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Obama: There is no Syrian opposition able to defeat Al-Assad

June 23, 2014 at 1:49 pm

There is no moderate Syrian opposition group in Syria which is able to defeat the Assad regime, US President Barack Obama said on Friday.

CBS presenter Norah O’Donnell asked Obama whether the security vacuum in Syria, which was a result of the US’ decision not to back rebels, had promoted ISIS.

“I think this notion that somehow there was this ready-made moderate Syrian force that was able to defeat [Syrian President Bashar] Assad is simply not true, and, you know, we have spent a lot of time trying to work with a moderate opposition in Syria,” the president said in the interview taped Friday,” he replied.

He continued: “When you get farmers, dentists and folks who have never fought before going up against a ruthless opposition in Assad, the notion that they were in a position to suddenly overturn not only Assad but also ruthless, highly trained jihadists if we just sent a few arms is a fantasy.

“I think it is very important for the American people – but maybe more importantly, Washington and the press corps – to understand that.”