Dem presses Kerry to step up efforts on Syria

Sen. Robert Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.), is pressing Secretary of State John Kerry to step up U.S. efforts to combat Syria’s humanitarian crisis and end the country’s civil war.

The Pennsylvania Democrat sent a letter to Kerry on Wednesday asking him to “take steps on three critical issues: political negotiations, humanitarian assistance, and in multilateral efforts at the United Nations.”

Casey is asking the Obama administration to “reinvigorate its public efforts” to reach a deal to end the Syrian conflict, which he argues is being hamstrung by Russia’s decision to increase its military presence in the country. 

{mosads}An already tense relationship between the United States and Russia, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has been further complicated by reports that Russia is building up its military presence in Syria. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter discussed the issue with his Russian counterpart late last week.  

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) separately told reporters that while the administration has been looking for a way to “make a meaningful difference” in Syria, he doesn’t know if “there’s an opening here with Putin. I can’t tell.” 

“I think they’re protecting their interests there and they’re worried about Assad crumbling,” he added. “So that to me is what the motive is behind it, but there could be more.”

Congress has been focused on Syria’s humanitarian crisis as it weighs potential legislative options. Casey, in his letter to Kerry, argued that the administration should press countries to “increase their contributions” to groups aimed at countering the humanitarian crisis, including the World Food Programme that provides aid to refugees. 

Kerry announced earlier this month that the United States would increase the number of refugees it accepts per year from 70,000 to 100,000 by 2017. Not all of the refugees would be from Syria. 

But Casey said that in addition to accepting more Syrian refugees, “more must be done to address the root causes of the desperate migration.” 

“The U.S. should be supporting these countries [in the region] in shifting to a longer term view of the problem, including looking at allowing legally registered refugees opportunities for employment that would not adversely impact the local economies,” he added. “Future U.S. pledges of support should be regular and consistent, ensuring that aid implementers and host governments are able to count on and plan for our sustained support.”

The United Nations Security Council, which the United States and Russia are permanent members of, passed a trio of resolutions last year on Syria’s humanitarian crisis.  

Casey argued Wednesday that those resolutions aren’t being fully carried out. 

“Continued efforts to ensure that Security Council resolutions are fully and immediately implemented are needed, including efforts to scale up humanitarian assistance into Syria,” he said in the letter. “I believe the United States should make the protection of Syrian civilians from war crimes and crimes against humanity a higher priority.”

Casey pointed to reports of Assad using barrel bombs on Syrians, as well as reports that mustard gas is being used inside of Syria, as examples that the resolutions aren’t being followed. 

Casey’s letter isn’t the first time the administration has faced questions about whether or not the resolutions have been fully implemented, or if they are being violated. 

Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters as early as last year that while the United States would take steps to make sure the resolutions were being implemented, its hands were also tied by the U.N. Security Council. 

Each of the resolutions note that the Security Council “will take further measures” if they aren’t being complied with. However, that would require the support of the council’s five permanent members, which includes Russia.