Ben Collins: ‘Without Russian Support, Assad Would Have Been Gone a Long Time Ago’
EXCERPT:
COLLINS: "Harris, I think that we have to look at it into different ways but to very specific ways. One, the fact is that any use of chemical weapons signed by 192 states, states that no use of chemical weapons will be tolerated. So an investigation is required to determine what exactly was used, whether or not it was chlorine, whether or not was serine, or some kind of combination of both. But -- but that comes down to almost a distinction without a difference. Because any use of chemical weapons that they repurposed or any chemical that is purposed as a weapon goes against the signatory countries and what they agreed to in ‘97, creating the organization of the prevention of capital weapons, of which Syria is a -- is a member state. So we have to I think take that almost in a vacuum that says nobody will tolerate the use of chemical weapons anywhere. That is supposed to be a deterrent. The second piece which I'm sure is under consideration obviously is any strike that we undertake has the ability of escalating some portion of the conflict that is there with Russia and certainly, you know, Russia and Iran are the pure supporters of Assad. Without them, Nikki, you know, Ambassador Haley was dead on. Without Russian support, Assad would have been gone a long time ago. So they do have the ability to stop this but they’ve determined that it’s in their interest to keep going."