His words came as the world waits for what are expected to be U.S. missile strikes on military targets inside Syria in coming days.
If a "thug and murderer" such as President Bashar Assad is allowed to do that without consequences, Kerry warned, there will be "no end to the test of our resolve. ... It matters if nothing is done."
In an appearance at the State Department, the secretary also said the death toll from that alleged chemical weapons attack was higher than has been reported. According to Kerry, U.S. intelligence has concluded that 1,429 people were killed. While he was speaking, the White House released some declassified details of what U.S. intelligence officials say they have learned about the attack.
Kerry indicated that a report about the attack from U.N. inspectors now in Syria won't affect the Obama administration's decision about how to hold Assad accountable. The U.N., he said, has stated that its investigators will only be able to determine whether chemical weapons were used — not who gave the order to fire them. What's more, Kerry said, "President Obama will ensure that the United States of American makes our own decisions ... on our own timelines based on our own values and interests."
Parallels
Where U.S. Allies Stand On A Strike Against Syria