Kasich Campaign Press Release - Kasich Calls for No-Fly Zone in Syria to Protect Civilians and Refugees

KASICH CALLS FOR NO-FLY ZONE IN SYRIA TO PROTECT CIVILIANS AND REFUGEES

Points to Increased Russian Military Action as Threat to Civilians, Refugees and Regional Stability

Today Ohio Governor John Kasich called on the United States and its allies to establish sanctuaries in Syria for civilians and refugees, protected by "no fly zones," to prevent further casualties and refugees as Russia's military intervention risks escalating the conflict. Kasich also repeated his call for the U.S. to contribute to a regional coalition of ground troops to defeat ISIS and al-Qaeda in Syria and Iraq.

"Russia's recent military build-up and intervention in Syria are neither intended to defeat ISIS nor to relieve the suffering of Syrian refugees. Mr. Putin's real goals are quite different: to take military action to rescue Assad's criminal government from its death and to strengthen Russia's strategic position in the Eastern Mediterranean. This is unacceptable and must stop.

"The Syrian opposition and three of Syria's regional neighbors, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, insist that the violent actions of Bashar al-Assad's government against its own people, described by the UN as crimes against humanity, disqualify Assad from any further legitimate claim to rule the country. All that Mr. Putin's attempts to keep the Assad government alive will therefore achieve is to extend the Syrian people's suffering. Saudi Arabia has stated that Mr. Putin's actions in Syria may cause it to intervene militarily in Syria. To prevent further escalation and suffering by civilians and refugees, the U.S. and its regional and West European allies need to establish sanctuary areas in Syria that are protected by 'no fly zones.'

"With hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue from clandestine oil exports and other illegal activity, increasingly sophisticated arms and equipment and an international network of supporters far superior to any enjoyed by al-Qaeda on 9/11, ISIS poses a serious threat to the U.S. and its allies. This leaves little choice but to act against ISIS immediately, or potentially pay a much higher price later.

"The United States, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, and the Arab League should deploy a regional coalition of ground troops to defeat al-Qaeda and ISIS in Syria and Iraq. The coalition should be regionally led. It should remain deployed until a transitional council can achieve a regional commitment to a sustainable political solution that will restore peace and security to Syria and Iraq.

"No one should be deluded into thinking that Russian military intervention is a solution to Syria's problems. Putin seeks to advance Russian interests in the region. Nor should we allow Mr. Putin to use the Syrian crisis to distract attention from his ongoing aggression in Ukraine.

"Now is the time for the United States to provide the moral leadership that it has so far failed to provide. We must act decisively, rally our allies and contribute troops to a regional military coalition in order to put an end to the years of suffering caused by this conflict."