Panelists included: Anne Richard – Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration from 2012 to 2017, Nora Barré – a Syrian board member of Help Me Go Home, a humanitarian advocacy group, Congressman Adam Kinziner (R-IL), and S.E. Cupp – GU Politics Fellow, journalist, and fellow board member of Help Me Go Home. This conversation was moderated by Jim Sciutto, CNN Chief National Security Correspondent.
The panelists were split on how to best engage the Syrian government, with Kinzinger, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, advocating for a more substantial American military presence in the region and potential missile strikes against government forces. “We are the most powerful country in the world. . . On the battlefield we will not be defeated, the only thing that will be defeated is our will.” Barré considered the likelihood of successful diplomatic talks, at this point in time, to be very slim. Between different armed groups, international interests, and violent momentum, communication is naturally difficult. Sharing the decision-making process in the Obama White House circa 2013, Richard said, “The president did not think that the public would support another U.S. involvement and another war in addition to Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Read more: The Hoya
