Kerry: Time isn't right for US move against Syria

[March 09, 2012]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry says the violent crackdown by Bashar Assad's regime in Syria shouldn't be tolerated, but the United States and the international community must respond "in a responsible way."

Kerry tells CBS's "This Morning" Thursday that there are stark differences between Syria and Moammar Gadhafi's Libya and that Assad has stronger air defenses. Asked about U.S. intervention, the Massachusetts Democrat replied, "Is that the right thing to do tomorrow or the next day. I think not."

Kerry says Washington "can't just jump up some morning and say, `Let's go and drop some bombs on Syrian tanks' "

The senator says he believes that Russia and China gave Assad "a kind of get-out-of-jail card" when the two countries vetoed a U.N. effort to force him out.

[Associated Press]

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