Middle East/North Africa

The Syrian opposition warned Friday that Russia's continued support for Syrian President Bashar Assad risks derailing the Obama administration's last-ditch attempt at a political solution to the crisis.

The statement comes after U.S., Russian and U.N. officials failed this week to reach agreement with the warring parties on a format for the talks, delaying the peace conference in Geneva until July. Assad's government and the opposition are at loggerheads over who will be invited to participate and what the end goal should be.

Statements by some Russian officials that Assad be allowed to remain in power until 2014 “fail to take into account the urgency that drives the Syrian people to persevere with their revolution until Assad departs,” the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces said in a statement. “The regime's current tactics of terrorizing civilians, destroying the country's institutions and decimating its future, do not give any indication that the regime intends to end the crisis. These are the real obstacles to all conceivable solutions.”

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Thursday that he doesn’t think President Obama “has ever been really comfortable with national security issues,” as the senator pressed for more U.S. action in Syria.

During a speech at the Brookings Institution, McCain said that he has been long “puzzled” over why Obama hasn’t acted more decisively in the Middle East.

“His depiction of the world today stands in contrast to the reality of the world today,” McCain said. “I don't think the president has ever been really comfortable with national security issues. He’s much more comfortable with domestic issues.”

The Obama administration has received and is now reviewing evidence that France says confirms that Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces have used chemical weapons in Syria, the State Department said Thursday.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius declared on Tuesday that France has confirmed the use of sarin gas and that “there is no doubt that it's the regime and its accomplices.” Britain and Israel have made similar comments, putting pressure on President Obama to react after he said the use of such weapons would constitute an unacceptable “red line.”

“I don't have the exact timing, but I can confirm for you that we have received, of course, the information from the French,” said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. “We will take a close look at this, just like we take a close look at any information that's provided, and we always recommend that any country provide information, as well, to the UN for their full investigation.”

The last-ditch effort to negotiate a political end to the crisis in Syria stumbled on Wednesday, with the Obama administration now saying it's aiming for July to hold peace talks between the Assad regime and the rebels.

The new delay – Secretary of State John Kerry was shooting for late May when he first announced the initiative alongside his Russian counterpart – comes as the U.S.-backed rebels are facing new reversals. Regime forces reportedly took back the key western city of Qusayr on Wednesday, while France on Tuesday joined Israel and Britain in concluding that chemical weapons have been used against the rebels.

“Given all the arrangements and organization required for the Geneva conference on Syria and the continued need of the opposition to elect leadership ... we are aiming for July,” State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Wednesday after the end of talks in Geneva between senior U.S., Russian and UN officials. “And the same delegation of officials that met today will meet – will return to Geneva on June 25th to take stock of preparations for this conference.”

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdoğan overreacted in ordering police to respond escalating protests in Istanbul with tear gas and water cannons, according to Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), the co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Turkey.

"I think the Erdogan government overreacted in response," Connolly told The Hill on Wednesday. "I think the police showed overreaction."

Connolly's comments come during a week in which Turkey has been rocked by widespread protests against the government. Read more...

A group of lawmakers has introduced legislation to block the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) plan to establish a a pre-clearance facility in the United Arab Emirates.

The department is considering establishing a facility at the airport in the UAE's capital city, Abu Dhabi, from which travelers flying to the U.S. could be "pre-cleared" and treated as domestic passengers when they reach customs checkpoints after landing.

But Reps. Pat Meehan (R-Pa.), Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Candice Miller (R-Mich.) introduced an amendment Wednesday to the bill that appropriates funding for the DHS that would block the proposal.

The amendment would "prohibit DHS from using any taxpayer dollars to conduct Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance operations at the Abu Dhabi International Airport, where NO U.S. air carriers provide service," according to the language of the legislation. 

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Wednesday that the United States should stop sending foreign aid “to countries that convict Americans of bogus crimes.”

“U.S. citizens who've committed no real crime shouldn't be treated in this manner, especially as we continue to send that country billions of American taxpayer dollars,” Paul said. “Not one more cent to Egypt. Not one more penny to countries that convict Americans of bogus crimes — not today, not tomorrow, not ever.”

A congressional hearing Wednesday on “Obama's Failed Syria Policy” was delayed for several minutes after a Democrat publicly took the panel's chairwoman to task for her choice of title.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) had a cordial conversation with the chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs panel on the Middle East, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), accusing her of holding “pre-judgmental” rather than fact-finding hearings. Later, Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) said he was "disappointed" by the tone of the hearing, which he said created a false choice between "patriots" who want greater U.S. involvement in Syria and people who are "weak, interested in retreat and undermining American values."

Ros-Lehtinen conceded the point and promised to use more objective titles in the future.

“We will be careful with the pre-judgmental titles of the hearings,” said Ros-Lehtinen, a well-known pro-Israel hawk. “Although my [opening] statement will not follow that pattern.”

Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) urged their colleagues Tuesday evening to join them in calling for “fair and free” elections in Iran.

“I hope colleagues will join in support for our resolution calling for free and fair elections and condemning the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Blumenthal said on the Senate floor.

The Obama administration denounced a “politically motivated trial” but stopped short of overt threats.