ABC News, Apr 2, 2017 – In an interview with the ABC News, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley insisted on focusing on Iran’s malign influence in the Middle East and getting this regime out of Syria and other countries of the region.
The US Ambassador Haley said “what I can tell you is I talk with countries, whether it’s the Arab states or in the Middle East, and they talk about how they’re glad to see us fighting against Iran. I talk with different countries in reference to Syria and we talk about how we can get the Iranian influence out. We’re talking about North Korea and what we need to do and the pressure we need to put on China. They’re happy that we’re finally beating up on Russia for what they’ve done in the Ukraine, so those are really the focuses that I’ve had and the conversations that I’ve had. What they are talking is that they’re very happy to see the United States lead again”.
She called the Russian and the Iranian regime’s involvement in Syria unhelpful saying “they are not being helpful and the way that they and Iran are covering up for Assad. We don’t think that’s helpful. I have no problem calling them out on it.
While in essence criticizing the Obama administration’s policy of leading from behind, as they say, Ambassador Haley said when she talks to the leaders in the Middle East and other US allies, they express support and relief that US has started to lead again.
“They get that we’re getting our strength back, that we’re getting our voice back and that we’re starting to lead again and honestly, at the United Nations, that’s the number one comment I get is that they’re just so happy to see the United States lead again,” she added.
Emphasizing on the need to stay focus on Assad’s inhuman actions against its own people and violation of human rights in Syria, Nikki Haley said “Human rights is something that’s very important. If you look at the Syrian conflict, how did it start? It was a group of teenagers that were the ages of 10 to 15 that went and spray-painted graffiti about their government on a wall. With that, the police came in, picked up those boys, beat them up, pulled their nails out, kept them overnight and returned them bloody to their parents. Their parents went out to the streets and protested. Other parents saw that and responded. That is what led to the overall conflict in Syria — all because the government wasn’t treating their people well. And so what I’m trying to bring attention to.”
Correcting this notion that US is no longer focused on the removal of Assad, the US Ambassador to the UN said “Assad is always a priority. He is a war criminal. He has done terrible things to his own people. He has used chemical weapons on his own people. He continues to be a hindrance to peace in Syria and that is something the administration strongly believes. But in addition to that, we need to start putting pressure on Russia and Iran in terms of the fact we need to get Iran out of there, we need to get the Iranian influence out of there.
ABC’s Raddatz asked that can Assad stay in power? Haley responded “we want to bring Assad to justice. We want him to pay for the crimes that he’s done. We’re going to continue to let Russia know how dangerous it is to keep Assad in power. In addition to that, we’re going to fight ISIS. We’re going to try to bring stability back to the area. You don’t have to have one or the other. We’ve got a lot of important issues. Assad’s not going away, but we’re not going to stop beating up on him. We’re not going to stop saying that the way he treats people in Syria is wrong — that he has actually killed his own people and America will never stand for that.”

She also said “If you go and you look at what we’re trying to do in Syria — it’s only been two months. Look at how much of a difference we’re made at the United Nations just in the last two months. We are calling out Russia when we need to. We are working on making sure we push Iranian influence out when it comes to Syria. We are talking about the pressure on China that needs to happen with North Korea. But then we’re also moving things… We are going to be strong. We have already started leading as it comes to this administration and we’re going to continue to do that and I’m very confident because I walk the halls of the United Nations. I talk with my colleagues. I know what the ambassadors are saying and what they’re saying is they’re happy to see us leading against Iran. They’re happy to see us putting pressure on China when it comes to North Korea. They’re happy to see us work towards that.”