WEEKLY ADDRESS: Calling for Limited Military Action in Syria

Remarks of President Barack Obama

Weekly Address

The White House

September 7, 2013

Video

Almost three weeks ago in Syria, more than 1,000 innocent people – including hundreds of children – were murdered in the worst chemical weapons attack of the 21^st century.  And the United States has presented a powerful case to the world that the Syrian government was responsible for this horrific attack on its own people.

This was not only a direct attack on human dignity; it is a serious threat to our national security.  There’s a reason governments representing 98 percent of the world’s people have agreed to ban the use of chemical weapons.  Not only because they cause death and destruction in the most indiscriminate and inhumane way possible – but because they can also fall into the hands of terrorist groups who wish to do us harm.

That’s why, last weekend, I announced that, as Commander in Chief, I decided that the United States should take military action against the Syrian regime.  This is not a decision I made lightly.  Deciding to use military force is the most solemn decision we can make as a nation.

As the leader of the world’s oldest Constitutional democracy, I also know that our country will be stronger if we act together, and our actions will be more effective.  That’s why I asked Members of Congress to debate this issue and vote on authorizing the use of force.

What we’re talking about is not an open-ended intervention.  This would not be another Iraq or Afghanistan.  There would be no American boots on the ground.  Any action we take would be limited, both in time and scope – designed to deter the Syrian government from gassing its own people again and degrade its ability to do so.

I know that the American people are weary after a decade of war, even as the war in Iraq has ended, and the war in Afghanistan is winding down.  That’s why we’re not putting our troops in the middle of somebody else’s war.

But we are the United States of America.  We cannot turn a blind eye to images like the ones we’ve seen out of Syria.  Failing to respond to this outrageous attack would increase the risk that chemical weapons could be used again; that they would fall into the hands of terrorists who might use them against us, and it would send a horrible signal to other nations that there would be no consequences for their use of these weapons.  All of which would pose a serious threat to our national security. 

That’s why we can’t ignore chemical weapons attacks like this one – even if they happen halfway around the world.  And that’s why I call on Members of Congress, from both parties, to come together and stand up for the kind of world we want to live in; the kind of world we want to leave our children and future generations.  

Thank you.

几乎在三周前，叙利亚，1,000多无辜的平民—包括几百名儿童—被21世纪最恶劣的化学武器攻击屠杀了。美利坚合众国向全世界强烈控诉叙利亚政府对它自己的人民实施的骇人听闻的攻击。

这不仅是对人类尊严的直接攻击；它也是对我们国家安全的严重威胁。代表全世界百分之98人口的各国政府赞同禁止使用化学武器有其理由。不仅因为它们以最不分青红皂白的惨无人道的方式造成死亡和破坏—还因为它们可能落入企图损害我们的恐怖分子之手。

这就是为什么，上个周末，我宣布，作为总司令，我决定美利坚合众国应该采取针对叙利亚当局的军事行动。这不是我轻易做出的决定。决定动用武力是最我们作为一个国家最庄严的决定。

作为世界上最大的民主国家的领导人，我还认识到如果我们齐心协力我们国家会更加强大，我们的行动会更加有效。这就是为什么我提请国会议员们就这个问题辩论并且投票授权使用武力。

我们正在讨论的不是一个没有结果的干预。这不是另一个伊拉克或阿富汗。美国军队不会踏上叙利亚领土。我们的任何行动都是有限的，不论是时间还是规模—旨在遏制叙利亚政府毒杀自己的人民和减少他们的这个能力。

我认识到美国人民经历十年的战争已经厌战了，特别是在伊拉克战争结束和阿富汗战争正在结束的时候。这就是为什么我们不把我们的部队派到其他人的战场中间。

但是我们是美利坚合众国。我们不能对我们在叙利亚看到的这类事视而不见。对这类残暴的攻击袖手旁观会增加有人再次使用化学武器的危险；它们可能落入恐怖分子之手用于攻击我们，这样会对一些国家释放恐怖的信号，就是他们使用化学武器可以不受惩罚。所有这些都会在我们的头上悬挂一柄剑。

这就是为什么我们不能小看类似这样的化学武器攻击—尽管它们发生在遥远的地球那端。这就是为什么我提请两党国会议员们齐心协力为了我们生存的世界挺身而出；为我们将留给后代的世界挺身而出。

谢谢。