Clinton: Russia contributing to Syrian civil war

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a forum with students at the Royal Library in Copenhagen, Denmark, May 31, 2012. / Pool,AP Photo/Saul Loeb

(CBS/AP) COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday said Russia's continued support for Assad "is going to help contribute to a civil war."

In pointed remarks in Denmark on the first stop of a European tour, she recounted her discussions with Russian officials and criticized Moscow's rationale for opposing sanctions and other forms of pressure against the Assad government.

"The Russians keep telling us they want to do everything they can to avoid a civil war, because they believe that the violence would be catastrophic," she said, noting that they are "vociferous in their claim that they are providing a stabilizing influence.

"I reject that," she said, complaining that in fact, Russia was propping up Assad's regime. Some 13,000 people have died in 15 months of uprisings.

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The calculus doesn't appear to be changing. Despite joining Western powers earlier this week in condemning the Houla killings, Russia has stood by its opposition to any outside military intervention. Instead, Moscow is urging all sides to focus on U.N. mediator Kofi Annan's peace plan, which by all accounts has failed to stem the violence.

Clinton also laid out the clearest case yet for why the Obama administration is reluctant to intervene militarily in Syria — especially given Russia's stance — even as it expresses revulsion over last week's massacre of more than 100 people in the town of Houla.

Clinton said Russia and China would have to agree before the U.S. and other nations engage in what could become a protracted conflict in support of a disorganized rebel force. And she cited a host of other hurdles to successful military action.

"We're nowhere near putting together any type of coalition other than to alleviate the suffering," Clinton told reporters after meeting with top officials in Denmark, a key contributor to last year's NATO-led mission against Muammar Qaddafi in Libya. "We are working very hard to focus the efforts of those, like Denmark and the United States, who are appalled by what is going on, to win over those who still support the regime, both inside and outside of Syria."

In remarks to Danish students, Clinton said every day of slaughter in Syria was strengthening the case for tougher international action. But she stressed that such action, including military action, would require support from Syria's ally, Russia, and the rest of the world community. Russia and China have twice vetoed U.N. Security Council sanctions against President Bashar Assad's regime.

Dennis Ross, a former American diplomat and top adviser to President Obama's administration on the Middle East, said the broader Arab world should exert pressure on Russia to change its stance against forced regime change.

"I think the Arabs need to be in a position to say to the Russians, you can be a friend of Bashar [or] a friend to us, but you can't be a friend to both," Ross said on "CBS This Morning." (Watch Ross' full interview at left.)

In the meantime, the long-time diplomat says the U.S. must start to consider and plan for a means by which a "safe haven" can be established inside northern Syria.

"We need to start planning for it," said Ross, adding that such a bold move - which would likely entail some foreign troop presence on Syrian soil - may be necessary to convince Assad his days in power are coming to an end. In Ross' own words, it would change the "psychological balance of power."

Clinton threw her support once again behind the U.N. mediation efforts Thursday, despite acknowledging that "thus far Assad has not implemented any of the six points that are part of Kofi Annan's plan."

She stressed that U.N. observers have nonetheless performed two important functions.

"In many of the areas where they are present, violence has gone down," Clinton said. "And they serve as independent observers, the eyes of the world if you will, in reporting back when terrible events like the recent massacre occur. They've tried to cut through the clutter and disinformation coming from the Syrian government."

She spoke as activists reported more shelling in the central Houla area, where 108 people, most of them women and children, were massacred last week.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordination Committees activist groups said Thursday's shelling of Houla was mostly by heavy machine guns. Survivors of last week's Houla massacre blamed pro-regime gunmen for the close-range shooting of civilians in their homes, though the government has denied the involvement of its troops.

Damascus claimed Thursday it had investigated the massacre, and accused armed groups -- paid by regional and Arab states -- of carrying out the killings to incite a civil war in the country, reports CBS News' George Baghdadi.

"We absolutely deny any involvement and we confirm that the Syrian government cannot commit such an ugly crime," Syria's Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Maqdisi said at a televised press conference, promising to bring the assailants into trail who were aiming at "inciting a sectarian strife."

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[stormerF69]

Rabel is now killing workers at a feterilizer plant,why would we want to support them? The Rebels are trash and need to be put down like any terrorist uprising when thugs want to over throw the ruling Regime. Look to Libya and Egypt where we got involved,still in termoil and for sure not American friendly.

[stormerF69]

So let Hillary and McCain put up their millions and supply the rabel with all the arms they can afford. No,No,No, to tax dollars buy weapons to support one side or the other since it is not our problem. Let them kill each other off,What would have the outcome been, had the South gotten massive aide from out side to fight the Union and possibly won? Ya'll would be eaten pork belly grits an blackeyed peas.

[JonRyberg]

The US of course has not contributed. We have only supported and supplied armed insurgents who use terrorist style bombing attacks against a government they refuse to even talk to about the reforms they claim are needed. Anyone who does not see this is just about the US getting rid of Assad is blind.

[hypnotoad72]

Since the new normal also includes economies, let's start by looking at companies supporting Russia and cutting off all of the taxpayer-funded subsidy they get?

And we're assuming Russia actually did contribute. Secret_society's post below seems fairly well-reasoned.

[carlloeber]

Hillary Clinton should have threatened to resign over this shameful cowardice in the White House .. President Obama has allowed this to happen .. he has given free rein to the dictators in Damascus and abandoned Syrian people .. he said the right things when he lead the charge against Qaddafi .. but has let his re-election rule his moral sense on Syria ..

It is disgraceful cowardice unbecoming of the leader of the home of the brave ..

He could have shot back at Damascus 487 days ago when they started shooting innocent protesters .. He could have sent cruise missiles and drones to attack the palace of the dictator and his tanks and artillery .. He and the other leaders of the West meekly bow to the Kremlin and Chinese dictators and aver to coming up with new words to say how horrible are the Syrian dictators' atrocities ..

March 28, 2011, President Obama said .. "when people were being brutalized in Bosnia in the 1990s, it took the international community more than a year to intervene with air power to protect civilians." www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/03/28/president-obama-s-speech-libya

"To brush aside America's responsibility as a leader and — more profoundly — our responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are," (Except in an election year?)

"Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different," (Except in an election year?)

2011: "And as president, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action."

2012: Coward.

I have been to Syria and never met a better people .. they deserve the dignity of aid from President Obama and the West ..

[Vis8]

Ooooooooooopsssssss BBC, did you highlight "war crimes" in Iraq by the Allies?

"Oops, BBC: Iraq photo to illustrate Houla massacre?"

http://www.rt.com/news/bbc-iraq-syria-houla-400/

Bottom line: can we believe in the "media" any more??????????

[verrz]

The perverse and little publicized fact that Al-queda backs the rebels and so is a defacto American ally in this conflict should cue the public as to the volatile and as yet ungrasped by this administration dynamic at work here. Simply stated, with Assad ousted, we would see extremist factions coming out of the woodwork to insure that the new government is to their liking. The only solution, distateful as it is, is to keep Assad in power as the one stablizing force in the region. Then, a political compromise must be worked out with rebel factions. Some of these factions are not peace loving democrats. Be assured that they goad government forces into attacking to create the instability needed to further radical agendas. Bottom line: The Russians have a firmer grasp of this situation than the Americans do.

[mnollette]

Roughly the same mortality rate of of the Mexican Cartel War. We do nothing in either case except providing the weapons.

[e-watchman1]

The Anglo-American leadership are masterful liars. They are funding and arming the Syrian rebels, even employing the supposed enemy, al-qaeda, in order to take down Syria, while blaming other nations who support the right of a nation to fight against terrorists. If Russia were funding some terrorist group in the US don't you think that it would be a different story? The deal is, before they attack Iran and launch world war three they want to first take out Syria. That is what is going on.

[verrz]

A little starkly put, but something like that, although I don't think this administration is consciously working twards that goal. But consider Romney's remark some time ago that Russia is America's #1 enemy. Folks, he tipped his hand. he and his advisors are wargaming for the conflict they believe to be inevitable. Inept as Clinton is proving to be, a Romney Seretary of State would be eating raw meat at any future diplomatic functions. Ironically, Romney's bravado is the that of a terrified school yard bully...

[lesserof2evil]

It's a tragedy what happening in Syria with the Russian and the Chinese support, but to some extent it's no different from the Israelis atrocities to the Palestinians in the West Bank with the US support.

[JoseGonzalezDoritos]

Nope, sorry. There is no comparison between the two.

The Palestinians are a criminal race and have earned everything they get.

[lesserof2evil]

Jose clearly you have no clue what you're talking about. Do some historical research from an unbiased viewpoint. But again it's much easier to be an ignorant idiot.