SYRIA

RUSH TRANSCRIPT Let s ░░░░░░░░ about this and everything ░░░░░░░░ this means with South ░░░░░░░░ Republican senator Lindsey Graham ░░░░░░░░ joins me now Thank ░░░░░░░░ very much for coming ░░░░░░░░ Thank you As Michelle ░░░░░░░░ laying out this is ░░░░░░░░ important meeting maybe the ░░░░░░░░ job in the world ░░░░░░░░ Rex Tillerson has now ░░░░░░░░ he arrives in Russia ░░░░░░░░ these meetings tomorrow What ░░░░░░░░ your perspective should be ░░░░░░░░ message that Secretary Tillerson ░░░░░░░░ to Russia That when ░░░░░░░░ say Assad did not ░░░░░░░░ this chemical attack you ░░░░░░░░ wrong We know he ░░░░░░░░ We hold you accountable ░░░░░░░░ not disarming his chemical ░░░░░░░░ cache as you promised ░░░░░░░░ s no doubt in ░░░░░░░░ mind Kate that Russia ░░░░░░░░ and abetted this attack ░░░░░░░░ did not disarm Assad ░░░░░░░░ his chemical weapons This ░░░░░░░░ was launched from an ░░░░░░░░ base where there are ░░░░░░░░ troops present Let the ░░░░░░░░ know we re not ░░░░░░░░ the lies you tell ░░░░░░░░ You said aided and ░░░░░░░░ but do you have ░░░░░░░░ reason to believe that ░░░░░░░░ Russians knew about the ░░░░░░░░ attack beforehand I have ░░░░░░░░ reason to believe that ░░░░░░░░ intentionally left chemical weapons ░░░░░░░░ the hands of Assad ░░░░░░░░ s impossible for me ░░░░░░░░ believe that Russia operates ░░░░░░░░ the same air base ░░░░░░░░ the chemical weapons were ░░░░░░░░ and launched from and ░░░░░░░░ had no knowledge of ░░░░░░░░ They either are completely ░░░░░░░░ or complicit complicit When ░░░░░░░░ Tillerson says he hopes ░░░░░░░░ breaks away from Syria ░░░░░░░░ Iran that s naive ░░░░░░░░ s regime is aligned ░░░░░░░░ Syria and Iran and ░░░░░░░░ way they do business ░░░░░░░░ will never break away ░░░░░░░░ the cost of doing ░░░░░░░░ is too high If ░░░░░░░░ want Russia to abandon ░░░░░░░░ you have to create ░░░░░░░░ for Russia That s ░░░░░░░░ major charge against Russia ░░░░░░░░ administration officials when asked ░░░░░░░░ very question if Russia ░░░░░░░░ knowledge of the chemical ░░░░░░░░ beforehand this is all ░░░░░░░░ have said They say ░░░░░░░░ this time there s ░░░░░░░░ U S Intelligence community ░░░░░░░░ that Russia had foreknowledge ░░░░░░░░ the Syrian chemical attack ░░░░░░░░ say it s there ░░░░░░░░ here s my belief ░░░░░░░░ believe the Russians did ░░░░░░░░ overlook the chemical weapons ░░░░░░░░ that exists in Syria ░░░░░░░░ at that air base ░░░░░░░░ their complicit with Assad ░░░░░░░░ want him to have ░░░░░░░░ upper hand They ve ░░░░░░░░ helping him stay in ░░░░░░░░ by bombing hospitals committing ░░░░░░░░ crimes themselves Do you ░░░░░░░░ they knew that Assad ░░░░░░░░ going to take that ░░░░░░░░ beforehand I don t ░░░░░░░░ But I find it ░░░░░░░░ to believe they didn ░░░░░░░░ know he had chemical ░░░░░░░░ I find it hard ░░░░░░░░ believe they could be ░░░░░░░░ the same air base ░░░░░░░░ have no knowledge of ░░░░░░░░ chemical weapons cache on ░░░░░░░░ base and that they ░░░░░░░░ eventually launch airplanes with ░░░░░░░░ weapons When it comes ░░░░░░░░ Russia quit having your ░░░░░░░░ in the sand Putin ░░░░░░░░ a war criminal Assad ░░░░░░░░ a war criminal They ░░░░░░░░ birds of a feather ░░░░░░░░ you wanted to break ░░░░░░░░ away from Assad make ░░░░░░░░ pay a heavier price ░░░░░░░░ today for backing them ░░░░░░░░ at this point after ░░░░░░░░ strike do you think ░░░░░░░░ president s head is ░░░░░░░░ the sand about Putin ░░░░░░░░ I think this strike ░░░░░░░░ a game changer There ░░░░░░░░ a new sheriff in ░░░░░░░░ I hope North Korea ░░░░░░░░ watching Let me tell ░░░░░░░░ this if I were ░░░░░░░░ I would be reluctant ░░░░░░░░ take Trump on if ░░░░░░░░ were an adversary of ░░░░░░░░ United States He s ░░░░░░░░ unpredictable He s subject ░░░░░░░░ using military force when ░░░░░░░░ thinks it s justified ░░░░░░░░ would not dally at ░░░░░░░░ with Trump Here s ░░░░░░░░ I think will happen ░░░░░░░░ think Trump will get ░░░░░░░░ realistic about Russia We ░░░░░░░░ to sanction them for ░░░░░░░░ they did in our ░░░░░░░░ aiding and abetting in ░░░░░░░░ chemical attack You see ░░░░░░░░ change in policy here ░░░░░░░░ spicer said don t ░░░░░░░░ chemical weapons or barrel ░░░░░░░░ I hope But then ░░░░░░░░ walked that back They ░░░░░░░░ that back Then the ░░░░░░░░ House put out a ░░░░░░░░ after the barrel bomb ░░░░░░░░ of addition moving the ░░░░░░░░ line which would be ░░░░░░░░ huge escalation if barrel ░░░░░░░░ were the red line ░░░░░░░░ They walked that back ░░░░░░░░ there s no change ░░░░░░░░ posture That gets to ░░░░░░░░ we faced really since ░░░░░░░░ since the strike by ░░░░░░░░ United States A lot ░░░░░░░░ mixed messages coming from ░░░░░░░░ White House on issues ░░░░░░░░ like the issue of ░░░░░░░░ Should Assad stay Should ░░░░░░░░ go You talk to ░░░░░░░░ Haley you talk to ░░░░░░░░ Tillerson you get two ░░░░░░░░ answers Do you understand ░░░░░░░░ Trump s policy is ░░░░░░░░ Assad right now I ░░░░░░░░ it s clear after ░░░░░░░░ and today what tillerson ░░░░░░░░ is clear to me ░░░░░░░░ s no place for ░░░░░░░░ in Syria The Syrian ░░░░░░░░ won t accept him ░░░░░░░░ their leader He slaughtered ░░░░░░░░ 500 000 He s ░░░░░░░░ puppet of the Iranians ░░░░░░░░ s impossible for Assad ░░░░░░░░ stay in Syria How ░░░░░░░░ goes I suggest we ░░░░░░░░ a safe haven so ░░░░░░░░ Syrian people can live ░░░░░░░░ being barrel bombed When ░░░░░░░░ take ISIL down which ░░░░░░░░ be the number one ░░░░░░░░ to destroy the caliphate ░░░░░░░░ we begin to train ░░░░░░░░ opposition members well vetted ░░░░░░░░ they can take Assad ░░░░░░░░ and create a change ░░░░░░░░ military power on the ░░░░░░░░ That s how he ░░░░░░░░ pushed out Russia won ░░░░░░░░ fight to the death ░░░░░░░░ Assad Do you think ░░░░░░░░ bombs should be the ░░░░░░░░ line now Yes I ░░░░░░░░ I would ground the ░░░░░░░░ force That s a ░░░░░░░░ escalation right You acknowledge ░░░░░░░░ s a huge escalation ░░░░░░░░ Yes It s long ░░░░░░░░ I would tell President ░░░░░░░░ you did a great ░░░░░░░░ by enforcing the chemical ░░░░░░░░ violation It s not ░░░░░░░░ how you killed the ░░░░░░░░ it s the fact ░░░░░░░░ you re slaughtering innocent ░░░░░░░░ through air power If ░░░░░░░░ were not for the ░░░░░░░░ air force Russia and ░░░░░░░░ working together the opposition ░░░░░░░░ have taken Assad down ░░░░░░░░ long time ago My ░░░░░░░░ for President Trump is ░░░░░░░░ tell Assad your days ░░░░░░░░ using the Syrian air ░░░░░░░░ to indiscriminately bomb civilians ░░░░░░░░ bomb the opposition s ░░░░░░░░ are over That I ░░░░░░░░ declare a safe zone ░░░░░░░░ safe haven and tell ░░░░░░░░ Russians if you cross ░░░░░░░░ line the Assad air ░░░░░░░░ if you cross this ░░░░░░░░ you ll be shot ░░░░░░░░ That would allow people ░░░░░░░░ Europe from Syria to ░░░░░░░░ back to Syria the ░░░░░░░░ thing we can do ░░░░░░░░ Syria is create a ░░░░░░░░ haven so women are ░░░░░░░░ raped and murdered babies ░░░░░░░░ not barrel bombed and ░░░░░░░░ attacked That safe haven ░░░░░░░░ me is the key ░░░░░░░░ going forward If this ░░░░░░░░ one and done I ░░░░░░░░ t think we accomplished ░░░░░░░░ goal We have to ░░░░░░░░ up Here s part ░░░░░░░░ the issue We heard ░░░░░░░░ a lot of folks ░░░░░░░░ the administration there have ░░░░░░░░ some mixed messages The ░░░░░░░░ person we have not ░░░░░░░░ on specifically what is ░░░░░░░░ United States policy towards ░░░░░░░░ on these various issues ░░░░░░░░ the president himself Do ░░░░░░░░ want to hear from ░░░░░░░░ president more specifically senator ░░░░░░░░ you think he do ░░░░░░░░ think the American people ░░░░░░░░ owed that Let me ░░░░░░░░ you I m proud ░░░░░░░░ what the president did ░░░░░░░░ striking back against Assad ░░░░░░░░ using chemical weapons he ░░░░░░░░ enforcing the treaty that ░░░░░░░░ signed up to in ░░░░░░░░ Right Here s the ░░░░░░░░ for this president If ░░░░░░░░ keep using the same ░░░░░░░░ base other air bases ░░░░░░░░ indiscriminately kill civilians with ░░░░░░░░ bombs and other conventional ░░░░░░░░ we ll never get ░░░░░░░░ out of power The ░░░░░░░░ way Assad goes is ░░░░░░░░ the Syrian people get ░░░░░░░░ from the western world ░░░░░░░░ the nations they border ░░░░░░░░ the president need to ░░░░░░░░ that out Do you ░░░░░░░░ to hear the president ░░░░░░░░ publicly about what his ░░░░░░░░ position is towards Assad ░░░░░░░░ his specific position is ░░░░░░░░ if barrel bombs are ░░░░░░░░ red line now Do ░░░░░░░░ want to hear that ░░░░░░░░ Yeah What I want ░░░░░░░░ president to do is ░░░░░░░░ Syria to American national ░░░░░░░░ interests It is in ░░░░░░░░ national security interests that ░░░░░░░░ not stay in power ░░░░░░░░ he s a puppet ░░░░░░░░ th ayatollah is an ░░░░░░░░ of the area and ░░░░░░░░ United States He s ░░░░░░░░ recruiting tool for Al ░░░░░░░░ and ISIL Sunni extremists ░░░░░░░░ love Assad to be ░░░░░░░░ power because they can ░░░░░░░░ in perpetuity I would ░░░░░░░░ the president to make ░░░░░░░░ case that Assad has ░░░░░░░░ go it s in ░░░░░░░░ national security interest that ░░░░░░░░ go that the caliphate ░░░░░░░░ what to be destroyed ░░░░░░░░ will create safe havens ░░░░░░░░ the Syrian people so ░░░░░░░░ re no longer slaughtered ░░░░░░░░ the future We will ░░░░░░░░ them rebuild their army ░░░░░░░░ free Syrian army and ░░░░░░░░ ll go after Assad ░░░░░░░░ s how he leads ░░░░░░░░ I want a policy ░░░░░░░░ s real clear Assad ░░░░░░░░ go You can no ░░░░░░░░ use the Syrian air ░░░░░░░░ against the opposition without ░░░░░░░░ And that we re ░░░░░░░░ to train the opposition ░░░░░░░░ line with Arab countries ░░░░░░░░ NATO Are you comfortable ░░░░░░░░ that from Sean spicer ░░░░░░░░ the podium Are you ░░░░░░░░ hearing that policy articulated ░░░░░░░░ various degrees of clarity ░░░░░░░░ the U N Ambassador ░░░░░░░░ secretary of state or ░░░░░░░░ you want to hear ░░░░░░░░ from the president At ░░░░░░░░ end of the day ░░░░░░░░ president has to make ░░░░░░░░ case for what I ░░░░░░░░ said What is the ░░░░░░░░ of the United States ░░░░░░░░ Assad I think it ░░░░░░░░ clear from ambassador Haley ░░░░░░░░ Secretary Tillerson that the ░░░░░░░░ Administration believes Assad has ░░░░░░░░ go I think it ░░░░░░░░ pretty clear they view ░░░░░░░░ Russians differently If you ░░░░░░░░ t believe the Russians ░░░░░░░░ and abetted Assad that ░░░░░░░░ naive Here s what ░░░░░░░░ would tell the president ░░░░░░░░ s not how the ░░░░░░░░ die it s the ░░░░░░░░ that Assad is just ░░░░░░░░ his own people He ░░░░░░░░ changed the military equation ░░░░░░░░ the ground by using ░░░░░░░░ power with the help ░░░░░░░░ Russia and Iran If ░░░░░░░░ want to reset Syria ░░░░░░░░ have to tell Russia ░░░░░░░░ Iran you are no ░░░░░░░░ going to be ability ░░░░░░░░ help Assad kill the ░░░░░░░░ without push back One ░░░░░░░░ question about Russia since ░░░░░░░░ Tillerson is on the ░░░░░░░░ there It s customary ░░░░░░░░ president Putin to visit ░░░░░░░░ secretaries of state when ░░░░░░░░ visit As far as ░░░░░░░░ know that will not ░░░░░░░░ Michelle Kosinski says they ░░░░░░░░ not extended that invitation ░░░░░░░░ that to use your ░░░░░░░░ from the weekend is ░░░░░░░░ an f u to ░░░░░░░░ United States Putin is ░░░░░░░░ weak figure when you ░░░░░░░░ at it he s ░░░░░░░░ his country by killing ░░░░░░░░ He s stolen his ░░░░░░░░ blind By not meeting ░░░░░░░░ tillerson he s trying ░░░░░░░░ act tough but it ░░░░░░░░ his weakness The fact ░░░░░░░░ won t meet with ░░░░░░░░ tells me Trump did ░░░░░░░░ right thing Really How ░░░░░░░░ it mean he did ░░░░░░░░ right thing Don t ░░░░░░░░ want to force Russia ░░░░░░░░ the negotiating table How ░░░░░░░░ them not meeting after ░░░░░░░░ strike mean he did ░░░░░░░░ right thing It means ░░░░░░░░ he sees our actions ░░░░░░░░ be strong not weak ░░░░░░░░ He s saying I ░░░░░░░░ t meet with you ░░░░░░░░ says that Assad did ░░░░░░░░ commit this chemical attack ░░░░░░░░ says he did Here ░░░░░░░░ what Trump needs to ░░░░░░░░ Russia Iran and Assad ░░░░░░░░ won t use air ░░░░░░░░ anymore to slaughter people ░░░░░░░░ Syria If you drop ░░░░░░░░ barrel bomb we ll ░░░░░░░░ you again We ll ░░░░░░░░ safe havens Here s ░░░░░░░░ I think Russia would ░░░░░░░░ If they saw Assad ░░░░░░░░ to lose militarily they ░░░░░░░░ go to Geneva What ░░░░░░░░ they want in Syria ░░░░░░░░ presence I don t ░░░░░░░░ them having a presence ░░░░░░░░ Syria I don t ░░░░░░░░ them having a veto ░░░░░░░░ Syria the only way ░░░░░░░░ get Russia s attention ░░░░░░░░ change the balance of ░░░░░░░░ in Syria is for ░░░░░░░░ to pay a price ░░░░░░░░ hope the president will ░░░░░░░░ sanctions I m introduce ░░░░░░░░ ll amend a paragraph ░░░░░░░░ Russia aiding and abetting ░░░░░░░░ s chemical attack I ░░░░░░░░ they did this on ░░░░░░░░ they need to pay ░░░░░░░░ heavy price I m ░░░░░░░░ for President Trump to ░░░░░░░░ through with what I ░░░░░░░░ was a good first ░░░░░░░░ this is just a ░░░░░░░░ step If you don ░░░░░░░░ do more Putin will ░░░░░░░░ emboldened If you re ░░░░░░░░ he begins to retreat ░░░░░░░░ he is on the ░░░░░░░░ side of what s ░░░░░░░░ in Syria Most Syrians ░░░░░░░░ Russia accountable for this ░░░░░░░░ much as they do ░░░░░░░░ We re going to ░░░░░░░░ further clarity on where ░░░░░░░░ red line stands now ░░░░░░░░ it includes barrel bombs ░░░░░░░░ thanks always for your ░░░░░░░░ Appreciate it Thanks a ░░░░░░░░ Coming up, new outrage