Posted on 01/25/2017 6:38:57 PM PST by markomalley
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, revealed Wednesday that she met with Syrian President Bashar Assad during her recent secret trip to Syria.
Appearing on CNN, Gabbard explained that she did not plan on meeting with Assad, who has been derided as a criminal for killing thousands of Syrians under his presidency. But she did so because the U.S. should be ready and willing to "meet with anyone" in order to achieve peace.
"I did," Gabbard said when asked by host Jake Tapper if she met with Assad. "My reason for going to visit Syria was really because of the suffering of the Syria people that has been weighing heavily on my heart. I wanted to see if there was, in some small way, a way that I could express my love and the aloha and the care that the American people have for the people of Syria and to see first hand what is happening there, to see the situation there."
"Initially I hadn't planned on meeting him," she said. "When the opportunity arose to meet with him, I did so because I felt it's important that if we profess to truly care about the Syrian people, about their suffering, then we've got to be able to meet with anyone that we need to if there's a possible that we could achieve peace, and that's exactly what we talked about."
The Hawaii Democrat also touched on complaints from her colleagues, specifically, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., who called Assad a "butcher" in a tweet and has called for the U.S. to arm the moderate rebels in Syria. Gabbard argued that there are no more moderate rebels left in the region to arm, adding that any discussion about the future of Syria needs to be had with Assad despite his actions against his people.
"Whatever you think about President Assad, the fact is that he is the president of Syria. In order for any peace agreement, in order for any possibility of a viable peace agreement to occur, there has to be a conversation with him," Gabbard argued. "The Syrian people will determine his outcome and what happens with their government and their future."
"Our focus, my focus, my commitment, is on ending this war that has caused so much suffering to these Syrian people, to these children, to these families, many of whom I met on this trip," Gabbard said. "It's important for us to stay focused on doing what is in their best interest and what is in our best interest, and doing what is necessary to make that happen."
Tapper pushed back on Gabbard's claim that the Syrians will be able to control their future, and said "free and fair elections" are not a thing in the Middle Eastern nation.
After news emerged about the trip last week, a Gabbard spokesperson labeled it a "fact-finding trip," but declined to reveal any information about a possible meeting with Assad.
Gabbard has been an outspoken advocate who has called for the U.S. to stop aiding and assisting groups attempting to overthrow Assad, and has said those policies harm efforts to combat ISIS in the region.
Gabbard made the trip without informing congressional leaders, but she didn't confirm meeting with Assad until Wednesday during a CNN interview. "Whatever you think about President Assad, the fact os that he is the president of Syria," Gabbard said during the interview. "In order for any peace agreement, in order for any possibility of a viable peace agreement to occur, there has to be a conversation with him. The Syrian people will determine his outcome and what happens with their government and their future."
Former President Obama said that Assad "must go" as the civil war crescendoed in 2011. "The future of Syria must be determined by its people, but President Bashar al-Assad is standing in their way," he said.
Assad maintained that his opponents are terrorists and fought to remain in power with the support of Russian and Iran, as ISIS and other terrorist groups gained strength during the chaos. The tactical situation in Syria produced a tangled coalition of allies and enemies; reputedly "moderate" Syrian rebels and ISIS both identified Assad as an enemy, and the Obama administration coordinated a war against ISIS while also providing support to select rebel groups.
Gabbard, reminded that the United States denies supporting terrorists and that Syria doesn't have free elections, replied that the "so-called rebel groups" are allied with terrorism and that Assad has popular support.
"The Syrian people recognize and they know that if President Assad is overthrown, then al Qaeda or a group like al Qaeda — that has been killing Christians, killing people simply because of their religion, or because they won't support their terror activities — they will take charge of all of Syria," Gabbard said. "This is the reality that the people of Syria are facing on the ground and why they are pleading with us here in the United States to stop supporting these terrorist groups. Let the Syrian people themselves determine their future. Not the United States, not some foreign country."
She met with Trump also.
A little back channel diplomacy maybe?
Well, I don’t know whether she should be wandering around meeting important leaders like that on her own. But you have to give her credit. She seems to understand that Assad is preferable to Isis, unlike Kerry or McCain.
I think she went over to Syria with Dennis Kucinich who was on Tucker Carlson’s show tonight. He is very agreeable with much of what Trump is doing.
She sounds looney tunes.
That’s what I was thinking. She went up the Trump Tower elevator twice. People were speculating a cabinet position for her.
Her view of working with Russia and Assad to get rid of ISIS and end the refugee crisis is in line with Trump’s.
And the leftists are attacking her bigly on twitter.
You’d be shocked at the language they are using /s
Partly, it’s hillbots who are afraid Tulsi is a rising star.
Yes, also much preferable to a failed state/terrorist haven.
*** She sounds looney tunes. ***
What has she said that you find loony tunes. Enlighten us, please.
Tapper pushed back on Gabbard’s claim that the Syrians will be able to control their future, and said “free and fair elections” are not a thing in the Middle Eastern nation.
FU Tapper.
We were not put on this planet to force Democracy or the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit if happiness by a people who tell the givernment what powers they should have and a others being God given.
There were no free and fair elections Quaddafi,Hussein or Mubarak but, they kept peace in their part of the world.
Gabbi is right.
Kinzinger is in cahoots with McShame and Linda in the creation of ISIS.
This execrable RINO Combiner a$$hole needs to be primaried out of office.
She’s freakin hot.
Yes, where is that elusive “moderate rebel” the establishment neocons yearn for?
Theses idiots won’t be happy until Syria is another failed terrorist haven worse than it is now.
Dennis Kucinich also went. Just interviewed by Tucker Carlson on FOX
You mean like Pelosi and Kerry did in 2007?
Is there anyone, outside of Hillary, who believes that Hillary has a political career left? I figure they, and she, would be ecstatic if she stays out of jail (I'd be sad though).
Yes she is. She also appears to be an Army major, probably NG.
EPIC: Tulsi Gabbard Calls Adam Kinzinger, John McCain and Evan McMullin Terrorist Enablers…
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/01/25/epic-tulsi-gabbard-calls-adam-kinzinger-john-mccain-and-evan-mcmullin-terrorist-enablers/
6:47 Minutes
CNN Exclusive: Rep. Gabbard on meeting with Assad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID223ToMVxM
Gabbard deconstructs the false narrative sold by the Muslim Brotherhood, Obama administration, John McCain, Adam Kinzinger and Evan McMullin -all of whom supported the various terrorist factions within Syria- and sets the record straight:
The “Rebels” in Syria are extremist terrorists.
CNN host Jake Tapper just didn’t know what to do with himself as Gabbard deconstructed his ideological, and brutally wrong, talking points.
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