Lee Zeldin Quotes

To simply demand that Assad go, and create a vacuum, could make the circumstances worse. To 'protect' Assad and his brutality is unconscionable. So you have to have a transition period here.

The U.S. would still like to see Assad go at some point. That would be our desired outcome.

It is doubtful that President Mubarak or the Saudi Royal family will allow elections that might sweep them from office.

As was true in Iraq and Libya, the United States has no credible government or leader able to bring order, security, and freedom to the people of Syria if Assad is overthrown.

It's difficult to see how Syria can have any long-term future with Assad there as president. Many people would never return to that country if that were the case.

A lot of the issue that is happening in Syria is Assad is still there. And after years now, the administration, of saying Assad has to go, the pressure is not being applied to Russia, to Iran - the folks that are propping up Assad - and Assad himself to be able to actually be removed there and to transition to another leader.

There is a political process which we are trying to achieve through what is called the Vienna Group. That involves the establishment of a governing council, which is to take power away from Bashar Assad, to write a constitution and to open the way for elections. It is important that Bashar leaves in the beginning, not at the end of the process. This will make the transition happen with less death and destruction.

I think those who have wanted regime [of Bashar Assad] change have made a mistake.

Establishing a stable democracy is a two stage process. First you get rid of the old regime, then you build a durable democratic replacement. Because the first stage is dramatic, many people think the game is over when the dictator is gone. But the second stage is more difficult. There are many examples of broad coalitions coming together to oust dictators but relatively few of them stayed together and agreed on what a new regime should look like.

He’s [Bashar al-Assad, Syrian President] a different kind of bloodthirsty dictator, the kind who shops on line on his iPad. He’s sort of Arab Dictator 2.0

No one in Washington has yet made a credible case that a post-Assad Syria can hold together.

Assad has to be removed, and then you have to actually put someone in that is a qualified leader that can start to build some trust in that area.

We don't see a peaceful Syria with Assad in there.

There are now two Syrias. One is run by men who fight for God, not democracy. The other is ruled by a secular but authoritarian regime accused of many crimes against its people. The choice between the two will not be decided at the polls.

It's important to remember that a dictator will not freely relinquish power after having hijacked the constitution and ruled with threats and promises. Sometimes it is necessary to put enough pressure on him that he leaves.

Assad must go. He's lost the legitimacy to govern.

Assad is a bad guy, but you may very well end up with worse than Assad.

I think we can all agree [Bashar] Assad is a bad and evil actor, but I'm not so sure that we want the Islamic rebels to be in charge of Syria either.

In Syria, if [Bashar al-] Assad had just been a statesman and handed over the reigns in time, Syria would not be heading down the nightmare that it is today.

We have always said there are two ways to resolve Syria, and both will end up with the same result: a Syria without Bashar Assad.

You cannot bring peace in Syria as long as [Bashar] Assad is, in fact, there.

We do not deny the possibility of peaceful [political] transition, but we are still awaiting the first case.

It is not our place to decide who should lead the Iraqi people. If Saddam [Hussein] leaves or has to be forced out of power and a new regime brought in, a new leadership brought in, I am confident it will be some combination of people inside the country and outside the country.

The dictator can be removed in a day, but it can take years to stamp out the lingering remnants of his dictatorship

I worry a little bit about - quote - "regime change." We haven't had a great deal of success with that in years. That's just really difficult.