We are shocked and saddened by the horrific chemical weapons attack on civilians in Syria. Our hearts go out the victims, their community, and the Syrian people who have witnessed years of destruction.
FCNL is appalled by the recent chemical weapons attack. This act of unspeakable violence, which led to the deaths of many children in a matter of hours, in an affront to human worth and dignity on the most fundamental level. We are heartbroken over the innocent lives this reprehensible attack has destroyed.
Killing civilians is always wrong, and it won’t end the deadly conflict.
While many of the details about this attack are still unknown, we do know that the vast majority of the killing in the Syrian war has been perpetrated by the Assad regime. We also know that in this multi-sided conflict, various parties have committed atrocities. The administration should use its leverage with all actors in the region, especially its influence with the Russian and Iranian governments, to urgently end the killing and systematic targeting of civilians.
In determining the U.S. course of action, policymakers must recognize that direct U.S. military intervention, backing of extremist armed groups, and sending more weapons to Syria has only added fuel to the fire and endangered Syrian civilians. U.S.-led and U.S.-backed killings of civilians in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and elsewhere also destabilize the region and delegitimize U.S. standing on human rights. Killing civilians is always wrong, and it won’t end the deadly conflict.
After more than six years of war in Syria, with millions displaced and a death toll of nearly half a million people, it’s clear that there is no military solution to this crisis. This tragedy further underscores the need for diplomatic solutions which engage all stakeholders. The only path toward security for all the peoples of the Middle East, the United States and the world requires strong, robust diplomatic efforts; generous humanitarian and development assistance; and a comprehensive strategy focused on cooperative engagement.
For more on how the United States can play a constructive role in Syria to help stop the killing, see [this analysis] (http://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/04/06/trump-syria-and-chemical-weapons-what-we-know-what-we-dont-and-dangers-ahead) by Phyllis Bennis at the Institute for Policy Studies in Common Dreams.
