Stand with Kerry for Syria agreement to confront ISIS

Secretary of State John Kerry says a ceasefire between Syria's government and opposition could be just weeks away from reality, AP reports. [1] Kerry said the ceasefire envisioned by the political process agreed upon in Vienna on 11/14 would significantly help efforts to fight ISIS as well as end the Syrian civil war. “We're weeks away conceivably from the possibility of a big transition for Syria, and I don't think enough people necessarily notice that,” Kerry said.

John McCain noticed, and he’s not happy. McCain slammed the ceasefire deal on NPR, on the grounds that it accepts that Russia and Iran have influence in Syria. [2] But a war to remove Russian and Iranian influence from Syria would be a long war indeed. Saudi Arabia and Turkey, key backers of the Syrian opposition, signed the deal in Vienna, but that’s not good enough for John McCain.

Secretary Kerry has done what 55 House Democrats [3], led by Jim Himes, urged him to do: get a deal with Russia and Iran to end the Syrian civil war, so the world can cooperate to confront ISIS. As Rep. Himes said on the House floor at the time [4], Washington has to accept that a realistic political deal in Syria that allows the world to focus on confronting ISIS is not going to be “perfect” from Washington’s point of view.

Urge Congress to support the Syria ceasefire deal by signing our petition.

References:
1. http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-paris-consult-french-leaders-attack-082615127--politics.html
2. http://www.npr.org/2015/11/17/456326738/sen-john-mccain-on-isis
3. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/rep-jim-himes--54-house-d_b_8222622.html
4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/to-help-syrians-back-real_b_8474446.html