Portrait of Hillary Clinton
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Hillary Clinton on Syria

Advocate for air strikes (strong)

TL;DR

Hillary Clinton consistently supported more aggressive military action, including no-fly zones, against the Syrian government.

Key Points

  • While Secretary of State, she and the then-CIA director developed a plan for aggressive backup before the rise of ISIS.

  • She maintained that a no-fly zone should have been implemented to stop Syrian President Assad from using his air force.

  • She called the withdrawal of U.S. troops by the subsequent administration a "sickening betrayal of allies" in 2019.

Summary

Hillary Clinton has consistently voiced support for more assertive U.S. military measures concerning the Syrian conflict, particularly while serving as Secretary of State and afterward. Her core position centered on confronting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose air force she identified as the primary cause of civilian deaths. She advocated for establishing a no-fly zone, which she believed should have been implemented earlier during the Obama administration, to protect civilians and gain leverage in diplomatic negotiations. She also suggested taking out the Syrian president's airfields to prevent further aerial attacks.

This stance, particularly the no-fly zone proposal, carried significant risks that Clinton acknowledged in private discussions, noting it would have resulted in the deaths of many Syrians. These military considerations involved the complex threat of confronting Russian forces operating in Syrian airspace, a risk military experts frequently cited as a reason against the proposal. She later condemned the withdrawal of U.S. forces under the subsequent administration, labeling it a betrayal of allies in the region.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hillary Clinton has advocated for a more interventionist U.S. approach to the Syrian civil war, centering on military action against the government. She specifically promoted the establishment of a no-fly zone over Syria to protect civilians.

Yes, Hillary Clinton stated that she believed the U.S. should take action to "take out his airfields and prevent him from being able to use them." This was part of her broader push for more aggressive action against Assad.

Yes, she acknowledged in a past private speech that a no-fly zone would have resulted in the deaths of many Syrians. This highlights the difficult trade-offs she recognized in confronting the regime.