Staff ReportsThe Biden administration’s State Department recently marked a rather bizarre occasion by unveiling a portrait of none other than former Secretary of State John Kerry. As Secretary of State Antony Blinken pattered on about the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, one can’t help but notice the irony in the festivities. Celebrating the demise of Assad while conveniently glossing over Kerry’s past meetings with the very man they are now praising is a plot twist worthy of a daytime soap opera.
Kerry, in earlier years, was quite chummy with Assad, making six high-profile visits, including one in 2009 when he was still a senator. His strategy seemed to hinge on sweet-talking Syria into fitting the Obama administration’s goals for the region. At one point, he even touted Syria’s role as a “key player” in resolving Middle East conflicts, all the while hoping Assad would be a good little dictator and break up with Iran and Hamas. Spoiler alert: that didn’t happen.
The media’s selective outrage is particularly fascinating. Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard recently faced a flurry of criticism from the left for a single meeting she had with Assad in 2017, which they insist is disqualifying in her bid to become Director of National Intelligence. Oddly, they seem to conveniently overlook Kerry’s much more extensive history with the Syrian leader. If Gabbard’s one meeting is an offense, why isn’t Kerry canonized for his half-dozen rendezvous?
Further complicating matters is Kerry’s flip-flopping views on Syria. Though he co-sponsored the 2003 Syrian Accountability Act—a piece of legislation intended to impose sanctions on Syria—later on, he promoted diplomatic outreach and urged President Obama to appoint an ambassador to Damascus. His change of heart came only after Assad crossed Obama’s infamous “red line” with chemical warfare against his own people. This back-and-forth leaves one wondering what Kerry actually stands for, besides a hefty paycheck and a nice painting for the office wall.
As Elites Trash Gabbard for Assad Meeting, Look Whose Portrait They Just Hung at the State Department #republican #newshttps://t.co/AhItQHT9pC
— Redicate (@redicate_com) December 11, 2024
In stark contrast, Gabbard has maintained a consistent approach toward U.S. involvement in Syria, asserting that American “wars of regime change” have done nothing but exacerbate suffering and empower groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS. Her call to disengage from Syria echoes sentiments expressed by Donald Trump, which have suddenly now come under fierce scrutiny following the fallout of Assad’s regime—something that, surprisingly, Kerry isn’t held accountable for.
Ironically, the same media pushing Gabbard’s alleged disqualifications heralded Kerry’s appointment as Secretary of State with a nearly unanimous vote of 94 to 3. If historical meetings with foreign leaders are the new disqualification criteria, then surely Kerry should have been grounds for immediate political exile. Yet here he is, proudly hanging in the annals of bureaucratic honor, while Gabbard’s candidacy continues to be treated as suspect. As the 2024 political landscape unfolds, it seems that standards may vary wildly depending on one’s party affiliation—and that’s a cheat sheet worth keeping handy.
