they're comfortable with mr. assad. they certainly are -- it looks like they are setting him up to be immune from being held accountable for his war crimes. how do we and i agree with senator corker's inference that it is beyond reasonable expectations that syria would have a traditionally free and fair elections in the near future, and that that would be extremely difficult to pull off? so how do we minimize russia's influence in the outcome of a syrian negotiated settlement? >> senator, there are two things to achieve that goal and i don't disagree with any of the points that you just made. they formed the basis for our own approach and understanding. we have an international consensus at this moment which is widely supported that there should be no granting of legitimacy, authentication to what has happened in syria minus that credible, constitutional reform and electoral process. that is, no certification of victory either from moscow or for the regime for the international community. that's the first tool. second t

one that big into consideration they constitution and that and and the fate of mr assad and one majorimpediment i think to this lucian is we have we didn't we didn't talk about iran's role and giving that current international situation and that conflict which is increasing between the united states and iran between it and the iran could make a serious point. very challenging in the years to come this is going to be my last question you've lost significant ground you are undermined and you are divided how was the do you see yourself in the future just sitting with bashar assad negotiating the future of your country. well in the last you need to round the earth one we really wanted that to happen but there is run away from that because simply it has been all along determined for two to two to find a solution through military means which doesn't work however if talks about in the in the media about a political solution when in reality this doesn't suit it because talking about a political settlement means means the implementation of u.n. security council resolutions here and they talk a

that is that mr. assad must be held accountable for his activities and that cannot be compromised in a final political settlement. are you still committed to that goal? >> we are, senator. >> thank you. let me mention another area that has been of major concern and that's iran's footprint in syria. it seems pretty likely that russia would be sympathetic to iran having a footprint in syria moving forward. there's great concern among both jordan and israel about their security interests and iran's presence in syria. what type of game plan do we have to make sure that we minimize that risk factor and protect our traditional security arrangements with both israel and jordan? >> senator, the presence, the activities of iran in and through syria -- by through syria, i mean a greater qualitative enablement of the hezbollah threat in lebanon -- is the primary strategic challenge that we and our partners face in and through syria, and i would add iraq as well. in and through syria and iraq. we would hope russia woul

they're comfortable with mr. assad, it looks like they're setting him up to be a manned from being held accountable to his war crimes. how do we -- and i agree with the reference that it's beyond reasonable expectations that syria would have a free and fair election in the near future, it would be extremely difficult to pull off. so how do we minimize russia's influence in the outcome of syria negotiated settlement? >> there are two things. i don't disagree with the points you made. they form the basis of our approach and understanding. we have an international consensus that is widely supported, there should be no granting of legitimacy, authentication to what has happened in syria minus that credible constitutional reform in electoral process. the certification of victory from moscow or the regime. the second is money. syria needs reconstruction. the blueberries an estimate between 20,300,000,000,000 plus to reconstruct. the international community will not provide that assistance until those goals, constitutional re

they're comfortable with mr. assad. they certainly are -- looks like they are setting him up to be immune from being held accountable for his war crimes. how do we -- i agree with senator corker's inference. >> that's first tool. second tool is money. syria needs reconstruction. the bill varies in estimate, but let's say between $200 billion and $300 billion plus to reconstruct. the international community has committed itself not to provide that reconstruction assistance until those goals -- constitutional reform, u.n.-supervised elections -- are realized. that's a powerful incentive because our assessment is russia, iran. syrian regime don't have those funds, aren't going to be able to contribute, but they want a certain stability and they want authentication and that's what we're withholding until we see the progress made. the second and final comment i'd make is translating everything we do, u.s. and the international community, through the u.n. through the legitimacy of the security council and resolution 2254. thi

isn't it's a sovereign states and it doesn't take its orders every single day from mr putin i mean mr assad is free to go about as he pleases despite the fact that i'm sure his government is very grateful to the russians coming into the soon theater from september two thousand and fifteen onward you know we shouldn't we shouldn't never forget that it's a sovereign country and so the assumption that russia sort of controls on daily basis is rather silly but i think this statement is to listen is is best i think you propose for us in that worst disingenuous i mean he you know this idea of that since in recent years that it's been russia's responsibility whether assad can can carry out such attacks we should we should remember that russia only came into the war in two thousand and fifteen and the americans were blaming the assad government since two thousand and thirteen and this constant shifting of the goalposts and creating a new narrative every time the facts on the ground don't suit washington is rather tedious i mean you we have to remember that some the o.p.c. w. came to syria in two th

what mr assad. said in the congress. shows that america is lying all the time especially with this administration first of all you said before the. fight against terrorism then i says now we are hearing and other reasons the one to give us a model of democracy. to see that america where is their models in afghanistan or iraq or where america it means there are problems so . i think that it's seems to me that they are they want to stay and the reasons behind that mr sutton fifty eight and it's of international law everyone knows they are and they are not in syria by invitation of legal syrian government they are not going to themselves by the security council resolution so they are our competitors or what you've heard now you're taking a more phrase value that they are in fact to counter the threat they see from iran whether they've been invited to syria or nor do you buy their reason for continuing to stay in syria or not or do you think again there's more to it. the started you clearly don't think so because there is di

. >> everything you said i agree with and to emphasize the importance of mr. assad leaving but i will express some skepticism with russia's involvement to understand how we are prepared with what is likely to come about russia's goals of not having the free syria and certainly they are setting them up to be immune and be held accountable. and with that expectation to have a traditional fair election so hard we minimize the influence? >> so the things to achieve they have a basis for their own approach and understanding within international consensus which is widely supported that granting of a legitimacy to what has happened in syria minus that for reform in process either from moscow or from the regime that is the first tool that second syria needs reconstruction. with the 200 and and 300 billion plus too reconstruct. that international community -- community has committed itself. but this is the counterweight to the russian initiatives to control the track on their own. minus the validation. and u.s. diplomats is a strong one mr. asad must be held accountable for

three months ago in agreement with russia who is a close ally of syrian president bashar al assad so would mr adelman was suggesting now is basically an extension of an already existing turkish military offensive inside syria but this of course would have been would need to be discussed in the turkish national security council that council is scheduled to meet on wednesday this week and this will definitely be a topic on the agenda. reporting for us from istanbul you it good to talk to you. or minder now at the top stories that we're following for you at this hour twin suicide bombers have killed at least thirty eight people in central baghdad police say the attack took place during rush hour in the city's al tyrone square no claims of responsibility yet but the bombings bear hallmarks of the so-called islamic state. palestinian leader mahmoud abbas has accused israel of ending the one nine hundred ninety four also peace accords through its actions he's also denounced u.s. president donald trump's peace efforts as the slap of the century abbas it said palestinians will seek an internationally

that role and i think now we're seeing really mr irwin in full swing now is is a new campaign in northern syria against the kurds on one side against the assad forces on the other part of mr presidential election campaign coming up is that really you know what is it is expected to do to drum up this nationalism to get elected and second time around. now what reaction do you expect from damascus especially given that anger has worn in the past that it will shoot down any turkish military aircraft over syrian territory. he does a really good question here i'm not sure that the syrians are in a position to do that as they may well though push forward with more attacks more ground forces i'm in italy i mean it lip you know this to the whole deescalation zone agreement between turkey and russia i think is now also going to come under the spotlight a great deal now people can be asking the question more well you know what really are the turks doing there are they keeping a safe zone or are they using it for their own regional military ambitions and the moment when they went in in the first place it was quite surprising there was no battle there we

jump to a conclusion but if mr tillotson is absolutely committed to his words and they are going to keep their forces in syria to prevent further empowerment of bashar assad effectively is what i mentioned is going to be kind of germany fixation of syrian conflict which will have serious implications not only for syria but for the right the region of course they keep telling us that you know they are not interested in partition and disintegration of syria what if it moves like a doc if you like a dog then probably it's a dog you know jonathan weigh in on that because i am really quite mystified by all that's what is the national security interest of the united states to maintain military forces illegally under international law in syria what is the game plan it seems to me it's a lot of spite they don't like the fact that the russians the iranians and assad won that it's back down on the ground they want to accept it go ahead jonathan well

jump to a conclusion but if mr tillotson is absolutely committed to his words and they are going to keep their forces in syria to prevent further empowerment of bashar assad effectively is what i mentioned is going to be kind of germany fixation of syrian conflict which will have serious implications not only for syria but for the right the region of course they keep telling us that you know they are not interested in partition and disintegration of syria what if it moves like a doc if you like a dog then probably it's a thought you know jonathan weigh in on that because i am really quite mystified by all that's what is the national security interest of the united states to maintain military forces even legally under international law in syria what is the game plan it seems to me it's a lot of spite they don't like the fact that the russians the iranians and our side won that it's back down on the ground they want to accept it go ahead jonathan well i think they've made it clear they're doing against iran. but it was against. iran quite clearly bill to run up into a burglar to loosen wrist. talking about this northern arch the some kind of arch invisible

to jump to a conclusion but if mr tenet is absolutely committed to his words and they're going to keep their forces in syria. prevent further empowerment of bashar assad effectively is what i mentioned is going to be kind of germany fixation of syrian conflict which will have serious implications not only for syria but for the right that region of course they keep telling us that you know they are not interested in partition and disintegration of syria what if it moves like a duck if you like a dog then probably it's a dog you know jonathan weigh in on that because i really quite mystified by all that's what is the national security interest that the united states to maintain military forces illegally under international law in syria what is the game plan it seems to me it's a lot of spite they don't like the fact that the russians the iranians and assad won that it's a fact on the ground they won't accept it go ahead jonathan well i think they've made it clear that to do it against iran initially it was against iris and it was against. iran very clearly they've built a grown up into a bogeyman and i'm going to listen was talking about this northern a

mr hates it for jim and then oil for hope that our freddie macor. was. it was. the was. the we. didn't. get it. russia is complicit in the assad regime's atrocities in your judgment prosecutor russia is running from the facts. is your true motives methods for investigating chemical weapons in syria see the russian and american embassies go head to head the un is moscow is blamed for every incident regardless of who carried out the attack also to come this hour. the u.s. aid chief says the destruction in the syrian city of rocket is beyond description after america's devastating bombing campaign there against islamic state terrorists and berlin remained silent. after germany's foreign minister condemns to use offensive against kurds in syria. plus a platform for fake news the extremist propaganda a new survey shows most people in the u.k. on social media to be better regulated. by good morning it's just gone nine o'clock here in moscow you're watching r.t. international now there's been a fiery exchange between russia and america at the u.n. over how chemical attacks in syria should be investigated russia wants to ensure all fu

jump to a conclusion but if mr tillotson is absolutely committed to his words and they are going to keep their forces in syria to prevent further empowerment of bashar assad effectively is what i mentioned is going to be kind of germany fixation of syrian conflict which will have serious implications not only for syria but for the right the region of course they keep telling us that you know they are not interested in partition and this integration of syria what if it moves like a doc if you like a dog then probably it's a dog you know jonathan weigh in on that because i am really quite mystified by all that's what is the national security interest of the united states to maintain military forces even legally under international law in syria what is the game plan it seems to me it's a lot of spite they don't like the fact that the russians the iranians and our side won that it's back down on the ground they want to accept it go ahead jonathan well i think they've made it clear that going to iran initially was against iris but it was against. quite clearly the bill to run up into a burglar going to listen was to. looking about this northern arch the some k

mr. secretary, what similar steps can be taken to further prevent the abuse of the financial system by iran in a way that promotes terrorism, human rights abuses or assistance to the assad regime? >> thank you, vice chairman. as you said iran is the foremost sponsor of terrorism around the world and they have used their nowfound access to financial resources to further support terrorism and foment instability across the middle east and globally. the iranian quds force in particular is heavy engaged in destabilization in syria, in iraq. they are moving money to hezbollah, to hamas and other terrorist organizations and obviously their role in yemen in the civil war there in supporting the hutis is incredible in the civil war there. much more needs to be done to constrain iran's ability to obtain and move finances to terrorist organizations and that's why congressional action under catsa with regard to the iranian guard core, as the parent organization of the quds force, is a major entity or set of entities interwoven throughout the iranian economy. one of the things we've been cautioning our european allies and others is to be very careful as you look at doing business wi

mr. speaker, i rise to condemn in the strongest possible terms the ongoing, unrelenting attacks against civilians in syria committed by the barbaric lawless regime of asawed with russian backing. we -- assad with russian backing. as many as half a million killed since march, 2011. tens of thousands of them civilians. tens of thousands of them detained, disappeared and likely dead directly at the hands of the regime. more than 11 million people displaced once again inside and outside of syria's borders, the largest single refugee crisis in the world has seen since 1945. more than half of those displaced are children and youth. last summer, much was made of the cease-fire agreement that the trump administration reached with the russian government to establish de-escalation zones to establish syria while keeping the assad regime in power. we were told it would save lives. all of a sudden you are going to have no bullets being fired in syria, trump said. well, that has turned out not to be true. the de-escalation zones are not de-escalating. as of late december, more than 400,000 people remained trapped by regime forces in the eastern zone, only half an hour's drive from damascus. as jan, u.n