April 11, 2018

As the President, Congress, and the international community deliberates on taking action in Syria, MPAC urges decision-makers to prioritize civilian protection. On Saturday, chemical weapons were once again deployed to devastating effect, this time in the Douma area of Syria. Dozens of civilians were killed and hundreds more were exposed to chlorine and sarin compounds, with children often suffering the worst. UN relief agencies have been denied access to the area and thus have been unable to treat those most in need or properly assess the extent of the carnage.

The Syrian conflict has become the greatest man-made humanitarian disaster of our time, with the largest displacement of refugees in history. Aside from our shared moral imperative to alleviate such colossal suffering, it is in our own best interest as Americans to stem the flow of state-sponsored violence. We, therefore, call on the President, Congress, and the international community to act swiftly in bringing justice and relief to those most in need.