With recent reports that a Syrian-American family is among those trapped and starving in Madaya, the urgency to act and the need to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power is critical.  History will most certainly judge the inaction in Syria as an allowance of a barbaric regime that murders innocent people. 

In a floor speech today, Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) drew attention to the crisis in Madaya, Syria and made a call for action before this crisis becomes this government’s greatest regret. 

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  I want to turn your attention to the crisis in Madaya, Syria.  Since July of 2015, the town has been under siege by the evil regime of Bashar al-Assad.  It has deprived its citizens, starved them, and at least in the last month 31 – at least – have died.  And those that try to flee face indiscriminate barrel bombs and targets by the Assad regime.

“You know, Bill Clinton once said that the greatest regret of his presidency was inaction in Rwanda. Mr. Speaker, I fear that our greatest regret, both of this President and of this House, will be inaction in Syria, where we see over 250,000 dead men, women, and children by the evil regime of Assad, because they believe to target women and children will bring more collective pain than to target just fighters.

“Mr. Speaker, if we’re going to destroy ISIS, and we all want to destroy ISIS, you cannot destroy ISIS with the existence of Assad.  Assad is the greatest recruiter to ISIS that has ever existed.  Whether its ISIS today or the next iteration tomorrow, Assad must go for the sake of a free Syria. And I yield back.”