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WILLINGNESS TO WASHORK ON STRIPG
SYRIA OF ITS CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
OBAMA TOOK NOTE OF THE MISSING
SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY
WHO HAS BEGUN HAGGLING WITH THE
RUSSIANS OVER SYRIA'S CHEMICAL
WEAPONS ARSENAL.
>> IF WE CAN MAKE SURE CHEMICAL
WEAPONS ARE NOT USED AGAINST
INNOCENT PEOPLE.
>> Reporter: BUT THE WHITE HOUSE
IS ALREADY FACING ROAD BLOCKS.
FOR STARTERS, TAKE SYRIAN LEADER
BASHAR AL ASSAD'S COMMENTS TO
RUSSIAN TELEVISION, INSISTING
THAT THE U.S. DROP ITS THREAT OF
MILITARY FORCE.
>> Translator: THIS BILATERAL
PROCESS IS BASED FIRST OF ALL ON
THE UNITED STATES' STOPPING ITS
POLICY OF THREATENING SYRIA.
>> Reporter: ADD TO THAT THE
SHOT ACROSS THE BOW FROM RUSSIAN
PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN WHO
ARGUED IN A "NEW YORK TIMES"
OP-ED THAT THERE IS EVERY REASON
TO BELIEVE CHEMICAL WEAPONS WERE
USED NOT BY THE SYRIAN ARMY, BUT
BY OPPOSITION FORCES.
>> Translator: IT DEFIES LOGIC
AND PROBABILITY.
>> Reporter: IT WAS AN EARLY
TEST TO THAT OLD ADAGE FROM
PRESIDENT REAGAN, NOW ADOPTED BY
THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE.
>> TRUST BUT VERIFY.
>> DOES PRESIDENT OBAMA TRUST
PRESIDENT PUTIN?
>> I THINK THE POINT OF THAT IS
THAT ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN
WORDS AND THAT WE WILL --
>> HE DOESN'T TRUST HIM?
>> LOOK, I THINK THAT THE FACT
IS IF WE CAN RESOLVE THIS
WITHOUT RESORTING TO MILITARY
FORCE, THEN CREDIT WILL BE DUE
TO THE RUSSIANS AND TO EVERYONE
ELSE WHO PARTICIPATES IN THAT
PROCESS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
>> Reporter: PUTIN ALSO TOOK
EXCEPTION TO THIS COMMENT IN THE
PRESIDENT'S SPEECH.
>> I BELIEVE WE SHOULD ACT.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES AMERICA
DIFFERENT.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES US
EXCEPTIONAL.
>> Reporter: THE RUSSIAN
PRESIDENT SAID IT IS EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO
SEE THEMSELVES AS EXCEPTIONAL,
WHATEVER THE MOTIVATION.
>> CAN PUTIN BE TRUSTED?
>> PUTIN CANNOT BE TRUSTED.
>> Reporter: FORMER OBAMA AND
BUSH NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIAL
SAYS THE WHITE HOUSE MUST PUT
ASIDE THE PERSONALITIES AT THE
BARGAINING TABLE AND DEMAND A
TIMELINE FOR ASSAD TO GIVE UP
HIS POISON GAS.
>> THIS COULD GO ON FOR FIVE
YEARS AND THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY'S GOING TO TURN ITS
ATTENTION ELSEWHERE AND ASSAD
WILL USE CHEMICAL WEAPONS
ANOTHER DAY.
>> Reporter: REPUBLICAN CRITICS
HAVE SEIZED ON THE TWISTS AND
TURNS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S
HANDLING OF SYRIA AS A SIGN OF
WEAKNESS.
>> THE PRESIDENT JUST SEEMS TO
BE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE BEING
COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THIS
NATION.
>> Reporter: BUT THE WHITE HOUSE
SEES STRENGTH.
>> I THINK THAT THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE AT LEAST IN MY ASSESSMENT
APPRECIATE A COMMANDER IN CHIEF
WHO TAKES IN NEW INFORMATION AND
DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATE
DECISIVENESS FOR THE SAKE OF
DECISIVENESS.
>> Reporter: AND WHITE HOUSE
PRESS SECRETARY JAY CARNEY
ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE HAVE
BEEN SOME QUOTE, CURVES IN THE
ROAD IN GETTING SYRIA TO THE
POINT WHERE IT AT LEAST AGREES
TO GIVE UP ITS CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
ASKED FOR A TIMELINE AS TO WHEN
THAT MIGHT HAPPEN, WHITE HOUSE
OFFICIALS STILL AREN'T SAYING
BUT THEY ARE LOOKING TO A