--- title: Barack Obama Cites 2013 Syria Decision As Most Courageous description: Obama said not bombing Syria in 2013 following reports of Assad using chemical gas required the most courage during his presidency. canonical: https://time.com/4782309/barack-obama-syria-2013-chemical-weapons/ author: Alana Abramson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-05-17T15:47:26.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-08T09:02:54.639Z article:section: Politics og:title: Barack Obama Says His Most 'Courageous' Decision Was Not Bombing Syria og:description: "99 percent of huge chemical weapons stockpiled were removed." og:url: https://time.com/4782309/barack-obama-syria-2013-chemical-weapons/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd18e057934d31c79/6988cc860a4a2208c59ce16a/barack-obama-food-security.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Barack Obama Receives Kennedy Profile In Courage Award og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Barack Obama Says His Most 'Courageous' Decision Was Not Bombing Syria twitter:description: "99 percent of huge chemical weapons stockpiled were removed." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd18e057934d31c79/6988cc860a4a2208c59ce16a/barack-obama-food-security.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 02:56 video:published: 2013-09-11 section: world topics: Syria, chemical weapons, Assad regime, sarin gas, military intervention, diplomacy, Russia, nonproliferation, Congress war powers, Iran genre: speech, political address tones: urgent, measured, resolute, persuasive emotions: concern (high), resolve (high), hope (medium), caution (medium) sentiment: negative audience: American voters, members of Congress, policy observers, international audiences people: Barack Obama, Bashar al-Assad, Vladimir Putin organizations: Congress, Russian government, Iran content_suitability: war [00:00-02:56]; death [00:00-02:41]; violence [00:00-01:51]; politics [00:00-02:56] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Barack Obama Says His Most 'Courageous' Decision Was Not Bombing Syria > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=25ef9aef-3f0b-4e5d-b817-fcf84db623c2&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Obama's 2013 Syria Speech in 3 Minutes [Watch (HLS stream): Obama's 2013 Syria Speech in 3 Minutes](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/1L3rPr0z.m3u8) (2:56)  _Published 2013-09-11. Watch highlights of President Obama's address on Syria._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary President Obama addresses the United States on Syria, arguing that chemical weapons were used by the Assad regime and that the US should act to deter their use. He explains the consequences of inaction and rules out ground troops and open-ended campaigns. He concludes by describing a diplomatic initiative with Russia and asking Congress to postpone a vote on authorizing force. ## Key points - No one disputes that chemical weapons were used in Syria, citing thousands of videos, cell phone pictures, and social media accounts from the attack. (00:00) - Obama says the Assad regime was responsible, citing preparations by chemical weapons personnel, distribution of gas masks, and rocket fire into 11 neighborhoods. (00:14) - Samples of blood and hair from people at the site tested positive for sarin, according to the speech. (00:45) - Obama warns that failing to act will signal to Assad and other tyrants that chemical weapons use carries no penalty, and could make it easier for terrorist organizations to obtain them. (00:54) - Obama states that a failure to stand against chemical weapons would embolden Iran, which must decide whether to build a nuclear weapon or take a more peaceful path. (01:25) - Obama says he will not put American boots on the ground in Syria or pursue open-ended actions like Iraq or Afghanistan, nor a prolonged air campaign like Libya or Kosovo. (01:35) - The proposed action is a targeted strike to deter chemical weapons use and degrade Assad's capabilities. (01:51) - Obama says the Russian government has indicated willingness to join the international community in pushing Assad to give up his chemical weapons, and he asks Congress to postpone a vote on force. (02:08) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:45] Evidence of chemical weapons use. Obama presents the evidence he says shows chemical weapons were used and that the Assad regime was responsible. - [00:45 to 01:35] Consequences of failing to act. Obama argues that inaction would encourage further chemical weapons use, proliferation to terrorists, and Iranian ambitions. - [01:35 to 02:08] Limits of the proposed military action. Obama rules out ground troops and extended campaigns, describing instead a targeted strike with a clear objective. - [02:08 to 02:56] Diplomatic path and call for action. Obama describes the Russian offer to press Assad on chemical weapons, asks Congress to delay its vote, and closes by calling for action to protect children. ## Key quotes - [00:00] Barack Obama: "No one disputes that chemical weapons were used in Syria." - [00:54] Barack Obama: "If we fail to act, the Assad regime will see no reason to stop using chemical weapons." - [01:35] Barack Obama: "I will not put American boots on the ground in Syria." - [02:26] Barack Obama: "But this initiative has the potential to remove the threat of chemical weapons without the use of force." - [02:41] Barack Obama: "America's not the world's policeman, but when with modest effort and risk, we can stop children from being gassed to death" ## Questions this video answers - What evidence does the speech cite that chemical weapons were used in Syria? [00:00] - Who does Obama say was responsible for the chemical weapons attack? [00:14] - Why does Obama say inaction on chemical weapons would be dangerous? [00:54] - What kind of military action does Obama say he will not pursue? [01:35] - What diplomatic alternative does Obama propose, and what does he ask Congress to do? [02:08] ## Content suitability - war [00:00-02:56]: Discusses military action and potential strikes in Syria. - death [00:00-02:41]: References chemical attacks that killed people, including children. - violence [00:00-01:51]: Describes chemical weapons attacks and rocket fire on neighborhoods. - politics [00:00-02:56]: Political address on foreign policy and congressional authorization of force.  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson May 17, 2017 3:47 PM UTC Watch highlights of President Obama's address on Syria.  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson May 17, 2017 3:47 PM UTC [Former President Obama](http://time.com/4772781/barack-obama-italy-politicians-you-deserve/) cited his decision not to bomb Syria in 2013 following confirmation that President Bashar al-Assad had used chemical gas as the one that required the most courage during his presidency. “I actually think that the issue that required the most political courage was the decision not to bomb Syria after the chemical weapons use had been publicized and rather to negotiate them removing chemical weapons from Syria,” [he told Jack Schlossberg,](https://medium.com/@JFKLibrary/a-conversation-with-president-obama-on-political-courage-7c099573313e) the grandson of John F. Kennedy, the day he received the Profile in Courage award from the Kennedy Presidential Library. Obama explained that Presidents are often praised for taking military action and criticized for refraining from it. Obama had [said in 2012 ](http://swampland.time.com/2013/04/25/six-times-the-white-house-discussed-the-syria-red-line/?iid=sr-link1)that the “red line” for military action against Syria would be the use of chemical weapons, which the [White House confirmed ](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/08/30/government-assessment-syrian-government-s-use-chemical-weapons-august-21)Assad used one year later. “It was an imperfect solution,” Obama conceded to Schlossberg. “But what we also know is that 99 percent of huge chemical weapons stockpiled were removed without us having to fire a shot.” Obama’s remarks come a little over one month after President Trump made the decision to launch [59 Tomahawk missiles](http://time.com/4730231/us-missile-airstrike-attack-syria-donald-trump-bashar-assad/?iid=sr-link3) at a Syrian air base after a chemical attack in the country that killed over 70 people, including children. ## Transcript [00:00] No one disputes that chemical weapons were used in [00:03] Syria. The world saw thousands of videos, cell [00:07] phone pictures, and social media accounts from the [00:10] attack. Moreover, we know the Assad regime was [00:14] responsible. In the days leading up to August 21st, we [00:17] know that Assad's chemical weapons personnel [00:20] prepared for an attack near an area where they mix [00:23] Sarin gas. They distributed gas masks to their troops. [00:28] Then they fired rockets from a regime controlled area [00:30] into 11 neighborhoods that the regime has been trying [00:33] to wipe clear of opposition forces. We know senior [00:37] figures in Assad's military machine reviewed the results [00:40] of the attack. And the regime increased their shelling [00:43] of the same neighborhoods in the days that followed. [00:45] We've also studied samples of blood and hair [00:49] from people at the site that tested positive for sarin. If [00:54] we fail to act, the Assad regime will see no reason to [00:57] stop using chemical weapons. As the ban against these [01:01] weapons erodes, other tyrants will have no reason to [01:04] think twice about acquiring poison gas, and using [01:07] them. Over time, our troops would again face the [01:11] prospect of chemical warfare on the battlefield, and it [01:14] could be easier for terrorist organizations to obtain [01:17] these weapons. And a failure to stand against the use [01:20] of chemical weapons would weaken prohibitions [01:23] against other weapons of mass destruction, and [01:25] embolden Assad's ally, Iran. Which must decide [01:29] whether to ignore international law by building a [01:31] nuclear weapon or to take a more peaceful path. I will [01:35] not put American boots on the ground in Syria. I [01:39] will not pursue an open ended action like Iraq or [01:42] Afghanistan. I will not pursue a prolonged air campaign [01:46] like Libya or Kosovo. This would be a targeted strike [01:51] to achieve a clear objective: deterring the use of [01:54] chemical weapons and degrading Assad's capabilities, [01:58] in part because of the credible threat of U. S. military [02:02] action. As well as constructive talks that I had with [02:05] President Putin, the Russian government has indicated [02:08] a willingness to join with the international community in [02:11] pushing Assad to give up his chemical weapons. It's [02:15] too early to tell whether this offer will succeed, and any [02:18] agreement must verify that the Assad Regime keeps its [02:22] commitments. But this initiative has the potential to [02:26] remove the threat of chemical weapons without the use [02:29] of force. I have therefore asked the leaders of [02:31] Congress to postpone a vote to authorize the use of [02:34] force while we pursue this diplomatic path. America's [02:38] not the world's policeman, but when with modest effort [02:41] and risk, we can stop children from being gassed to [02:45] death and thereby make our own children safer over [02:48] the long run, I believe we should act. Thank you, God [02:52] bless you, and God bless the United States of America. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4782309/barack-obama-syria-2013-chemical-weapons/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4782309/barack-obama-syria-2013-chemical-weapons/"},"headline":"Barack Obama Says His Most 'Courageous' Decision Was Not Bombing Syria","datePublished":"2017-05-17T15:47:26.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-08T09:02:54.639Z","description":"\"99 percent of huge chemical weapons stockpiled were removed without us having to fire a shot.\"","url":"https://time.com/4782309/barack-obama-syria-2013-chemical-weapons/","keywords":["Syria","Barack Obama","History","White House","Donald Trump","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd18e057934d31c79/6988cc860a4a2208c59ce16a/barack-obama-food-security.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alana Abramson","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd18e057934d31c79/6988cc860a4a2208c59ce16a/barack-obama-food-security.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Barack Obama Receives Kennedy Profile In Courage Award","caption":"Barack Obama Receives Kennedy Profile In Courage Award","creditText":"Pool—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/syria/","name":"Syria"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4782309/barack-obama-syria-2013-chemical-weapons/","name":"Barack Obama Says His Most 'Courageous' Decision Was Not Bombing Syria"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Obama's 2013 Syria Speech in 3 Minutes","description":"Watch highlights of President Obama's address on Syria.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/1L3rPr0z/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2013-09-11T03:59:48.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/1L3rPr0z.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4782309/barack-obama-syria-2013-chemical-weapons/","duration":"PT2M56S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4782309/barack-obama-syria-2013-chemical-weapons/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```