Kerry Repeatedly Stresses That It’s “President Obama’s Foreign Policy,†Not HisGee, I wonder why?Quote:
Whether on Syria, Egypt or Iran, Secretary of State John Kerry wants Americans to know that President Obama, not he, is in charge of America’s foreign policy.
In a round of interviews Tuesday with U.S. media outlets in Qatar, the last stop on his inaugural foreign trip as top U.S. diplomat, Kerry repeatedly stressed that the decisions were Obama’s.
Asked whether the United States could “afford the kind of foreign policy that you want to lead†– with reference to the announcement of more aid to Egypt, among other things – Kerry told NPR’s Michele Kelemen, “Let me say to you very directly, first of all, this is President Obama’s foreign policy, and the president and I agree 100 percent that Egypt is vital to the region, to our interests.â€
Asked by CNN’s Jill Dougherty whether he would be willing “to sit down with the Iranians,†Kerry said, “Well, I’m willing to do what the president instructs me to do, and the president calls that shot.â€
When CBS News’ Margaret Brennan asked Kerry, “what would it take for you to take that next step†on supporting the anti-Assad opposition in Syria, he told her, “Well, it’s not me … it’s a matter of the president, and there has to be, obviously, a process by which that decision might or might not be made. I’m going to go back and report to the president the things I’ve heard.â€
ABC News’ Martha Raddatz asked him, “Would you rule out lethal aid [to Syrian rebels] in the future?†and Kerry answered, “That’s not my job to do. That’s the president of the United States’ decision …â€