(22. September) “In every case, if there is to be any hope of a political settlement, a certain military and security context is required, and that context will not materialize on its own. We and our partners need to facilitate it,” he said.

Petraeus emphasized the threat that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad poses to the Syrian people, to the Middle East, and to America’s attempt to stabilize the region. He said American “inaction”–in the form of coalescing with Assad or rejecting a military context—could “carry profound risks and costs for our national security.”