Als Quote by Barack Obama
“I don't regret at all saying that if I saw Bashar al-Assad using chemical weapons on his people that that would change my assessments in terms of what we were or were not willing to do in Syria.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Press Conference on Syria, 2013
He would reassess policy if evidence of chemical attacks emerged, showing flexibility in strategy.
In simple terms: Policy changes with new evidence.
Key Takeaway
Stay adaptable to new facts.
Themes
politics
ethics
war
Mood
serious
determined
Type
political
strategic
When to use this quote
- military intervention
- diplomatic negotiations
- humanitarian response
Key Concepts
decision making
chemical weapons
international law
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would justify a policy shift?
- How to balance moral outrage with strategic interests?
A Different Perspective
Changing stance can be seen as indecisive.
![“What is true is [Bashar] Assad got rid of his chemical weapons.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/47d/barack-obama-17_assad_what-is-true-is-bashar-assad-got-rid-of_675441.jpg)
![“IS [Islamic State] has played a major role in helping Bashar al-Assad to reposition Syria on the international scene. Now, it is almost impossible to come up with a solution that would exclude him. The political game appears to be very cynical indeed.” quote by Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ad8/tariq-ramadan-877_als_is-islamic-state-has-played-a-major-role_2468914.jpg)
![“[Vladimir] Putin supporting Bashar al-Assad, helping with the Syrian refugee crisis and, I think for any republican, he [Donald Trump] has got to stop saying this, because I was with him. I was with him and he said that, it was like, I'm out. I'm out. It's too crazy.” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e18/john-mccain-465_als_vladimir-putin-supporting-bashar-al-assa_1450070.jpg)
![“In Syria, if [Bashar al-] Assad had just been a statesman and handed over the reigns in time, Syria would not be heading down the nightmare that it is today.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4fb/richard-branson-256_als_in-syria-if-bashar-al-assad-had-just-bee_1405545.jpg)
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
![“The heart becomes sick, as the body becomes sick, and its remedy is al-Tawbah (repentance) and protection [from transgression]. It becomes rusty as a mirror becomes rusty, and its clarity is obtained by remembrance. It becomes naked as the body becomes naked, and its beautification is al-Taqwa. It…” quote by Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/454/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya-10803_als_the-heart-becomes-sick-as-the-body-becom_66500.jpg)
