“I think the President Donald Trump was quite clear in his statement that he made to the American people that Syria's continued violations of U.N. resolutions and previous agreements that Syria had entered into regarding the Chemical Weapons Accord would no longer be tolerated. I think we have stood by and watched multiple weapon - chemical weapons attacks by the Syrian regime under the leadership of Bashar al-Assad.” PeopleThinkingPresidentResolutionMultipleSyria Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“I think continued actions by Bashar al-Assad clearly call into any question of him expecting to have any legitimacy to continue as the leader of Syria. With each of those actions, like attack with conventional weapons, barrel bombs and block humanitarian aid he really undermines his own legitimacy.” ThinkingActionLeaderHumanitarianAidsBlockExpectingSyria Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“Our priority in Syria, really hasn't changed. I think the President Donald Trump has been quite clear. First and foremost, we must defeat ISIS.” ThinkingPresidentChangedDefeatPrioritiesSyria Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“Obviously, the United States' own founding principles are self-determination. And I think what the United States and our allies want to do is to enable the Syrian people to make that determination. You know, we've seen what violent regime change looks like in Libya and - and the kind of chaos that can be unleashed.” PeopleThinkingKindDeterminationChaosViolent Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“I think what we're hopeful is through this Syrian process, working with coalition members, working with the U.N., and in particular working through the Geneva process, that we can navigate a political outcome in which the Syrian people, in fact, will determine Bashar al-Assad's fate and his legitimacy.” PeopleThinkingPoliticalFateDetermineHopeful Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“Once the ISIS threat has been reduced or eliminated, I think we can turn our attention directly to stabilizing the situation in Syria. We're hopeful that we can prevent a continuation of the civil war and that we can bring the parties to the table to begin the process of political discussions.” ThinkingWarPoliticalPartyAttentionSituationThreatDiscussionCivil WarHopefulSyria Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“I think the Russians have played now for some time the role of providing cover for Bashar al-Assad's behavior. The alternative explanation that the Russians put forth is simply not plausible.” ThinkingBehaviorExplanation Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“I think the Russians need to think more carefully about the commitment they made under the chemical weapons agreements to be the guarantor that these weapons would be seized, they would be removed, they would be destroyed. And since they are Bashar al-Assad's ally, they would have the closest insight as to the compliance.” ThinkingCommitmentInsight Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“President Xi Jinping clearly understands, and I think agrees, that the situation in North Korea has intensified and has reached a certain level of threat that action has to be taken. And, indeed, the Chinese, even themselves, have said that they do not believe the conditions are right to engage in discussions with the government in Pyongyang. And so what I think we're hopeful is that we can work together with the Chinese to change the conditions in the minds of the DPRK leadership.” ThinkingMindBelieveActionTogetherPresidentSituationTakenAgreeThreatChineseDiscussionHopefulWorking TogetherNorth Korea Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“I think there's a shared view and no disagreement as to how dangerous the situation in North Korea has become. I think even China is beginning to recognize that this presents a threat to China's interests as well.” ThinkingInterestSituationDangerousThreatNorth KoreaDisagreement Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“I think the relationship between the USA and Russia is too important. And it's too important to not find a way to move forward.” ThinkingImportantMovingMoving Forward Author:Rex W. Tillerson
“I do not think Syria can achieve international recognition in the future - even if they work through a successful political process, you know, the international community simply is not going to accept a Syria led by the Assad regime.” ThinkingPoliticalCommunityAcceptingSuccessfulAchieveRecognitionSyria Author:Rex W. Tillerson
