to the landscape in terms of your own representatives and lobbying and on and to watch as more and more groups say what is

going on is a genocide and it's shameful that children have to eat bark and grass and some people are slaughtered. and in that you can effect real change in the name are not going the way you like them here. even people that you perceive to be your adversary particularly in the middle east and i can tell you that they are there and they are watching, very closely watching what is going on next asked when he might find people who help you and your community not because they love you but because they actually benefit from working with you in the short and the long term.

i would like to thank you for your help. my heart and prayers are with you. if you would ever like to talk about this in more depth, feel free to reach out at any time. thank you very much. >> we are now going to open the floor to questions. we will have to were three questions and an expert panel can address them. [inaudible]

[inaudible] >> thank you very much. are they complicated and it could be part of the package deal? i want to comment about this when we support president obama's position to block this.

[inaudible question] my final comment is about this and we have part of this from delhi. and we are making this part of this. [inaudible question] >> thank you. >> i would've been disappointed if you talked about three questions going in to one.

i'm going to address only the issue and i don't know him enough about the roles of individuals to feel comfortable commenting on that. and it will be followed by some government officials who i know will be completely candid of the internal workings within the u.s. government. and there has been a role what justifications to the opposition. and it seems to me that in expressing these objections, which initially focused back in late 2011 and 2012 and an

interest of preserving this, u.s. oppose militarization for a very long time after it had become the dominant trend because the u.s. argued that it would put the opposition squarely onto the territory that must benefit of the assad regime. and i'm not entirely sure that's wrong, but nonetheless it's underway and in order to express its resistance, the u.s. preferred to avoid a decision to arm what at the time was quite monitor it is the militarization consolidated and there was going to learn about what might happen and there began to be growing concern about whether this would escalate the conflict and whether the u.s. could provide this on the deal that would actually make a positive difference in the conflict in my

own feeling, very much my own feeling is that we have been that the failure to act has contributed to exactly the outcome that the administration is hoping to avoid in and the warnings that we heard back in 2012 with a radicalization have come true and so it seems to me that this policy has turned out to have a wide range of quite negative consequences with respect to u.s. influence and credibility and also with respect to this trajectory of event on the ground in the more important question now is is it too late but some have claimed to make a difference if the u.s. were actively engaged with this

deposition. and i do not think that it is too late. i continue to believe that there are possibilities here have positive impact by increasing the support that we provide on this position. it is only elements that are engaged in counterterrorism efforts and no one else is doing as far it as far as i can tell. but beyond that i think we have to recognize that much of the support that the extremist groups have a cumulative over the last several years is because they can provide ammunition and equipment they need to fight and i think that the loyalty of many participants in these groups is not ideological but instrumental in that of support were to be provided to the more moderate groups, it would be possible to shift the tide on the ground

among the level of support between these different groups and to do so in a direction that we would find more appropriate from u.s. policy perspectives. in a posted a picture managing this which talked about providing weapons to the opposition that would bolster the legitimacy and credibility of the civilian opposition that would prevent weapons from private hands of extremists that would bolster moderates. here we are two years later and we are ill having the same arguments on this issue has imposed terrible cost. so i don't think that it's too late. i would like to think that we could continue this.

>> there is a precedent for what is happening now, unfortunately. and for those of you who have looked at the history. when bosnia went towards independence in the early 1990s of serbia and surrounding sarajevo was an arms embargo at the boston muslims and russia was supplying and providing no shortage of weapons and i'm not here to refight that war. what you're seeing now are arguments that i heard back then when i was working on these issues i spoke with the two secretaries of date to try to change the policy and the virtually failed by the way. learning that almost all of them

privately hated the the. and there were three or four foreign service officers that for foreign service officers resigned as a result of this and there was a real turbulence in the department of state. the after week after month after your, it will show the mobile by the surrounding troops. and i see the arms embargo imposed on the opposition. you name it, it has been under siege. in the fight continues.

many that they use now has avoided providing arms to the opposition and now it is called part of this. and their policy was to keep this issue off the front pages and off of the evening news. that was their sole focus. the meeting was good and does the killing went on people got more angry. angrier and angrier in the united states. so what turned the tide is that finally there was enough to override the administration's veto. it was that rock will power in congress who overrode the veto

and the united states knew that this is the clinton administration, if they didn't act they would have to provide upon us and in that case they were better off back in themselves. so they did and ended up with a peace agreement and so forth. on the ukraine what i was trying to say about the ukraine is that it is possible that in this crisis a moment may come when for all that you have done no matter what you do, it will be something under your control that will change the course of history and change the us of what happened in syria. my guess is that it is coming and it will be driven by the ukraine. so for the moment what it has done is allow the administration -- i don't want to use this term, but to bury the syrian

issue. not from the front page the back pages and out of the televised news but i give credit to nbc nightly news for their series this week on the children of syria. it's been a very moving experience and i think that that is probably help to move the needle a bit as others have done that. but again you will find that it may be -- and i think that this is part of the ukraine, there's a lot more to come. what is going to happen is that the administration will be forced by events in europe to take a fresh look at syria and act in a way that it would not do for middle east reasons alone and they will do it for it geostrategic reasons.

>> i think that the ukraine crisis -- i completely agree with what jim said. a push syria out of the headlines in terms of media bandwidth. but it's part of a larger problem including the approach to foreign policy. this is the best way to explain it. the reason why you can explain in loose terms of an out will become a political issue. we know that when it is faced with action by the hill and president bashar al-assad is talking about what it is going to place in july and august of 2011 because the senate had a bill that was ready to go in the past and then he got ahead of it. and it's a little bit different political landscape than it was

specifically concerning the role of isolationism in the u.s. and i don't think it is the reason that we weren't armed. ambassador ford has left the and will be speaking shortly to the public. but in terms of this, yes, they take it manage of the division inside of your group. no one messes with your life you let them. so that is very easy for me to say. [applause] and so let's be fair. i'm calling this out on myself. it's very easy for me to say that including emissaries say you have to do the following are we're not going to give you the and i recognize that. but again talking with your

allies in the gulf and in the region and you have to get around this and it's always going to be that you have to deal with the experts already. it is well over 2.5 months behind schedule until recently it was unclear whether they decided to. because the communiqué and the chemical weapons destruction are inside the same resolution and they are cobbled together for a reason and there will be a lot of pressure on the obama administration to do more in the likely event that president chirac talks about the precursors and uses that to hold onto power.

many of us are ready doing so. >> i'd like to thank our panel. it's an honor to have you here. we appreciate you here. >> coming up next from the state department discusses efforts to assist the syrian conflict. this is 35 minutes. >> i just wanted to say hi to you. i've often seen this gentleman, bill. in washington and on the ground doing tireless work in terms of as much is possible as possible for the syrian people directly on the inside there are

different frustrations, there are many people in the united states government that are always pushing the envelope in the right direction and mr. mark ward is one of these guys and the last 16 months he has been working in southern turkey working day and night to help facilitate all types of aid and essential in reach across the borders to our brothers and sisters in syria. so i would like to introduce our guest to come and give us a few words. [applause] >> thank you very much. it is nice to be in washington for a few days. i do spend my time in

southeastern turkey for the most part it in and around syria. very soon the third anniversary of the syrian revolution, nobody knows better than you but he has refused to heed the call to step aside. and something that i worked on, he created the worst humanitarian capacity for this country for his own and. and it's exacerbated in this brutality against his own people that has invited an influx with many of them violent extremist. those who now threaten syrian communities that we are trying to help by imposing devices through tactics and so the

united states government but i have worked for a workaround and honor the courage of those inside stood up against the regime's brutality and continue to stand up as best as they can including how to end this conflict. now when you look at me i have been in the foreign service working on disasters and conflicts are about 120 years. and it shows. i can tell you with great sincerity that it has been an honor to work with the syrian people day in and day out on your borders. and while i was happy to extend my stay today to talk to all of

you, i am itching to return tomorrow, which i well. and i know some of you are not 100% in agreement with our policies and i want to tell you about what we are doing to provide assistance to the people inside syria and the refugees outside syria because i think you might actually be kind of proud of what we are doing. and i will describe what this makes up in one of the three lines supporting this army and i will talk about that.

and that goes back to that brutal regime. there are very brave international syrian workers right now delivering an inside look, they don't really want to talk about what they're doing because they are afraid of being targeted by a regime that has targeted the medical personnel and medical facilities. and that is the humanitarian

effort it might be the largest contributor of humanitarian assist ends. i say maybe because turkey because turkey is doing a lot on their side of the border with what they call this in the camp and outside. and i made a comment to a journalist couple of weeks ago. again i refer to my 120 years in the foreign service working on conflicts and i have said that by my remarks of the evening the support we get from the government and those people and we could not succeed as much as we have without them but you may

not have heard about a polio campaign to immunize children in the liberating provinces of syria in the middle of this comp lit. and this includes their assistance coordination unit and working with the u.n. agencies and international ngos. ..

providing enough flour on a daily basis, weekly, monthly to many bakeries to be 300,000 people regularly now. and as your note, the un agencies are also p