‘Spell Out the Strategy — Let’s Talk Pragmatics’: Twitter Pundits React to Kerry’s Senate Speech on Syria

kerry hagel debate hearing

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John Kerry spoke in front of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a debate this afternoon, along with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, making further attempts to convince the American people and their representatives in Congress to understand the implication of not acting against Syria for using chemical weapons. Twitter was flowing with play-by-play quotes and analyzing.

The secretary of state’s statements addressed how America’s enemies and the world would interpret a lack of action by the United States.

Kerry aimed to sway the American public as well as the lawmakers before him.

He also spent quite some time reiterating the validity, quality, and content of the information that has been presented as proof that Assad’s government used the chemical weapons against rebel forces and civilians alike.

One of the high points of Kerry’s statement was his effort to express that this call to arms is not in an effort to start another war or to satisfy President Obama’s “red line” statement, but to uphold international warfare laws and norms.

Kerry’s statement elevated the international law issue, reiterating the fact that the use of chemical weapons is inexcusable and intolerable.

Media and analyst criticisms varied, but what is clear is that the U.S. government is determined to get Congress to approved Obama’s “limited” attack.