No luck Tayyip Erdogan
WASHINGTON – Like my 5 years old would say, “I guess Mr. Barack received the message from Mr. Al-Assad: Why don’t you shut up and just mind your own business … you are so full of hot air!”
Taking a cautious line at a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, Obama said yesterday he reserved the right to resort to both diplomatic and military options to pressure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad but insisted that U.S. action alone would not be enough to resolve the Syrian crisis.
Erdogan had been expected to push Obama, at least in private, for more assertive action but Obama made no mention of deeper engagement. “What we have to do is apply steady international pressure,” Obama said.
Earlier on Thursday, Turkish President Abdullah Gul criticized the world’s response on Syria as limited to “rhetoric”. Turkey has been one of Assad’s fiercest critics, throwing its weight behind the uprising, allowing the rebels to organize on its soil and sheltering 400,000 refugees.
JMD
